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Archive of Hot Topics and News from 1997-2020

Below is an archive of Hot Topics and News provided by Energize from 1997-2020.

Looking for Susan's Hot Topics? Scroll through the years 2017 - 1997.

2020

Engage: The global voice of leaders of volunteer engagement has launched Betsy McFarland
Value of Volunteering Betsy McFarland
The Ellis Archive is Now Available Betsy McFarland
How Leaders Can Find Strength In Vulnerability Laura Maloney
Re-Opening and Recovery: Volunteer Engagement Resources in a Coronavirus World Betsy McFarland
Supporting Volunteer Efforts During Coronavirus Betsy McFarland
Susan J. Ellis Foundation: Supporting the Volunteer Engagement Profession Kristin Floyd
Energize in 2020 Betsy McFarland

2019

The Volunteer Engagement Cha-Cha Susan J. Ellis
Fueling Volunteer Passion: Empowering Volunteers to Self-Motivate Sheri Wilensky Burke
Revisiting Credentials and Certifications in Volunteer Engagement Cara Thenot
When "Just" a Volunteer is Better than a Paid Employee Jayne Cravens
S#%& Words We Need To Stop Saying: Words and Phrases to Erase from the Lexicon of Volunteer Management Rob Jackson and Erin Spink
Volunteering Trend Watch: What Can We Learn from Looking Back? Cara Thenot
Could Volunteers Replace Paid Staff? Have No Fear! Betsy McFarland
Lessons Learned About Leading Volunteers From a Volunteering Working Mom Sheri Wilensky Burke
Remembering Susan J. Ellis Energize Team
The Times They Are a Changin’—Even for Volunteers Rob Jackson
How Volunteer Action in 2018 Can Focus Us for 2019 Susan J. Ellis

2018

Seeking Funder Support for Volunteer Engagement? Assess Your Approach! Betsy McFarland
Volunteers? Donors? Let’s Call Them All Supporters! Sheri Wilensky Burke
Leaders of Volunteers: Stop Being So Bloody Nice! Rob Jackson
Good News: Today and Tomorrow for Energize, Inc. Susan J. Ellis
Leader or Liability: Are Leaders Sabotaging Volunteer Engagement? Andy Fryar (AU)
What Is the New National Alliance for Volunteer Engagement and What Will It Mean for Us? Betsy McFarland
Bribing volunteers: Should we be incentivising people for their time? Rob Jackson
Grow Volunteer-Staff Harmony: Plant New Seeds this Spring Betsy McFarland
Don’t Just Recognize Volunteers, Invest in Them…and Yourself Sheri Wilensky Burke
Happy Birthday to Energize’s Founder and a Volunteer Management Pioneer Energize Team
Is Volunteer Management Really a Profession? Susan J. Ellis
New Year’s Resolution for Executive Directors of Volunteer-Involving Organizations Betty B. Stallings

2017

Letting Fear Prevent Volunteer Involvement is Too Risky Jayne Cravens
Leaders of Volunteers: Will You “Be the Voice” for Our Profession? Susan J. Ellis
Are You in a Volunteer Management Silo? Susan J. Ellis
Three Great Days: Reflections after the Summit on Volunteer Engagement Leadership Susan J. Ellis
The “Social Compact” and Voluntary Action Are the Foundation of Democracy -- Even Today Susan J. Ellis
Find the Money for Priceless Conferencing Susan J. Ellis
That Pesky Word “Volunteer” Susan J. Ellis
Continuous Learning Is Not Optional Susan J. Ellis
Energize Turns 40! Susan J. Ellis
Don’t Forget Volunteers as Part of the Solution to 2017 Nonprofit Challenges Susan J. Ellis
Pride in the Volunteer Management Profession Susan J. Ellis

