A community arts organization has grown substantially, but its administrative systems have not kept pace. Its part-time executive director is carrying an unsustainable workload, and a volunteer board treasurer is handling financial responsibilities that require more consistent organizational capacity. The organization needs better financial systems, records management, and administrative support. A nearby university operates a supervised internship program in nonprofit administration. The organization begins a conversation with the university about whether appropriately structured internships could support specific capacity-building projects while providing meaningful educational experience for students. Before moving forward, the organization examines what work should be performed by paid staff, what could appropriately be part of an internship, how students would be supervised, what access they would have to financial or personal information, whether compensation is appropriate or legally required, and what will happen to the systems they create after the internships end. This example illustrates a broader question faced by many community organizations: when should an organization use people who are not part of its regular staff to provide expertise, services, leadership, or additional capacity? What do we mean by external personnel and workforce resources? External personnel resources are people whose skills, time, professional roles, or community experience can contribute to an organization's work even though they are not part of its regular workforce. Depending on the arrangement, they may include: Staff from partner organizations Shared or seconded employees Contractors and consultants Interns and students Volunteers Pro bono professionals AmeriCorps or other service-program members Temporary or staffing-agency workers Program participants or community members who voluntarily take leadership or service roles These arrangements should not be understood simply as ways to obtain free or inexpensive labor. Instead, ask what type of relationship is appropriate for the work, the person performing it, and the organization. The answer may be: Hire an employee Contract with a professional Partner with another organization Host an educational internship Recruit a volunteer Arrange shared staffing Refer participants to another qualified provider Why use external personnel resources? To obtain specialized capacity An organization may need expertise that it does not require full-time. Examples include: Accounting Information technology Evaluation Interpretation or translation Legal services Human resources Communications Clinical consultation Grants management Shared or contracted expertise may be more appropriate than creating a separate full-time position for every specialized need. To connect participants with existing services Sometimes the needed service already exists in another organization. A housing program, for example, may determine that participants need employment assistance. Instead of creating a new employment department, it might establish a referral or co-located service partnership with a qualified workforce organization. This can reduce duplication and allow each organization to focus on areas in which it has appropriate expertise. To strengthen collaboration Shared staffing or service arrangements can lead to deeper collaboration. Organizations may discover opportunities to: Coordinate referrals Share training Develop joint programs Conduct collaborative evaluation Share facilities or technology Address gaps that no single organization can address alone To bring additional perspectives into the organization Interns, volunteers, community advisors, consultants, partner staff, and participants may identify assumptions or problems that regular staff have stopped noticing. Encourage respectful feedback rather than expecting outside contributors simply to adopt the existing organizational culture. To build community participation and leadership Volunteers and community members can contribute knowledge, relationships, expertise, and leadership. Meaningful community participation can strengthen the work, but participation should be valued for the contribution it makes to the mission - not simply because unpaid people reduce payroll expenses. To respond to temporary or changing needs A short-term project, staff vacancy, emergency, technology transition, evaluation project, or temporary increase in demand may require additional capacity for a limited period. A temporary arrangement can be appropriate if roles, supervision, compensation, confidentiality, and continuity are addressed. When should you consider using external personnel? When you need expertise that is unavailable internally If essential work is being delayed or performed by people without the necessary training, obtain appropriate help. Examples may include: Financial management Data systems Compliance Human resources Evaluation Legal issues Do not assume that administrative and infrastructure work can indefinitely be absorbed by program staff, board members, or volunteers. When another qualified organization already provides the service If another organization can provide a needed service effectively and accessibly, partnership or referral may be preferable to creating a duplicate service. Assess: Service quality Accessibility Cost Eligibility Language access Disability access Transportation Privacy Participant experience When a funder or contract requires expertise that you do not have Another organization may serve as a partner, subrecipient, or contractor depending on the actual relationship. Define the role correctly and understand the grant, contract, procurement, monitoring, and reporting requirements that apply. When you intentionally want to develop a partnership Joint staffing or professional support can be a practical starting point for a broader organizational partnership when the arrangement serves a genuine need. When additional short-term capacity is needed Temporary staffing or volunteers may help with: Community events Disaster