Roughly one-third of the nonprofit workforce is volunteers, and these supporters preserve your nonprofit working by finishing program-related duties, helping with fundraisers, spreading consciousness, and usually lending their time and vitality to assist your group. Nevertheless, managing a staff that may come and go randomly is a problem, and to compensate, many nonprofits flip to volunteer software program options.
Nonprofits can profit from a number of kinds of volunteer software program. On this information, we’ll discover three sorts of nonprofit software program targeted on volunteers and the way your group can profit from every platform. Particularly, we’ll cowl:
First, let’s handle the basics of volunteer software program. If that is your first time investing in this sort of resolution, you’ll have a baseline of what to prioritize.
Volunteer Software program FAQ
What’s volunteer software program?
Volunteer software program contains know-how platforms designed for nonprofits to handle, have interaction, and work together with their volunteers. This contains instruments that permit nonprofits to message volunteers, create shift schedules, and publish volunteer alternatives. It additionally contains platforms that permit volunteers to finish particular duties, equivalent to fundraising on a nonprofit’s behalf.
Bear in mind that varied volunteer software program options embody completely different options. For instance, even when two distributors each provide volunteer administration software program, one might need options for recruitment and coaching, whereas one other focuses particularly on communication and group.
Why do nonprofits want volunteer software program?
Small nonprofits can run volunteer packages with out software program supporting their efforts. Nevertheless, as your volunteer program grows, so will its stage of complexity. With extra volunteers, packages, and duties, nonprofits can profit drastically from utilizing a centralized system to remain organized.
With the assistance of volunteer software program, nonprofits can:
- Higher handle sources. Volunteer software program collects and displays information associated to your volunteer program. This lets you perceive what sources you might have at your disposal, how they’re getting used, and in the event that they could possibly be higher allotted. For instance, you may discover sure packages are at capability for volunteers whereas others want extra assist. On this case, you’ll be able to edit your schedule to repair this discrepancy.
- Enhance volunteer retention. By working an organized volunteer program the place supporters obtain immediate communication and clear path, you’re extra more likely to have returning volunteers.
- Launch specialised packages. Sure kinds of volunteer initiatives require software program to operate. For instance, for those who plan to supply digital volunteering alternatives, you’ll possible want software program to attach with these supporters and assign duties.
Volunteer software program platforms differ in scale, and completely different nonprofits will want completely different ranges of assist. Whereas a smaller nonprofit is perhaps content material utilizing its CRM’s volunteer engagement options, a bigger group might choose a extremely customizable volunteer-specific administration platform.
Is volunteer software program free?
Volunteer software program is obtainable at quite a lot of value factors. Some options might provide free packages with restricted options, however most platforms function on a month-to-month or annual subscription system.
For instance, volunteer software program vendor POINT has three value factors, together with a free possibility that gives core administration options, equivalent to time monitoring and calendar administration.
Nevertheless, different fascinating options, like background checks and waivers, require upgrading to a paid plan. Moreover, POINT, like many different volunteer software program suppliers, provides customized pricing options for enterprise-sized nonprofits.
Volunteer Administration Software program
Volunteer administration software program is the commonest sort of volunteer software program. These platforms assist nonprofits set up and run practically each a part of their volunteer program, making them important for any rising nonprofit.
Numerous volunteer administration software program platforms focus on completely different elements of volunteer administration. Nevertheless, each platform ought to provide these core options:
- Database. Many nonprofits use CRMs, which home donor information, equivalent to their engagement historical past, contact particulars, and cost info. Some CRMs additionally present profile administration options for non-donors, equivalent to volunteers, however devoted volunteer administration platforms are possible to supply extra strong choices. Search for platforms that can help you simply construct volunteer profiles, search your database for particular people, and retailer your supporters’ info securely.
- Scheduling. Planning and managing volunteer shifts is crucial for sustaining a purposeful volunteer program. Assess administration platforms primarily based on their scheduling-related options, equivalent to calendar creation, shift assigning and claiming processes, and bulk scheduling.
- Communication. To maintain your volunteer program working easily, volunteer managers might want to coordinate with quite a few supporters to supply path, guarantee shifts are crammed, and reply questions. Your volunteer software program ought to help this course of with communication instruments, equivalent to the power to contact volunteers through a number of channels (like e mail, textual content messaging, and volunteer app notifications) and computerized messaging (like upcoming shift reminders).
- Reporting. Reporting instruments make it easier to make sense of your information to find out the place your volunteer program is succeeding and what could possibly be improved. For example, all volunteer administration software program ought to have primary hours monitoring instruments. You may use this info to find out which instances of 12 months your nonprofit has the best volunteer capability.
When assessing volunteer administration software program, take into account your nonprofit’s wants. Some organizations is perhaps on the lookout for an out-of-the-box resolution with an app volunteers can have interaction with, whereas others may desire a customizable platform and complicated reporting options. Each vendor has its personal specialties and strengths, so be aware of what options they spotlight and ask questions throughout demos and gross sales pitches about particular use circumstances.
Bonus: What are company volunteer administration options?
Whereas for-profit companies don’t have volunteers, some firms do have software program with volunteer administration options. Particularly, companies with company social duty (CSR) packages usually use software program to handle these initiatives.