2016

When Things Look Dark, Volunteers Can Spark Lightning Susan J. Ellis
What Volunteer Recruiters Can Learn from #GivingTuesday Susan J. Ellis
Get the Most Support: Blending Money, Things, and People Susan J. Ellis
The Limitations of Seeing Volunteers Only as Unpaid Staff Susan J. Ellis
Clients Are a Talent Pool, Too Susan J. Ellis
Inform, and Wow, Everyone about Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
The Division of Labor between Volunteer Centers and Volunteer-Involving Organizations Susan J. Ellis
Political Campaigns: Epicenter of Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
Sending Volunteer Talent Down the Drain Susan J. Ellis
Incorporate the Power of Live Web Calls into Volunteer Management Susan J. Ellis
Do You Stick Your Neck Out When Advocating for Volunteers? Susan J. Ellis
The Domino Effect of Setting Goals for Volunteer Involvement Susan J. Ellis

2015

See Superheroes for What They Really Are! Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers as Beta Testers Susan J. Ellis
Keeping Former Volunteers in Our Circle of Good Friends Susan J. Ellis
Pictures, Pictures, Pictures Susan J. Ellis
In the Middle: The Leader of Volunteers as Intermediary Susan J. Ellis
Letting Volunteers into the Team’s Locker Room Susan J. Ellis
Mixed Messages to Volunteers Whom We’ve Asked to Be Friendly Susan J. Ellis
Fighting against Ignorance: Picking up My Sword Yet Again Susan J. Ellis
If Google Can’t Find the People Who Lead Volunteers, No One Can Susan J. Ellis
Do Volunteers Want to “Talk Amongst Themselves”? Susan J. Ellis
Replace Current Volunteers or Redirect New Ones? Susan J. Ellis
What I Learned about Online Resources for Volunteer Management (While Updating the New Energize, Inc. Web Site) Susan J. Ellis

2014

What Did You and Volunteers Do Well this Year? Susan J. Ellis
Pulling the Rug Out from Under Volunteer Involvement: Sudden Staff Changes Susan J. Ellis
Whom Don’t We Ask to Volunteer? Susan J. Ellis
Ten Time-Tested Volunteer Recruitment Tips that Still Work Susan J. Ellis
Identifying Who Is and Is Not a “Volunteer” Susan J. Ellis
I Really Want to Know: What’s Going on Out There? Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers and the Quest for Innovation Susan J. Ellis
Branding National Volunteer Week: Whose Week Is It Anyway? Susan J. Ellis
Working Together to Recognize Volunteers…and More Susan J. Ellis
Let’s Help People Help Each Other Susan J. Ellis
It’s Time to Discuss the Complex Relationship of Volunteering and Money Susan J. Ellis
Virtual Volunteering Revisited Susan J. Ellis

2013

Don't Let the History Made by Volunteers Fall through the Cracks of Time Susan J. Ellis
Education through Celebration on International Volunteer Managers Day Susan J. Ellis
Prospective Volunteers Are Closer than You Think Susan J. Ellis
What Volunteer Resources Managers Can Teach Human Resources Managers Susan J. Ellis
Volunteering and Employability: Cause or Effect? Susan J. Ellis
Breaking through the Glass Ceiling for Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
Stop Volunteers from Being Their Own Worst Enemies Susan J. Ellis
Strategic Volunteer Management: Expanding Your Organization's Brain Susan J. Ellis
Revisiting the Seven Deadly Sins of Directing Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
Why Social Media Is Not the Cure-All for Building Volunteer Engagement Susan J. Ellis
The Treasure Trove of Knowledge Philanthropists Susan J. Ellis
Should We Cap the Number of Hours a Volunteer May Serve Each Week? Susan J. Ellis

2012

End-of-Year Reports Can Illuminate Volunteer Achievements Susan J. Ellis
The Perfect Volunteer Storm Susan J. Ellis
Practicing What We Preach: Volunteers Helping Us, Too Susan J. Ellis
"Why?" Is More Powerful than #@#%! Susan J. Ellis
Let's Be Honest about Nonprofit Boards of Directors (or, Lessons to Be Learned from Penn State) Susan J. Ellis
Is Volunteering the Emperor's New Clothes? Susan J. Ellis
Why Do We Love Volunteer Satisfaction Surveys? Susan J. Ellis
Three Things Volunteer Managers Can Learn from the Social Media Revolution Rob Jackson
Common Sense and Volunteer Involvement Susan J. Ellis
How Serving the Volunteer Field Has Changed after 35 Years -- Or Not? Susan J. Ellis
Volunteering Is Inherently Political Susan J. Ellis
What Would the Perfect Volunteer-Involving Organization Look Like? Susan J. Ellis