response Neighborhood projects Nonpartisan civic-engagement activities Time-limited outreach Other defined projects Short-term urgency does not eliminate requirements concerning safety, supervision, political or lobbying restrictions, privacy, accessibility, or volunteer classification. When a useful external opportunity becomes available A university may offer interns. A professional association may organize pro bono assistance. A business may offer employee volunteer time. A service program may provide eligible members. Evaluate the opportunity against actual organizational needs rather than creating unnecessary work simply because people are available. Sources of external personnel resources Staff from other organizations Another organization may provide staff through several arrangements. Seconded or temporarily assigned staff One organization may temporarily assign an employee to work with another organization while continuing to employ and compensate that person. Clarify: Employer of record Supervision Work priorities Time allocation Confidentiality Performance management Insurance Duration Shared staff Two or more organizations may share the cost or use of a position. Shared positions may work well for finance, human resources, technology, evaluation, interpretation, communications, or other functions. A written arrangement should identify: Which organization employs the person How compensation and benefits are funded How working time is allocated Who supervises How conflicting priorities are resolved How confidential information is separated How performance is evaluated Contracted services An organization may purchase defined services from another organization or professional. Employment, contractor, and subrecipient classifications should reflect the actual relationship rather than the label used in the agreement. Collaborative programs Staff from several organizations may work together on a shared initiative. Define governance, supervision, funding, responsibilities, data access, participant communication, and accountability before implementation. Reciprocal service arrangements Organizations may exchange appropriate services or resources. Even when no cash changes hands, clarify what each organization provides, the estimated value or workload involved, professional responsibilities, confidentiality, duration, and procedures for ending the arrangement. Interns and students Internships can provide meaningful educational and professional-development opportunities while contributing to organizational work. Interns should not simply be treated as inexpensive substitutes for employees. Paid internships Paying interns can: Broaden access to internship opportunities Reduce financial barriers for students Support clearer employment expectations Help organizations recruit from a wider range of applicants If an intern is an employee, applicable wage, overtime, payroll, tax, workers' compensation, and other employment requirements apply. Unpaid internships or volunteer internships Federal and state rules should be reviewed before establishing an unpaid internship. U.S. Department of Labor guidance recognizes that individuals may volunteer for charitable nonprofit organizations without expectation of compensation in appropriate circumstances. Its internship guidance also emphasizes examining the actual economic relationship rather than relying only on the title "intern." Educational institutions may impose additional requirements concerning: Academic credit Learning objectives Faculty supervision Evaluation Hours Professional standards Check applicable federal and state law and obtain human-resources or legal guidance when classification is uncertain. Every internship requires real supervision Internships consume organizational capacity as well as provide it. Plan for: Orientation Supervision Feedback Technology and system access Confidentiality Training Evaluation Continuity when the internship ends If the organization cannot provide the supervision necessary for a meaningful and safe internship, an intern may not be the appropriate solution. Protect continuity for participants Internships are usually temporary. Be especially cautious when interns: Provide counseling Mentor participants Conduct case management Work with children Work with people experiencing trauma Develop projects requiring long-term continuity Plan from the beginning for handoffs, supervision, records, participant communication, and the end of the relationship. Volunteers Volunteers can contribute important time, expertise, community relationships, and leadership. Federal wage-and-hour guidance generally recognizes volunteering for charitable, civic, religious, or humanitarian nonprofit purposes when the individual serves freely and without expectation of compensation. Volunteers generally should not be used simply to replace employees who would otherwise perform the same regular work. Paid nonprofit employees also generally should not be asked to "volunteer" the same services they are employed to provide. Recruit for defined roles Instead of simply asking for anyone willing to help, identify: The work that needs to be done Skills required Time commitment Supervision Physical or technical requirements Accessibility Training Screen appropriately for the role Some volunteer positions may require: References Credentials Driving-record review Background screening Professional licensure Safeguarding training Screening should be proportionate to the responsibilities and risks of the role and consistent with applicable law and organizational policy. Provide orientation and support Volunteers should understand: Mission Role Supervision Confidentiality Safety Nondiscrimination Participant boundaries Reporting concerns Technology and data rules Service programs National and community service programs can provide structured personnel resources for eligible organizations. For example, AmeriCorps VISTA continues to place full-time members with nonprofit organizations and public agencies for capacity-building work connected to reducing poverty. Sponsoring