Volunteer management software is revolutionizing how nonprofits coordinate their most valuable asset: volunteers.
Nonprofits can struggle with chaotic scheduling, missed communication, and disengaged volunteers without a proper system. Outdated methods can hinder your mission, which is why you should use technology to transform your volunteer program and improve your volunteer management.
The best volunteer management software integrates seamlessly with existing nonprofit operations, enhancing efficiency and volunteer satisfaction. Discover how the right software can help you manage volunteers for small-scale initiatives and complex multi-event campaigns.
7 Volunteer Management Systems for Nonprofits
What is a volunteer management system?
Volunteer management software is a comprehensive digital tool designed to streamline the entire volunteer lifecycle for nonprofits. It streamlines and automates key processes, including:
- Recruitment
- Onboarding
- Scheduling shifts
- Communication
- Time tracking
- Reporting
These systems offer a unified platform for volunteer coordinators, eliminating the need for multiple tools and reducing the administrative burden. Some common features include customizable volunteer profiles, self-service portals for volunteers, integration with donor management systems, and mobile apps.
By leveraging such software, nonprofits can enhance volunteer engagement and improve retention rates. The comprehensive nature of these tools allows organizations to create a seamless experience for volunteers, from sign-up to long-term involvement.
4 benefits of using volunteer management software
1. One-stop solution
Volunteer recruitment, scheduling, and communication are the pillars of successful volunteer management. Imagine using different platforms for each process—it can be a logistical nightmare for nonprofits with limited resources.
Combining these tasks on a single platform is the key, and that’s what volunteer management tools can do. A comprehensive software solution simplifies the work and provides a more coherent experience for managing volunteers.
2. Efficient volunteer registration and recruitment
Finding passionate volunteers who are eager to apply their skills to your nonprofit’s mission is challenging enough. An effective platform enhances volunteer management strategies and minimizes recruitment challenges.
Using these digital tools, volunteer managers can efficiently organize a variety of events, from one-time projects to recurring commitments. This targeted approach not only streamlines the recruitment process but also ensures a better match between volunteers' skills and the tasks available.
A successful volunteer program can help you improve your campaigns or fundraisers and donor turnout.
With the best volunteer management software for recruitment, nonprofits can:
- Create branded sign-up forms for volunteer opportunities and available shifts
- Allow group or peer-to-peer sign-ups
- Build a customized application workflow
3. Automated communication
Automating communication with the registered volunteers boosts engagement and improves retention. Coordinators and volunteer managers can create automated messages or emails welcoming every new volunteer.
Set email reminders to keep them posted about upcoming assignments. Scheduling such reminders effectively reduces no-shows and helps in managing volunteers easily.
Here’s how automation tools can help with communication:
- Simplify self-check-in and track volunteer attendance effortlessly
- Send tailored thank you messages and emails to show appreciation
- Use multichannel options like email, SMS, and in-app messaging for better reach
- Maintain a searchable database for efficient contact management
4. Smooth onboarding process
Volunteer management software simplifies the onboarding process as you can automate paperwork, schedule orientations, and deliver training materials efficiently. This saves time for coordinators and creates a positive first impression for new volunteers.
By streamlining these initial steps, organizations can help volunteers to start contributing more quickly and feel valued from the beginning. This smooth entry into the volunteer management process often leads to better retention and more engaged volunteers overall.
Our top 7 volunteer management systems
1. Bloomerang Volunteer
Bloomerang integrates volunteer and donor management into one platform, streamlining workflows and eliminating the need for separate systems.
By centralizing volunteer and donor data, it boosts efficiency and saves time. The platform also helps identify new fundraising opportunities within your volunteer base and offers robust data management features for easy access.
What makes Bloomerang Volunteer great for nonprofits?
- Allows for flexible recruitment workflows
- Provides end-to-end reporting
- Includes screening and scheduling tools
- Has automation features to retain volunteers
Testimonial
“Choosing InitLive (now Bloomerang Volunteer) was our first step into a serious volunteer management system for our regional science tournament. We reviewed many competing platforms, and even though it was a bit pricey for our limited budget, we were pleased with our choice. Every year, the features get better.” - John O
2. Mobilize
Mobilize provides nonprofits with tools to effectively recruit and manage volunteers from the start. The platform simplifies volunteer sign-ups and enhances engagement with features like automated reminders and easy scheduling of multiple events.
Mobilize also offers robust reporting capabilities to track volunteer activities and retention.
What makes Mobilize great for nonprofits?
- Set up recurring and multiple-shift events
- Peer-to-peer recruitment feature
- Automate email and text messages for pre-event reminders and post-event surveys
- Straightforward approval workflows and permission levels
Testimonial
“Overall, I really enjoy Mobilize! It's a great little "niche" platform that fits well in the political nonprofit organization. It works side by side with other platforms such as NGP VAN/EveryAction and GetThru as some examples. It even attracts volunteers in a virtual or distributed organizing environment.” - Sara Y
3. Bugle
Bugle streamlines volunteer management by consolidating tasks into a single platform. It simplifies the organization of community events and increases volunteer engagement with features like easy recruitment and onboarding.
The platform is intuitive and user-friendly, making setup and implementation quick and efficient.
What makes Bugle great for nonprofits?
- Allows unlimited volunteers for free
- Efficient and simple event registration
- Manage volunteers’ shifts
- Allows digital check-ins and check-outs
- Digital liability waiver form
- Offers bulk text messaging
- Detailed impact reporting
- Helps track volunteer hours and chapter performance
Testimonial
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4. VolunteerMark
VolunteerMark is a comprehensive volunteer management system designed to streamline the recruitment, scheduling, and communication processes for nonprofits.
