697. How Team Rubicon Built a Movement of 200,000 Volunteers - Jeff Byard
"You don't manage volunteers. You have to inspire them."
Jeff Byard figured that out after 14 years in Alabama emergency management, six years as a senior leader at FEMA overseeing 185 presidential disaster declarations, and now as Chief Programs Officer at Team Rubicon — the disaster response organization with 200,000 Greyshirts deployed across the country and around the world.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why the shift from volunteer management to community building changes everything — and exactly how Team Rubicon made that shift at scale
- How 3,500 volunteer leaders lead a Greyshirt nation of 200,000 — and what that organizational structure teaches every nonprofit leader
- Jeff's One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good.
Episode Highlights:
- Jeff's origin story: Marine Corps to FEMA (3:08)
- Joining Team Rubicon and the "for impact" sector (6:36)
- You don't manage volunteers — you inspire them (7:48)
- What Team Rubicon does: 1,000 service projects a year (9:14)
- Volunteer management vs. community building (12:00)
- Veterans + "kick ass civilians": the 50/50 dynamic (14:51)
- Making volunteers your core capacity at scale (16:13)
- 10 simultaneous operations in Hurricane Helene (16:51)
- The philanthropy moment that made Jeff cry (20:55)
- One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good (25:04)
Resources Mentioned:
Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/697
Make the most of Monthly Giving Awareness Week 💛
During Monthly Giving Awareness Week (May 11-16), Givebutter is giving back. For every new monthly donor who gives $5 or more, your nonprofit earns a $10 donation. $25,000 in matching funds are available to organizations just like yours! Get all the details and get started today here!
//
Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
More description
"You don't manage volunteers. You have to inspire them."
Jeff Byard figured that out after 14 years in Alabama emergency management, six years as a senior leader at FEMA overseeing 185 presidential disaster declarations, and now as Chief Programs Officer at Team Rubicon — the disaster response organization with 200,000 Greyshirts deployed across the country and around the world.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why the shift from volunteer management to community building changes everything — and exactly how Team Rubicon made that shift at scale
- How 3,500 volunteer leaders lead a Greyshirt nation of 200,000 — and what that organizational structure teaches every nonprofit leader
- Jeff's One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good.
Episode Highlights:
- Jeff's origin story: Marine Corps to FEMA (3:08)
- Joining Team Rubicon and the "for impact" sector (6:36)
- You don't manage volunteers — you inspire them (7:48)
- What Team Rubicon does: 1,000 service projects a year (9:14)
- Volunteer management vs. community building (12:00)
- Veterans + "kick ass civilians": the 50/50 dynamic (14:51)
- Making volunteers your core capacity at scale (16:13)
- 10 simultaneous operations in Hurricane Helene (16:51)
- The philanthropy moment that made Jeff cry (20:55)
- One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good (25:04)
Resources Mentioned:
Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/697
Make the most of Monthly Giving Awareness Week 💛
During Monthly Giving Awareness Week (May 11-16), Givebutter is giving back. For every new monthly donor who gives $5 or more, your nonprofit earns a $10 donation. $25,000 in matching funds are available to organizations just like yours! Get all the details and get started today here!
//
Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
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