Experiential Influences on Volunteers’ Retention and Support Intentions

Abstract We contribute to the research stream on volunteer retention and commitment that examines the influence of satisfaction on retention by (1) examining potential antecedents to satisfaction, (2) framing satisfaction as volunteers’ satisfaction with their volunteering experience, and (3) evaluating a variety of potential outcome variables. We examined the influence of volunteer’s satisfaction with their overall volunteering experience on six behavioral intentions (1-year retention intentions, 5-year retention intentions, donation intentions, bequest intentions, volunteer recruitment intentions, and word-of-mouth intentions). Data were collected from participating Canadian nonprofit organizations, resulting in 599 completed questionnaires from active volunteers. Satisfaction had a significant influence on the four nonmonetary support intentions. Feeling valued influenced our outcomes indirectly through satisfaction and had a direct effect on four outcome variables. Perceived usefulness was a significant antecedent of feeling valued. Moderation effects, directions for future research, and managerial implications are also discussed.