Volunteer committees can serve an important role in effectively governing an Association. There are several different types of committees that each fulfills a different purpose in the community. A committee can either be standing or ad hoc. A standing committee is permanent, while an ad hoc committee is temporarily formed to accomplish a specific task.  Here are a few examples of the most common types of committees:

Architectural Review Committee (ARC) is typically in charge of making everyone aware of the community’s covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CCRs). This group’s main goal is to maintain the pre-determined aesthetic standards within the community in order to preserve home values.

Social Committees handles planning and executing holiday events, seasonal activities, community garage sales, and similar events. Because of its nature, this group brings together communities.

The Community Safety Committee are typically charged with making the community a safer place in several different ways, including establishing a relationship with local law enforcement, installing security equipment or organizing a neighborhood watch.

The Financial Committee can be broken up into several different sub-committees that focus on one aspect of the community financials, such as budget, or reserves.

Structure of Committees

The organizational structure is similar to the Board itself. There must be a secretary for the committee that takes minutes for all meetings, and a chair of the committee that sets the agendas presides over meetings and reports to the Board on key activities. Tasks such as organizing committee meetings, or establishing timetables for projects, can be delegated to other members of the committee.

Understanding Why People Volunteer

To attract and keep volunteers, it is important to understand what causes a person to volunteer his or her time. Once you understand what motivates a volunteer, it will be easier to attract them and utilize their time and talents for the benefit of the Association.

A number of factors influence a person’s decision to volunteer:

·        Fulfilling a Request

·        Individual Achievement

·        Recognition

·        Personal Cause or Objective

·        To Create Change

·        To Establish Friendships/Get to Know People in Their Community

Many people will volunteer simply because they are asked. Be sure that when you ask someone to give their time, ideas and skills that you utilize them. Conduct an interview to see what their special skills are, what they did or do for a living, and what their interests are to determine how to best apply their skills for a successful outcome.

In order to create a sense of achievement or fulfillment, make sure that the project is achievable, that a realistic plan has been identified, and have a definitive timeline for the project to be completed.

Personal, public and individual praise energizes volunteers, and can be done through a simple thank you note, a mention in the community newsletter, or even as elaborate as an awards ceremony.

The number of members needed can depend on the type of committee, and can be decided by the board based on what the committee is tasked with, and how high of a priority the tasks are.

Sentry Management is a full-service community management company. Sentry’s business is the day-to-day operation of communities, homeowner associations, and condominiums. Sentry is accredited as an AMO® (Accredited Management Organization) by the Institute of Real Estate Management, providing an independent evaluation that Sentry has one of the highest operating and financial standards in the industry. View our full list of services here: http://www.sentrymgt.com/for-association-boards/services/.