17 Volunteer Management Software Tools to Boost Engagement
Volunteers are a vital component of any nonprofit organization, offering their time and dedication to support causes they’re passionate about. In fact, the current value of an hour of volunteer time is over $31. However, studies have shown that almost half of nonprofit CEOs feel that volunteer recruitment is a significant challenge for their organization, and many organizations are struggling to retain volunteers.
Volunteer management software can play a major role in streamlining the volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention processes to provide a better experience for volunteers and nonprofit staff. In this guide, we’ll explore the top volunteer management solutions for nonprofits and frequently asked questions about these tools. Let’s get started!
What is volunteer management software?
Volunteer management software is a database and constituent management solution that allows nonprofits to maintain digital records of all active and inactive volunteers, screen volunteer applications, create volunteer schedules, communicate with volunteers, and more.
This type of software streamlines the administrative work of recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing your volunteers. It also allows you to categorize volunteers by availability, age, gender, geographical location, years of service, and other custom categories of your team’s choosing. Doing so will allow you to create personalized outreach that speaks to each group’s unique interests and needs.
How is volunteer management software beneficial to nonprofits?
Volunteer management software makes registration and volunteer engagement more convenient and efficient for both nonprofit staff members and volunteers in the following ways:
BENEFITS FOR NONPROFIT STAFF
Your staff can access the following benefits from volunteer management software:
- Streamline your volunteer data entry
- Store and use volunteer contact information in marketing efforts
- Filter volunteers by skillset or interest to send them relevant roles that suit their interests
- Track volunteer recruitment efforts
- Monitor volunteer training progress
The most important benefit of volunteer management software for nonprofit staff members is the time it saves. By streamlining and automating tasks, volunteer management tool allows nonprofit employees to devote more time to strategically growing their volunteer programs.
BENEFITS FOR VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer management software offers these advantages for volunteers:
- Clear two-way communication with the nonprofit
- Timely shift reminders
- A simple volunteer registration process
- Access to personalized shift recommendations
With volunteer management software, volunteers can view all information relevant to their roles in one convenient location. This fosters a much more positive experience for volunteers and allows them to view their cumulative impact over time.
What features should I look for in volunteer management software?
If you’re looking to invest in a new volunteer management platform, there are a few essential features your system should include. These features include:
- User-friendliness. Your volunteer management system should be easy to use for all members of your volunteer program staff, no matter their technical background.
- Scheduling features. Building your volunteer schedule requires careful planning to ensure all shifts are covered. Your volunteer management software should offer scheduling features that enable you to create recurring shifts and invite volunteers to fill open roles.
- Hour-tracking tools. Tracking volunteer hours allows you to assess volunteers’ impact and is a requirement for certain grants. Hour-tracking tools log volunteer hours automatically to maintain accurate records.
- Clear and readable reports. View custom reports based on different types of data you gather from volunteers. This includes volunteer hours, demographics, retention, and other key metrics.
- Ability to customize your database. No two organizations have the same goals for their volunteer programs. Search for a volunteer management tool that enables custom dashboard configurations based on the information you need to see.
- Communication tools. These include private messaging, emails, direct mail, and message boards or forums. The more channels you have to get in touch with volunteers, the more likely they are to see and engage with your messages.
- Free technical support. You should be able to contact the software provider to receive free, timely support to keep your system running smoothly.
- Integration with your website’s content management system (CMS). By integrating with your CMS, you can easily share your volunteer calendar on your website and enable volunteers to register through your online landing page.
Ultimately, your software should feel like a supportive tool, not another hassle added to your plate. Request demos from your top options to get a sense of how each platform works and whether you think the tool would fit well with your current strategies and technology.
Stand-out volunteer management software options
To determine which volunteer management platform is right for your organization, take some time to browse through the available options. We’ve identified the top platforms to consider—these solutions stand out for their robust features, user-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness.
- Bloomerang
- Get Connected by Galaxy Digital
- Volunteer Local
- SignUpGenius
- Civic Champs
- Volunteer Mark
- Volgistics
- Rosterfy
- Submittable
- Mobilize
- Better Impact
- SignUp.com
- Golden
- FestiVOL
- POINT
- PlanHero
- Helper Helper
Bloomerang
Bloomerang Volunteer equips nonprofits with the tools they need to manage large amounts of volunteers efficiently. Bloomerang’s software helps volunteer managers spend less time working on routine administrative tasks and more time in the field interacting with volunteers.
This solution stands out for a variety of comprehensive features, including the ability to:
- Streamline recruitment with custom forms and automated data transfers to your volunteer database.
- Simplify volunteer screening and onboarding processes with tools that allow you to keep track of where each volunteer is in the training process.
- Offer user-friendly volunteer registration pages that are customized to your nonprofit’s branding.