organizations must follow the program's current eligibility, project, supervision, reporting, and member-support requirements. Do not describe service-program members simply as free staff. Their roles are defined by the program under which they serve. Business and professional volunteer programs Businesses, professional associations, universities, and other institutions may support: Skills-based volunteering Pro bono consulting Employee service programs Board service Professional mentoring Define scope, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, intellectual property, professional standards, and liability where appropriate. Program participants and people with lived experience People who participate in programs may also choose to contribute to the organization. Their participation can strengthen community leadership, improve services, and bring important lived experience into organizational decisions. Never imply that receiving services creates an obligation to volunteer. Access to services, benefits, housing, treatment, education, or other support should not depend on performing unpaid work unless a lawful program specifically requires it and the requirements are clearly disclosed and appropriate. Peer mentoring and peer support Participants or former participants may become mentors, peer navigators, educators, or support leaders. These roles may require: Training Supervision Confidentiality protections Boundaries Compensation when the role functions as substantial ongoing work Do not assume that lived experience should always be contributed without pay. Administrative, event, and facilities roles Participants may voluntarily help with events, committees, administrative projects, gardening, community improvement, or other activities. Ask the same questions you would ask for any other volunteer role: Is participation genuinely optional? Is the role safe? Is training provided? Are appropriate accommodations available? Is this work that should actually be performed by paid staff? Governance and advisory roles People with lived experience can make valuable contributions as: Board members Advisory-group members Evaluation partners Hiring-panel members Program-design partners Provide all board members with appropriate orientation, governance education, accessible materials, mentoring when useful, and meaningful opportunities to participate. Avoid creating a single "participant seat" whose main purpose is symbolic representation. Fundraising and public communication People may choose to tell their stories publicly or participate in fundraising, advocacy, or community education. Their participation should be: Voluntary Informed Free from pressure tied to services Respectful of privacy and dignity Clear about where and how the story, image, or recording will be used Do not assume that a personal story should be used simply because it may be emotionally persuasive. Consider compensating people when they contribute substantial time or expertise to organizational communications, training, research, or advisory work. Temporary workers and consultants Some work is best handled through paid temporary staff or independent professionals. Examples may include: Accounting Technology implementation Evaluation Facilitation Translation Legal services Organizational development Specialized maintenance Determine whether the individual is appropriately classified as an employee or independent contractor under applicable law rather than relying only on the parties' preferred label. How do you identify and use external personnel resources? 1. Define the need Start with the work, not with the available person. Ask: What needs to be done? Why does it need to be done? What skills or qualifications are required? Is the need temporary, recurring, or permanent? How much time does it require? Does it involve confidential or sensitive information? Does it involve children or other populations requiring additional safeguards? Should this actually be a paid position? 2. Map possible resources Potential sources may include: Community organizations Universities and colleges Career and technical education programs Volunteer centers Professional associations Businesses Public agencies AmeriCorps and other service programs Community members Participants and former participants Community asset mapping can help identify organizations, institutions, expertise, and relationships that already exist. 3. Build relationships before a crisis Organizations are better positioned to collaborate when they already understand one another's work. Maintain appropriate relationships with: Partner organizations Educational institutions Volunteer programs Professional networks Public agencies Community organizations Relationships should not be maintained merely so that favors can be requested later. Build them around shared community goals and legitimate opportunities for collaboration. 4. Determine the appropriate relationship Before recruiting someone, determine whether the appropriate relationship is: Employee Contractor Intern Volunteer AmeriCorps or another service-program member Seconded employee Staff member of a partner organization These categories can involve different legal, financial, supervisory, insurance, and tax responsibilities. Do not choose a volunteer or internship label simply because the organization cannot afford wages. 5. Assess mission and ethical fit Outside personnel should be able to work consistently with the organization's: Mission Participant rights Nondiscrimination policies Accessibility practices Confidentiality requirements Professional standards Evidence-informed program model Do not enter a partnership simply because free or inexpensive labor is available when the person's or partner organization's practices conflict with essential ethical or service standards. 6. Calculate the full cost Outside personnel are rarely cost-free. Include: Recruitment Screening Orientation Supervision Training Technology Workspace Background checks where appropriate Insurance Coordination Data-security requirements Transition and handoff time If an arrangement consumes more staff capacity than it provides, redesign it or choose another approach. 