Minnesota ranks No. 3 in volunteerism nationwide as nonprofits see rebound

Minnesota ranks third nationwide for volunteerism as the share of residents who donate their time to nonprofits has rebounded to the highest level seen in several years, a new report shows.

Volunteers have returned to Minnesota nonprofits after a sharp decline during the pandemic, now helping out at a rate surpassing that in 2019, according to AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau. The survey released earlier in November gave Minnesota the bronze, tied with Nebraska, for its percentage of volunteers in 2023, the most recent year for which figures are available.

Only Utah and Vermont ranked higher than Minnesota, where 40.3% of residents, or more than 1.8 million people, volunteered in 2023, according to the report. That's higher than the nationwide rate showing more than 28% of Americans volunteered with a nonprofit.

"I think there's something very special about our state," said Julia Quanrud, CEO of the nonprofit ServeMinnesota, which administers AmeriCorps programs across the state. "We find this unifying thread of Minnesotans caring about their neighbors, and being willing to show up and help."

Minnesota's volunteer rate recovered last year after dipping to 35.5% in 2021, as the pandemic caused nonprofits to shut down and move online. The state also ranked third that year.

The survey, conducted every two years, shows Minnesota is one of 14 states with a volunteer rate in 2023 that met or exceeded 2019. Minnesota's rate last year inched above that in 2019, when 40.1% of residents volunteered.

But it is still down from a recent high in 2017, when more than 45% of Minnesotans volunteered their time.

Those residents who volunteered in 2023 contributed $4 billion in economic value, the report says.

Post-pandemic rebound

Polly Roach, program director with the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement, said the state ranks high because it has a "fantastic base of volunteerism, strong corporate engagement and a strong infrastructure for nonprofits and volunteer organizations."

Roach said the organization conducted a study on post-pandemic volunteerism, which showed that many nonprofits have found success regaining volunteers by getting creative, such as expanding virtual opportunities and offering more flexible hours.

Nonprofits also are considering more skill-based volunteer gigs, such as tapping a volunteer with a talent in data analysis to help with work that staff doesn't have the time for. Hybrid and fully remote volunteer opportunities, Roach said, also have helped nonprofits reach younger volunteers.

Niila Hebert, executive director of the nonprofit, said her organization also found that volunteerism in rural communities has grown in recent years.

"People in rural areas indicate that volunteering in their community is something that is important to them, as long as there are flexible opportunities," Hebert said. "That's a bright spot that has helped Minnesota stay at the top."

Rob Williams, president of Every Meal in Roseville, said it takes up to 4,000 volunteers for the nonprofit to provide meals to kids after school and on weekends, serving 375 schools in Minnesota. The number of volunteers dropped to about 50 during the pandemic, he said, but the nonprofit has now seen the number get back up to where it was before.

"I think Minnesotans are very community-minded and understand that it takes all of us to support people, he said. "Most of us need support at some point throughout our lives. So when we have the opportunity, we give back and provide that support as well."

Open Arms of Minnesota serves free meals to 2,000 residents with terminal illnesses. CEO Leah Hébert Welles said that's only possible with help from up to 7,000 volunteers. The nonprofit has finally seen its number of volunteers climb to about the same amount it had before the pandemic.

"It absolutely took a while for corporate groups and others to come back and volunteer," she said. "We saw a big jump from 2022 to 2023, and then another big jump from 2023 to 2024. We're seeing a lot more young people coming out, too."

Donations lagging

Donations haven't had the same recovery, Hébert Welles said.

Several nonprofits reported a surge in donations during the pandemic, but have since seen charitable giving wane.

"Last year in particular was a tough year with donations and rising wages and the rising cost of food. It was a really hard year," Hébert Welles said.

The AmeriCorps report showed that fewer Minnesotans donated at least $25 to a charity in 2023. The report found more than 57% of residents donated to charity that year, down nearly 5 percentage points from 2021.

A survey of nonprofits released earlier this fall from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits showed nearly 80% or organizations reported they have less than 12 months before they face financial distress due to stagnant or declining donations.

"The same kinds of things affecting us, in terms of rising costs of living, are affecting our donors," Hébert Welles said.