- Streamline program management with the ability to quickly create volunteer schedules, send shift confirmations and reminders, and monitor attendance.
- Send timely volunteer appreciation communications right after volunteer shifts conclude to encourage future engagement.
- Leverage templates and custom reporting tools to explore insights into your volunteer program’s overall impact.
- A mobile app for staff and volunteers that allows volunteer coordinators to manage schedules, fill shift gaps, track attendance, and send timely messages. Plus, volunteers can use the app to register for opportunities, view their schedules, check into shifts, and receive and send messages.
One of Bloomerang Volunteer’s most effective features is the two-way sync between the volunteer management platform and Bloomerang’s donor CRM. This gives nonprofit professionals the ability to view all supporter details in one database. You can use this feature to cultivate volunteers as donors and donors as volunteers!
Nonprofits can encourage volunteers to become donors by identifying their most likely prospects using donor database insights. They can also offer donors a unique way to engage with their mission more deeply by becoming volunteers.
Schedule a volunteer management demo today for more information about Bloomerang Volunteer.
Get Connected by Galaxy Digital
Get Connected by Galaxy Digital is a volunteer management software used by thousands of nonprofits, businesses, universities and government agencies across the U.S. and Canada.
The stand-out features of this volunteer management system include:
- Event management and volunteer sign-ups from the same system
- Streamlined group and team management for group volunteer opportunities
- Volunteer profiles that include volunteers’ skills, interests and achievements
Learn more about Get Connected.
Volunteer Local
Volunteer Local is a simple, user-friendly volunteer management tool for charitable organizations and events.
This solution offers features such as:
- Social sharing tools that prompt volunteers to share your sign-up page to their social media pages
- Custom registration forms that allow you to collect demographic information
- Reports that can be sorted based on location, captain/leader and volunteer rating
Volunteer Local’s pricing plans start at $600 per year.
SignUpGenius
SignUpGenius offers a free basic event and volunteer registration tool, along with a Premium plan that offers efficient automation tools.
Here are the features you can access as part of the Premium plan:
- The ability to choose pre-formatted sign-up form designs or create your own page design fully branded to your organization
- Opportunity to add custom form fields to your sign-up page to get the exact information you need to power your marketing strategies
- Auto-generated custom email or text notifications
Premium plans start at $8.99 per month.
Civic Champs
Civic Champs provides intuitive volunteer management for a variety of cause-based organizations, including animal welfare, hunger relief, education and housing organizations.
The stand-out features of this volunteer platform include:
- A quick onboarding process with the ability to group volunteers and gather waivers, surveys and credentials
- Multiple check-in options, including a computer or tablet kiosk, mobile check-in through the app that volunteers can complete themselves or mobile check-in from your admin phone
- Filtered reporting processes that help boost ROI through valuable data insights
Civic Champ’s pricing starts at $588 per year with a one-month free trial option.
VolunteerMark
VolunteerMark’s volunteer management system includes features that help both volunteers and nonprofit professionals succeed.
With this platform, nonprofits can leverage features like:
- A simple volunteer import process that lets you quickly migrate volunteer information from spreadsheets to the VolunteerMark system
- The ability to invite or assign volunteers to opportunities based on their availability, skills and interests
- Volunteer profiles that volunteers can update independently with information about their interests, skills, availability and motivation for volunteering
Get started now with a 30-day free trial or a free plan. Paid plans start at $34 per month.
Volgistics
Volgistics serves thousands of charitable organizations and helps track millions of volunteers in a fully customizable system.
This volunteer management software offers valuable tools such as:
- Volunteer background checks to streamline the screening process
- Volunteer self-scheduling features that save your volunteer managers time
- Site-level access that keeps volunteer data more secure by giving you the ability to restrict access for certain users
Use the Volgistics price calculator to determine what your pricing plan would look like.
Rosterfy
Rosterfy helps organizations scale up more efficiently, reduce costs and maintain compliance with program requirements.
A few unique features of this platform include:
- A gamified recognition system that offers volunteers rewards and complimentary merchandise in exchange for volunteer hours served
- An optimized onboarding process with volunteer segmentation and skills-based training modules
- Workflow automation through every step of the volunteer management process, from onboarding to communications and reporting
Contact Rosterfy for pricing details.
Submittable
Submittable is a social impact platform that reduces manual work, allowing you to get your program up and running quickly. They offer a volunteer management solution for corporations to help improve and expand their corporate philanthropy programs.
Submittable offers employee volunteer features such as:
- Empowering employees to create volunteer opportunities and invite their coworkers to join
- A volunteer dashboard for employees to see information about their volunteer time off (VTO), upcoming events and their overall impact so far through the events they’ve participated in
- Automated communication with employee volunteers to improve shift attendance
Learn more about Submittable’s pricing tiers here.
Mobilize
Mobilize is a popular volunteer solution for campaigns, advocacy groups, nonprofits, unions and other mission-driven organizations.