7. Protect confidential information Interns, volunteers, consultants, shared staff, and partner employees may need access to organizational systems or information. Give people only the access necessary for their role. Address: Confidentiality agreements Role-based system access Password and account practices Secure devices Participant and donor privacy Records retention Return or deletion of information when the role ends Do not assign someone to build databases of participant or donor information without first determining what information should be collected and who should have access to it. 8. Address safety and safeguarding Roles involving children, health services, home visits, transportation, money, vulnerable adults, or other higher-risk activities may require additional safeguards. Depending on the role and jurisdiction, these may include: Screening Background checks Professional credentials Mandatory-reporting training Boundaries training Insurance Safety procedures 9. Define expectations Clarify: Role and responsibilities Schedule Compensation or stipend, if any Employer or sponsoring organization Supervision Training Confidentiality Professional development Communication Performance expectations Duration Evaluation Procedures for ending the arrangement People performing the work should participate in designing the practical details rather than receiving an arrangement that has already been negotiated entirely by organizational leadership. 10. Put significant arrangements in writing Depending on the situation, use: Employment documents Contracts Memoranda of understanding Internship agreements Volunteer role agreements Data-use or confidentiality agreements Service-program agreements Do not assume that a document involving a volunteer can never have legal significance. The effect of any agreement depends on its content and applicable law. 11. Orient, train, and supervise People need enough information and support to perform their roles safely and effectively. Orientation may cover: Mission Organizational structure Program model Role expectations Confidentiality Safety Nondiscrimination Accessibility Participant boundaries Technology Reporting concerns 12. Evaluate the arrangement Ask: Is the need being met? Is the person adequately supported? Is supervision manageable? Are participants receiving high-quality service? Are confidentiality and safety being maintained? Is workload appropriate? Are there unintended inequities or barriers? Is this role actually functioning as work that should be paid? Adjust or end arrangements that are exploitative, unsafe, ineffective, excessively burdensome, or no longer appropriate. 13. Plan for endings and transitions Internships, volunteer roles, service terms, contracts, and shared-staff arrangements often end. Plan for: Participant handoffs Project documentation Return of equipment Removal of system access Records transfer Final evaluation Knowledge transfer Do not allow essential organizational knowledge or participant relationships to disappear every time an intern, volunteer, consultant, or temporary worker leaves. 14. Recognize contributions appropriately Thank people and organizations for their contributions and provide appropriate feedback about the value of their work. Recognition should reflect genuine appreciation rather than being used primarily as a strategy to obtain more unpaid work later. In Summary External personnel resources can strengthen community organizations by providing expertise, services, leadership, additional capacity, and opportunities for collaboration. Those resources may include partner staff, shared employees, interns, volunteers, pro bono professionals, AmeriCorps members, temporary workers, consultants, and participants or community members who choose to contribute. The primary goal should not be to obtain labor without paying for it. Begin by defining the work and then determine the appropriate relationship. Essential ongoing work may require paid employees even when volunteers or interns are available. Internships should provide legitimate educational and professional-development value and should comply with applicable federal and state wage-and-hour rules. Paying interns can also reduce financial barriers that otherwise limit who can participate. Volunteers should serve freely and without improper expectations or pressure. They should not simply displace regular employees or be expected to provide unpaid versions of the same work they already perform as paid staff. Participants may become powerful volunteers, mentors, advisors, board members, employees, educators, and community leaders, but receiving services should never create an implied obligation to perform unpaid labor or disclose personal experiences for fundraising or publicity. Every arrangement has costs. Recruitment, orientation, supervision, training, technology, insurance, privacy, safeguarding, accessibility, coordination, and continuity all require organizational capacity. Define roles carefully, involve the people who will perform the work, put significant arrangements in writing, protect confidential information, provide appropriate supervision, evaluate the relationship, and plan for how it will end. Used well, external personnel resources can strengthen both organizations and communities. Used mainly as a substitute for adequate staffing, they can create exploitation, burnout, compliance problems, poor continuity, and weaker services. Sustainable organizations know the difference. Resources Online Resources The Idealist and Action Without Borders. Among other things, this organization and its website help to connect non-profits with potential employees and volunteers. Internship matches for Canadian college graduates and students. The United Performing Arts Fund of Milwaukee, assigns loaned executives from area businesses to help local arts organizations with fundraising. Volunteer Match links non-profits and potential volunteers. Either can sign up looking for matches.