2011

My Personal "State of the World's Volunteering" Report Susan J. Ellis
Part-time Volunteer Management Means Equally Limited Volunteer Involvement Susan J. Ellis
What Leaders of Volunteers Can DO to Gain Executive Attention Susan J. Ellis
Addressing Volunteerism Issues in the Blogosphere Susan J. Ellis
I'll Never Understand Why Executives Still Don't Understand Susan J. Ellis
Needed: A Multi-level Approach to Credentialing Volunteer Management Susan J. Ellis
Is the Corporation for National and Community Service on the Right Track for Volunteerism? Paula J. Beugen
Short Attention Spans versus Long-term Causes Susan J. Ellis
Celebrate Collective Accomplishments, Not Volunteered Time Susan J. Ellis
Exercise Your Volunteering Funny Bone Susan J. Ellis
Real Professions Have Strong Associations Susan J. Ellis
The Choice of the Citizen: Pay Taxes, Do Without, or Volunteer Susan J. Ellis

2010

The Word "Volunteer" Can Reveal, Conceal, or Confuse Susan J. Ellis
When Volunteers Resist Change Susan J. Ellis
Good Intentions Going Nowhere -- Again Susan J. Ellis
Online Information Overload -- and How to Cope Susan J. Ellis
Limiting Volunteers through Insurance Requirements Susan J. Ellis
The Correlation between Time Donors and Money Donors Susan J. Ellis
Reimagining Service: Is Corporate HR Management What We See? Susan J. Ellis
The Self-Directed Volunteer Susan J. Ellis
"You Get What You Pay For" Susan J. Ellis
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps Targeting Volunteer Management Susan J. Ellis
Both Receiving and Giving Susan J. Ellis
Differentiating between Volunteering and Working for Pay Susan J. Ellis

2009

When the Ax Falls: Budget Cutting and Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
Media Blitz vs. Media Noise: What Are We Trying to Accomplish? Susan J. Ellis
Taking the Client's Perspective in Designing Volunteer Roles Susan J. Ellis
Making Ongoing Volunteering Valued and Visible Susan J. Ellis
The Separation of Service-learning from Volunteering...and Does It Matter? Susan J. Ellis
The Drive towards "Highly-skilled" and "Pro Bono" Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
Days, Hours and Minutes of Service - Enough Is Enough Susan J. Ellis
The Role of Volunteer Resources Managers in the Serve America Act Paula J. Beugen
Confidentiality and Other Objections to Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
The Difference Between Needing and Wanting Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
"A New Era of Responsibility": An Open Letter to President Obama Susan J. Ellis
What's Ahead for 2009? Susan J. Ellis

2008

From Organizing Charity to Building Community Susan J. Ellis
How Will the Economic Crisis Affect Volunteering? Susan J. Ellis
The Confusing Talk about "Service" Susan J. Ellis
Replacing Volunteers with Paid Staff Susan J. Ellis
The Yin and Yang of China's Olympic Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers Should Not Be Second-Class Taxpayers Susan J. Ellis
Is the Rising Cost of Gas a Crisis or an Opportunity for Volunteering? Susan J. Ellis
It's Volunteers and Money Susan J. Ellis
Volunteering Is Bigger than the Nonprofit Sector Susan J. Ellis
California Governor "Pumps Up" Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
The Power of Difference Susan J. Ellis
So, What Do You Do? Susan J. Ellis

2007

Helper Triage: Volunteer Management in Emergencies Susan J. Ellis
Boards of Directors: Governing at a Distance? Susan J. Ellis
The Moral Obligation of Volunteer Recruitment Promises Susan J. Ellis
Volunteering We See but Don't Recognize Susan J. Ellis
The Big Merger: Many Unanswered Questions Susan J. Ellis
The More We're Different, the More We're the Same Susan J. Ellis
Technology Acceleration: Grab Hold and Hang On Susan J. Ellis
Make New Friends But Keep the Old... Susan J. Ellis
I'll help with that, but don't ask me to lead it! Susan J. Ellis
Marking a Special Birthday Susan J. Ellis
Voluntourism - Pros, Cons, and Possibilities Susan J. Ellis
Should Volunteer Program Managers Be Volunteers, Too? Susan J. Ellis

