WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a study of more than 20,000 Americans, Gallup and the Kettering Foundation found that the biggest differentiator between those who volunteer in their communities and those who want to but don't isn't free time; it's knowing how to get involved. More than half (54%) of would-be volunteers say they're unsure of how to participate.
The Majority of Americans Have Regular Free Time
Gallup used respondents’ answers about how much free time they have on weekdays and weekends to classify Americans into four groups. Sixty-nine percent of Americans have at least some kind of regular free time, reporting at least six hours of free time on weekends, weekdays or both. About one-quarter of Americans have limited free time, with fewer than six but more than two hours on either weekdays or weekends. Another 7% have minimal free time — two or fewer hours on both weekdays and weekends.
Americans With Free Time Divided on Involvement in Their Community
Americans are nearly evenly divided on community volunteering. Roughly one-third (31%) volunteered or actively participated in organizations designed to improve conditions in their community in the past year; 36% wanted to but did not; and 32% did not want to.
Among U.S. adults who have at least six hours of free time (on weekends or weekdays, or both), 31% reported volunteering in their community; 35% expressed a desire to volunteer to improve their community but did not do so; and 34% expressed no desire to volunteer in their community.
Overall, the relationship between free time and volunteering is minimal, suggesting that other barriers may be driving Americans’ ability to be involved.
Barriers to Volunteering in Communities
Gallup and the Kettering Foundation asked Americans about the barriers they face to community participation. Among Americans who have ample free time and want to get involved in their communities, the actionable barriers they cite most often (these exclude health concerns) include knowledge about how to get involved and being invited to participate. More than half of would-be volunteers (54%) say they are unsure of how to get involved, compared with 35% among those who have volunteered. Roughly the same share (51%) say they have not been invited or encouraged to participate, 15 percentage points higher than for those who have volunteered.
Feeling unwelcome, issue knowledge and believing their participation won’t make a difference also matter when persuading would-be volunteers to become involved. However, both groups face the constraint of work and family obligations: 45% of those who volunteered reported these as a barrier, compared with 46% of those who didn’t volunteer but wanted to.
Implications
While it may be tempting to assume that people who don’t volunteer or get involved in their communities simply don’t have time, Gallup finds that about one-quarter of Americans report having a reasonable amount of free time and wanting to volunteer. Although work and family obligations are a commonly cited barrier among this group, those who do volunteer also report facing this barrier, and at a similar rate.
Being unsure of how to get involved is the single largest differentiator of not volunteering among those who want to. Lack of encouragement to participate, lack of feeling welcome, lack of knowledge about the issues, and not believing their involvement will make a difference follow.
For nonprofits, civic organizations and community leaders, this points to a clear and actionable gap: finding new ways to get the word out about opportunities and making all kinds of people feel welcome and encouraged to get involved. Outreach, personal invitations and lowering the information barrier to entry may be more effective strategies than general campaigns aimed at inspiring willingness. These would-be volunteers already have the time and the desire.
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Editorial Note: The views and opinions expressed here are made independent of the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and without the foundation’s warranty of accuracy, authenticity or completeness. Such statements do not reflect the views and opinions of the foundation, which hereby disclaims liability to any party for direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages that may arise in connection with statements made during association with the foundation or independently.
