To combat these challenges, many organizations turn to volunteer management software. These tools help nonprofits better organize their volunteer programs by handling everything from scheduling to ongoing communication.<\/p>\n
This guide reviews everything you need to know about volunteer management software in the following sections:<\/p>\n
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- Volunteer management software FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n
- The best volunteer management software solutions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Find](\"https:\/\/bloomerang.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Volunteer-Management-Software-Top-CTA-1-copy.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\nVolunteer management software FAQs<\/h2>\n
Proper volunteer management ensures the overall health and sustainability of programs and events that rely on volunteers. A successful volunteer management process ensures that volunteers are informed, engaged, and motivated, increasing long-term volunteer retention.<\/p>\n
Your volunteer management system can facilitate more streamlined volunteer engagement and communication. Let\u2019s answer a few frequently asked questions about how this process works:<\/p>\n
How can nonprofits manage volunteers effectively?<\/h3>\n
There are hundreds of ways to run a volunteer program, and your team\u2019s approach depends on your organization\u2019s unique goals and needs.<\/p>\n
The volunteer management life cycle<\/a> outlines the basic elements of properly managing a volunteer program. From defining your staffing needs to recruiting and scheduling volunteers and supporting them to do their best work, a lot goes into running a successful volunteer program.<\/p>\n
Here are the key steps in the volunteer management lifecycle:<\/p>\n
![\"This](\"https:\/\/bloomerang.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Volunteer-Management-System-Process-ver2.png\")
<\/p>\n- \n
- Planning: <\/strong>Planning your volunteer program involves setting goals, creating role descriptions, and determining what success looks like for the program.<\/li>\n
- Recruitment and screening:\u00a0<\/strong>Consider the following poll:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You likely answered “1-on-1 direct ask” since it provides a personal touch. You can recruit volunteers by contacting past volunteers, connecting with corporate volunteers, and advertising your open roles on social media and your website. Then, you can screen<\/a> them by conducting thorough background checks.<\/p>\n
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- Scheduling: <\/strong>Scheduling involves creating volunteer shifts and matching volunteers to the right roles based on their skills, interests, and availability.<\/li>\n
- Training: <\/strong>A thorough training and onboarding process prepares volunteers to fulfill their roles effectively.<\/li>\n
- Engagement: <\/strong>To boost volunteer retention, you\u2019ll need to manage and empower volunteers to do their best work through ongoing appreciation and investment in their personal growth.<\/li>\n
- Evaluation: <\/strong>The final step of the volunteer lifecycle involves evaluating your programming and surveying your volunteers for feedback.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Volunteer management software allows you to manage each of these steps in a centralized platform.<\/p>\n
What are volunteer management systems?<\/h3>\n
A volunteer management system, or volunteer management software, is a platform designed to help organizations administer their volunteer programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Specific features can vary across solutions, but a few common ones are tools for volunteer recruitment, scheduling, management, and communication. Most platforms also provide a database for the nonprofit\u2019s volunteer information. Some volunteer management systems integrate with donor management software, allowing nonprofits to gain a 360-degree view of their supporters from one convenient dashboard.<\/p>\n
Benefits of volunteer management software<\/h4>\n
Volunteer management software offers numerous benefits for both your nonprofit\u2019s staff and your volunteers, allowing you to:<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/bloomerang.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Volunteer-Management-Software-Benefits-ver2-copy.png\")
<\/p>\n- \n
- Keep volunteer information organized and easily accessible in one location.<\/li>\n
- Provide volunteers with a convenient way to sign up for events and track their volunteer hours.<\/li>\n
- Facilitate two-way communication between volunteers and your organization.<\/li>\n
- Reduce no-shows and fill shift gaps.<\/li>\n
- Report on the success of your volunteer program.<\/li>\n
- Recognize volunteers who go above and beyond.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Time Well Spent 2023 report<\/a> found that volunteers feel most satisfied when they are recognized for their contributions, feel respect and trust in the organization, and feel a sense of belonging to a group. Your volunteer management software can help support each of these goals by giving volunteers a convenient way to engage with your organization\u2019s staff, track their contributions over time, and see the real impact of their volunteer work on your mission.<\/p>\n
What features should you look for in volunteer management software?<\/h3>\n
There are dozens of volunteer management solutions available, but not all of them will meet your specific needs. To find the right solution for your nonprofit, you first need to establish your organization\u2019s long-term volunteer management needs and goals. What you need today may not be enough tomorrow.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, here is a list of core features to look out for in a solution that can accommodate basic and more complex needs for the future:<\/p>\n
![\"Volunteer](\"https:\/\/bloomerang.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Volunteer-Management-Software-Features-ver2-copy.png\")
<\/p>\nVolunteer database features<\/h4>\n
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- A secure database that stores all volunteer profiles and activity information<\/li>\n
- Easy data filtering and sorting capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Recruitment features<\/h4>\n
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- Branded volunteer sign-up pages<\/a> listing opportunities and available shifts<\/li>\n
- Customized online volunteer application workflow<\/li>\n
- Accommodation for group sign ups<\/li>\n
- Ability to collect important documents like waivers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Scheduling features<\/h4>\n
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- Easy schedule building with bulk actions and shift duplication capabilities for ongoing tasks<\/li>\n
- Multiple scheduling views (calendar and list)<\/li>\n
- Automated matching for volunteers with shifts based on qualifications, roles availability, and conflicts<\/li>\n
- Group scheduling<\/li>\n
- Mobile schedule management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Communication and engagement features<\/h4>\n
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- Volunteer mobile app<\/a> with a communication hub, personal schedules, and access to relevant documents<\/li>\n
- Self check-in and attendance tracking for volunteers in the mobile app<\/li>\n
- Multiple channel communication options (email, SMS, and in-app messaging)<\/li>\n
- Ability to send personalized thank you messages through email or the mobile app<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Tracking and reporting features<\/h4>\n
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- Volunteer tracking and hours tracking with a summary of check-in\/out timestamps<\/li>\n
- Custom exports reporting on volunteer program data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
The best volunteer management software solutions<\/h2>\n
Quality volunteer management software should provide the flexibility to choose how you want to manage your programs and events within the system. The software should also be up to date and easy for you and your volunteers to use.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, here are 18+ top solutions to consider when searching for the right software for your volunteer program. Feel free to skip to a solution that catches your eye or browse the full list for a complete overview of what\u2019s available:<\/p>\n
- Volunteer mobile app<\/a> with a communication hub, personal schedules, and access to relevant documents<\/li>\n
- Branded volunteer sign-up pages<\/a> listing opportunities and available shifts<\/li>\n
- Training: <\/strong>A thorough training and onboarding process prepares volunteers to fulfill their roles effectively.<\/li>\n
- Recruitment and screening:\u00a0<\/strong>Consider the following poll:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- The best volunteer management software solutions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n