2006

Together We Stand: Volunteers and Volunteer Resource Managers Connected Susan J. Ellis
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
The Middle Management Barrier Susan J. Ellis
What's in a Name or a Title? Susan J. Ellis
Start Early: Teaching Students about Volunteering, Not Simply Doing It Susan J. Ellis
"I Don't Have Time" Susan J. Ellis
Wouldn't It Be Nice to Really Know Susan J. Ellis
Online Spying Can Improve Your Volunteer Management Skills Susan J. Ellis
Why a New Association Should Serve the USA Susan J. Ellis
A Call to Action on Behalf of Our Profession Susan J. Ellis
The Fair Labor Standards Act and Other Obstacles to Progress Susan J. Ellis
The Implications of History Susan J. Ellis

2005

Charity Burnout? How to Cope with the Impact of Mother Nature in 2005 Susan J. Ellis
Strength in Numbers: Engaging Volunteers as Partners in Program Development Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers Just Want to Have Fun Susan J. Ellis
The Silver Lining of Disaster Susan J. Ellis
Still Tilting at Windmills Susan J. Ellis
Save a Life, Win a Car! When Do Incentives to Volunteer Cross the Line? Susan J. Ellis
Mobile Volunteers -"Tis the Season" Susan J. Ellis
Why Be Boring When You Can Celebrate in So Many Ways? Susan J. Ellis
We Can Model True Collaboration Susan J. Ellis
Recruitment Maxims Susan J. Ellis
Why Can't We Make Progress on Public Perceptions about Volunteering? Susan J. Ellis
Keeping an Eye on Things in the Year Ahead Susan J. Ellis

2004

Chicken or Egg: Why Are Our Professional Associations Weak? Susan J. Ellis
Interns: The "Acceptable" Volunteers? Susan J. Ellis
Watching, Helping and Learning from China Susan J. Ellis
Workplace Volunteerism: Have We Thought this Through? Susan J. Ellis
Applied Futurism: Putting Trends to Work Today Susan J. Ellis
Should We Ask Volunteers to Give Money on Top of Time? Susan J. Ellis
Does It Matter if Volunteers Work in a Nonprofit or a Government Setting? Susan J. Ellis
Shaping Public Opinion: Volunteering, Government, and News Reports Susan J. Ellis
Making Volunteer Management Happen: A Proposal for AmeriCorps Steve McCurley
A Great New Report to Praise, Criticize, and Use Susan J. Ellis
Government, Politicians, and the Use of the Word "Volunteer" Susan J. Ellis
Economic Development, Internet Technology, and Volunteers Susan J. Ellis

2003

The Need for Institutional Memory Susan J. Ellis
Educating Other Professions about Volunteers: Starting at the Source Susan J. Ellis
Universal Standards vs. Your Own Situation Susan J. Ellis
Beyond Common Sense: Volunteer Management as a Specialty Susan J. Ellis
One Step Further: Volunteer Services and Agency-wide Education Susan J. Ellis
Turning a Gift into a Powerful Tool: The Internet-related's Impact on the Volunteer Field Susan J. Ellis
Raising Money through Volunteer Labor Susan J. Ellis
What We See, or Don't: Volunteers in Television, Films, and Novels Susan J. Ellis
War and Volunteers: History Repeats Itself Susan J. Ellis
Marketing Savvy - Our Field's Blind Spot Susan J. Ellis
Making an Impact When You Spend Money Susan J. Ellis
The Hot Topic Is the Hot Topic Susan J. Ellis

2002

United Way is Not the Way for Volunteer Centers Susan J. Ellis
A Utopian View of Volunteerism Professional Organizations Susan J. Ellis
The Great Divide: Leaders Who Are Paid and Leaders Who Are Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
A Medal for Volunteer Service - How to Measure Success? Rob Jackson
The Missing Link: Where are Volunteers at the National Level? Susan J. Ellis
What's Hot, What's Not Susan J. Ellis
Reacting to the Critics Susan J. Ellis
Spring Cleaning: Take a Fresh Look at Your Volunteer Program Susan J. Ellis
Don't Call Me a 'Senior'! Susan J. Ellis
The World According to Volunteer Experience Susan J. Ellis
Mixed Messages from Government: Lessons from Minnesota Susan J. Ellis
Moving on from 2001 Susan J. Ellis