Mobilize offers powerful features for improving volunteer engagement, such as:
- Post-event feedback surveys sent via email and text that help gauge volunteer satisfaction
- Grassroots volunteer opportunity management that allows passionate supporters to easily plan and promote their own volunteer events
- Impactful reporting features, such as real-time event data
Contact Mobilize for pricing information.
BetterImpact
BetterImpact’s volunteer management system offers features to optimize every step of the volunteer lifecycle, from onboarding and training to ongoing retention.
Organizations turn to this solution for the following features:
- Advanced volunteer search features that facilitate searches based on information in volunteers’ profiles and allow you to save search queries on your dashboard
- Multiple data security safeguards, such as encryption and brute force protection to deter password hacking
- Recurring shift scheduling based on patterns and events, not just timing
Visit the pricing page for information on payment options.
SignUp.com
SignUp.com offers free online registration sheets for nonprofit volunteers.
This platform’s features allow volunteer managers to:
- Invite volunteers to register via email or social media (no passwords or logins required)
- Offer mobile-friendly signup pages that volunteers can complete from anywhere
- Send volunteers waitlist notifications when spots become available
Get started with a free plan or a starter plan for $9.99 per month.
Golden
Golden’s robust volunteer management platform equips volunteer coordinators with the ability to manage large volunteer groups, whether multiple chapters or regions. This makes this platform effective for both local and enterprise nonprofits, as well as NGOs, foundations, healthcare organizations and other mission-driven organizations.
Additional features of this volunteer management platform include:
- Location-based apps that offer volunteer opportunity recommendations either close to home or your current location
- Frictionless CRM integrations that facilitate real-time database updates
- Localization of volunteer engagement to align information about language, currency, units of measurement and compliance regulations with the country where the information is being displayed
Golden’s pricing starts at $1,200 per year for nonprofits. They also offer a free plan.
FestiVOL
FestiVOL is an event volunteer management solution for experiences like festivals and music events.
Event organizers can benefit from features like:
- Customizable application process to set unique criteria for each event
- Scheduling algorithms to determine the best volunteer placements
- Onsite event management tools that give a complete look at your volunteers at any given time
Get started with a free account or explore FestiVOL’s license models.
POINT
POINT is another volunteer management software option that’s free to get started with and includes the ability to recruit, manage, engage and report on volunteer activities more effectively.
Stand-out features of this volunteer management platform include:
- Streamlined website integration that allows you to create events in POINT and automatically updates your website’s volunteer signup page
- Easy volunteer event shift management that gives supporters the chance to sign up for multiple shifts at once
- Automated volunteer time tracking, with hours automatically added to each volunteer’s profile and your organization’s reports
Start with the free plan or upgrade to the Pro plan for $99 per month.
Plan Hero
Plan Hero simplifies signups and scheduling for groups, including nonprofits, schools, clubs, and businesses. Nonprofits turn to this platform to manage volunteer shifts, event registrations, and donation collection.
Features of this volunteer scheduling platform include:
- The ability to create signup sheets in minutes with a modern, user-friendly interface
- A simple signup process for volunteers, with auto-reminders and the ability to sync volunteer events to their personal calendars
- Color-coding that allows volunteer coordinators and volunteers to identify open roles that need to be filled
Plan Hero offers a free pricing plan with limited functionality. Their Essentials plan contains more features and is $12 per month.
Helper Helper
Helper Helper is a volunteer app and web portal for volunteer coordinators. Companies, nonprofits, schools, and Greek life organizations turn to this solution to coordinate and manage service hours.
Helper Helper offers useful volunteer management features including:
- The ability to create segmented opportunities for specific teams, branches, or classes within your overall volunteer pool
- Comprehensive volunteer reports with data about teams, categories, and organizations
- One-on-one support to help configure the platform to your unique needs
Contact Helper Helper for pricing information.
Wrapping Up
As you review the top volunteer management software solutions to determine which is right for your organization, consider which platform will work best with your nonprofit’s existing software solutions. If your volunteer management software can easily integrate with your CRM or email marketing system, it will make cross-platform marketing and outreach much simpler.
If you’re ready to invest in volunteer management software that facilitates streamlined volunteer and donor management and helps boost program retention, request a Bloomerang demo today.
Looking for additional volunteer management resources? Start here:
- Volunteer Management: Tips to Excite and Delight Volunteers. How should you approach volunteer management to create a positive experience? This guide offers everything you need to know to organize a successful program.
- Volunteer Scheduling: Top Strategies and Tools for Success. Organizing your volunteer schedule effectively is crucial to making the most of volunteers’ support. Use these tips and tools to manage your schedule.
- 9 Proven Volunteer Retention Strategies for Nonprofits. What are the best ways to keep volunteers coming back? This guide offers tried-and-true volunteer retention tips.