It offers a range of tools that make managing volunteers efficient and effective, ensuring that organizations can focus on their missions without administrative burdens.
What makes VolunteerMark great for nonprofits?
- Create and manage one-time, fixed, or flexible volunteering events
- Built-in text, email, and social media features for efficient outreach
- Track volunteer hours, performance, and shifts through a centralized dashboard
- Personalize data management to fit specific organizational needs
Testimonial
VolunteerMark is functional and easy to use. We use the system to reserve and book volunteer groups for our Family Meal program. I like the ease with which volunteer groups can view availability and sign up for a volunteer date. - René
5. NonProfitEasy (Lumaverse)
NonProfitEasy streamlines volunteer management by simplifying sign-ups, tracking attendance, and automating communication.
Nonprofits can manage their volunteer databases effectively and ensure smooth communication through automated emails and reminders.
What makes NonProfitEasy great for nonprofits?
- Helps create easy-to-use and shareable volunteer sign-up forms
- Offers tools to track volunteer information and create detailed reports
- Integrates with various tools and platforms such as Double the Donation
- Provides features for automation and personalized communications
- Helps coordinate and streamline events
Testimonial
NPE has been a useful and reliable tool to help us keep a contact database of our community as well as providing the streamlined tools we need to accept and process our donations. The customizable options mean we can tailor the database to our needs. The training and support is really good. - Kerrie C.
6. POINT
POINT is among the best free volunteer management tools for nonprofits, allowing growing organizations to connect with volunteers without spending much.
The platform allows you to create a POINT page, an online volunteer hub for all your management needs.
You can update organization profiles, create event sign-ups, donation links, and more. To attract volunteers, you can easily share this link across social media, websites, and email newsletters.
What makes POINT great for nonprofits?
- Manage volunteers’ data in a cloud-based dashboard
- Integrated volunteer sign-ups to share on your website and social media profiles
- Unlimited admin accounts with customizable permissions
- Push notification feature to remind volunteers of upcoming events
Testimonial
“Point App has helped our food pantry - a laborious endeavor that relies heavily on volunteers - connect with a wider, more diverse group of volunteers from all over the city!” - Lindsay B
7. SignUpGenius
Nonprofits can build customized sign-up forms to create diverse volunteer opportunities. SignUpGenius is one of the best volunteer management software solutions to simplify volunteer recruitment and onboarding processes.
It offers special features to volunteers, allowing them to change dates if they are no longer available for a specific event. Its user-friendly interface and powerful features make it easier for nonprofits to create, manage, and track signups.
What makes SignUpGenius great for nonprofits?
- Customizable sign-up forms
- Delegate and share responsibilities for events
- Track and export volunteer hour report
- Integrate with tools like MailChimp, Constant Contact, etc.
- Automated reminder and confirmation emails
Testimonial
“It's a great tool when recruiting groups for an event. It keeps track of who is scheduled for which shift, if there are more than one, and provides reminders to volunteers in intervals--one week out, 2 days out, and day-of. If you need to organize a group for a team effort, SignUp Genius makes it very easy to do.” - Gladys P
How to choose the best volunteer management tool for nonprofits
1. List your needs and objectives
Start by identifying pain points in your current volunteer coordination process. Consider what tasks consume the most time, where communication breakdowns occur, and which aspects of volunteer engagement need improvement.
Set concrete objectives, such as increasing volunteer retention by a certain percentage or reducing administrative time by a specific number of hours per week. Evaluate your long-term vision for volunteer programs and ensure the software can scale with your growth.
By defining these needs and objectives upfront, you'll be better equipped to choose a system that truly enhances your volunteer management capabilities and aligns with your nonprofit's mission.
2. Consider your budget limitations
Volunteer management systems are available in different price ranges, and you should also consider different pricing structures, such as pay-per-user or a flat subscription fee.
If you have limited resources, the best option is to select software with a free version. Since you already know your needs, see if the software aligns with your budget.
Find the maximum budget your organization can spend on volunteer management. Note that the free version plans may have limited features. See if you can start with a lower-price plan to use more advanced features or have a broader volunteer base.
3. Understand the volunteer's needs
When selecting volunteer management software, focus on features that enhance the volunteer experience. Look for user-friendly interfaces that make it easy for volunteers to sign up, view schedules, and log hours.
Explore software that offers self-service options, empowering volunteers to manage their own profiles and availability. By choosing a system that caters to volunteer preferences, you'll not only improve satisfaction but also increase long-term engagement and support for your nonprofit's mission.
4. Compare other features and benefits
Volunteer management software offers many features that benefit nonprofits in different ways. Effective volunteer management relies on scheduling features, including shift management and calendar integration.
List all the features that you want for managing volunteers.
Among other features, having a user-friendly interface is important. It makes it easy for administrators and volunteers to use the system without any hassle.
5. Read reviews and testimonials
Before making a decision, check third-party review websites to narrow down the choices. G2 and Capterra list technical tools with ratings and user reviews to help find the best option.
These sites host expert advice and reviews directly from users. Read reviews to check the reputation and credibility of the software provider.
Key takeaways on volunteer management software
Volunteer management software for nonprofits offers diverse tools catering to different organizations' needs. It goes beyond managing databases and helps with recruitment, event planning, scheduling, and analytics.
Consider the cost and limitations of each software solution before narrowing down your choices. To streamline different nonprofit processes, choose a centralized volunteer management system.