2001

It's Time to Start Counting Volunteers Seriously Susan J. Ellis
Tackling Causes Not Symptoms: New/Old Roles for Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
A Volunteerism Perspective on the Days after the 11th of September Susan J. Ellis
Advocacy for Volunteer Involvement: The Role of Funders Susan J. Ellis
Evaluating by Comparisons: Watch out for the Traps! Susan J. Ellis
Faith-Based Initiatives: What Might This Mean? Susan J. Ellis
When a Volunteer Transforms into an Employee Susan J. Ellis
Money is No Object Susan J. Ellis
National Volunteer Week: Does Anyone Care? Susan J. Ellis
Purity and Reality: For-Profit Consulting in Volunteerism Susan J. Ellis
"Youth Involvement" in Our Field Susan J. Ellis
Who is Celebrating IYV? Connecting the "Streams of Service" Susan J. Ellis

2000

On Being a Dream-Catcher Susan J. Ellis
Unskilled vs. Differently Skilled: Maximize Volunteer Differences Susan J. Ellis
A Proposal for IYV2001: The Look Back to Look Ahead Project Susan J. Ellis
Be Careful What We Wish For! The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Volunteering Linda L. Graff
If Not Your Home Page, Then Where? Susan J. Ellis
The Volunteer Generation Gap Susan J. Ellis
Enough Formal Banquets! Let's Transform Recognition Events Susan J. Ellis
Mixed Messages: What Do We Really Think about Young Volunteers? Susan J. Ellis
Some Truths Revealed about Nametags Susan J. Ellis
Warning! We're about to Waste an Opportunity! Susan J. Ellis
Volunteering in For-Profit Settings: Exploitation or Value Added? Susan J. Ellis
Wishes and Resolves for the New Year Susan J. Ellis

1999

Once in a Millennium Opportunity Susan J. Ellis
Statistics, Bikinis and Volunteers: The New Independent Sector Study on Giving and Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
Philanthropy, Civic Engagement, and the Lessons of Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
Trend Watch: Are You Ready? Susan J. Ellis
The Wall of Executive Indifference Susan J. Ellis
Mystifying Data: Can America's Promise Get Away with It? Susan J. Ellis
Volunteer Managers and the Time Management Trap Andy Fryar (AU)
Staff Resistance and Highly-Skilled Volunteers Susan J. Ellis
Lessening Social Exclusion through Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
The Money Factor in Volunteer Management Susan J. Ellis
The Just-a-Volunteer Syndrome Susan J. Ellis
If the Whole World is Changing, Can Volunteerism Stay the Same? Susan J. Ellis

1998

What's the Mystery about Motivation? Susan J. Ellis
The Giving of Thanks Susan J. Ellis
The Limits of the "V" Word Sarah Jane Rehnborg
Reinventing Conferences Susan J. Ellis
Let's Commit to International Exchange Susan J. Ellis
Turbulence at the State Level Susan J. Ellis
Reaching Out to International Visitors Susan J. Ellis
The Presidents' Summit One Year Later Susan J. Ellis
Some Nagging Questions... Susan J. Ellis
Give Volunteers a Voice Susan J. Ellis
Let's All Resolve... Susan J. Ellis

1997

The Holiday Season: Going Beyond "Feel-Good" Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
Global Connections - International Volunteerism Susan J. Ellis
Redirecting Corporate Volunteering Susan J. Ellis
What's Gender Got to Do with It? Susan J. Ellis
Volunteers as the "Third Branch" of an Organization Susan J. Ellis
Is Volunteer Management Really a Profession? Susan J. Ellis
Why Is It Labor Unions vs. Volunteers? Susan J. Ellis
A Proposal for Five Additional Goals after the Summit Susan J. Ellis
Is the challenge recruiting citizens to volunteer or making sure agencies are ready for volunteers? Susan J. Ellis