CSR packages embody grantmaking, sponsorships, in-kind donations, and worker volunteer initiatives. Some examples of company volunteer packages are:
- Volunteer grants
- Volunteer time without work (VTO)
- Workforce volunteer days
- Mentorships
- Internships
To encourage worker volunteering and observe volunteer initiatives’ outcomes, companies use CSR software program. These instruments permit workers to report their volunteer hours, submit volunteer grant purposes, and request VTO. With some platforms, workers can seek for volunteer alternatives.
Some CSR distributors present customers with a database of respected nonprofits. These platforms then permit customers to seek for related volunteer openings and even let management spotlight and promote particular volunteer alternatives to workers. Discover high CSR distributors to see if it’s attainable to submit your nonprofit for consideration to get featured in these databases.
Volunteer Grant Database
Whereas volunteer administration software program permits your volunteer program to operate, instruments like volunteer grant databases allow nonprofits to earn extra worth from their packages.
A volunteer grant database gives nonprofits and volunteers with details about company giving and CSR packages associated to volunteering. These databases permit volunteers to seek for their employers and uncover the next particulars:
- Their program eligibility. If an employer provides volunteer grants or VTO, a volunteer grant database will present related details about this system. This contains which workers are eligible. For example, an organization may present volunteer grants to all workers, however solely full-time workers are eligible for VTO.
- Program necessities. Each firm has its personal volunteer grant necessities, making it difficult for nonprofits to supply steerage to volunteers. A volunteer grant database will help supporters discover related info, equivalent to what number of hours they should volunteer, what kinds of nonprofits are eligible, and when they should submit their volunteer grant utility.
- Subsequent steps. Discovering if a supporter is eligible for a volunteer grant or VTO is nice. However what do they do subsequent? Search for a volunteer grant database that gives hyperlinks to related kinds and pages supporters can comply with to take the subsequent steps to use instantly after confirming their eligibility.
Volunteer grants and VTO earn your nonprofit extra income and extra volunteers. Many eligible supporters are unaware these initiatives exist, not to mention in the event that they qualify. By bringing them to your supporters’ consideration, your volunteer program will turn out to be much more invaluable.
Bonus: Our really useful volunteer grant database supplier!
At the moment, the highest volunteer grant database in the marketplace is Double the Donation Volunteering. Double the Donation initially specialised in matching present software program, however the volunteer performance expands its choices to supply customers with info on missed volunteer grants and VTO alternatives.
A number of of Double the Donation’s high options embody:
- Complete database. Double the Donation’s matching present database covers 99.68% of all match-eligible donors. This similar comprehensiveness applies to the volunteer arm of the database, which means all your eligible supporters ought to be capable to discover their employers’ info simply.
- Consumer-friendly search course of. 360MatchPro’s search software is simple to embed on any web page of your web site, together with your volunteer registration type. Use it to seize your volunteers’ employer information so you’ll be able to streamline the search course of and determine in the event that they qualify for volunteer grants or VTO.
- In depth integrations. Likelihood is that you’ll use your volunteer grant database alongside your volunteer administration software program. 360MatchPro has over 100 integrations with varied CRMs, volunteer administration platforms, and donation instruments, which means likelihood is you’ll be capable to add it to your present tech stack with ease.
Get began with Double the Donation Volunteering by scheduling a demo to debate its potential advantages in your nonprofit.
Acquire extra volunteers and have extra time to coach and retain them by leveraging VTO. Uncover how one can benefit from VTO in Double the Donation’s full information.
Peer-to-Peer Software program
Peer-to-peer campaigns are a novel sort of volunteer initiative. Whereas volunteers usually assist with varied fundraisers, in a peer-to-peer marketing campaign, volunteers primarily run their very own fundraising campaigns in your behalf.
As a novel sort of program, peer-to-peer campaigns require specialised software program. A number of particular options embody:
- Marketing campaign web page creation. Peer-to-peer campaigns succeed as a result of volunteers are in a position to create distinctive donation pages that share their private tales. This enables their family and friends to offer in assist of their liked one relatively than a nonprofit they is perhaps unfamiliar with. Select a peer-to-peer resolution that lets your volunteers add their very own photographs, share their tales, and even add movies.
- Social sharing choices. Most trendy peer-to-peer campaigns function on-line and make heavy use of social media platforms like Fb and Instagram. Your volunteers ought to be capable to simply share their marketing campaign pages and updates on social media to advertise their fundraiser to associates, household, and followers.
- Information and analytics. Like all volunteer program, it’s helpful to have a chook’s eye view of your volunteers’ actions. Use your platform’s information and analytics instruments to trace how every volunteer’s marketing campaign is performing so you’ll be able to step in to help, present encouragement, or provide congratulations.
Peer-to-peer campaigns straddle the strains between being fundraisers and volunteer initiatives. As such, you’ll possible discover software program guides and marketing campaign suggestions categorized underneath each volunteer and fundraising administration.
Regardless, search for software program that allows volunteers to share their distinctive message and fundraise in your behalf with confidence.
Bonus: Peer-to-peer volunteer administration suggestions!
Peer-to-peer volunteers function pretty independently by managing their very own outreach after getting their marketing campaign pages stay. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply your volunteers ought to completely deal with it alone. Enhance your peer-to-peer campaigns by:
- Offering branded belongings. When you ought to encourage peer-to-peer volunteers to design their very own marketing campaign pages and outreach content material, doing so with out steerage can result in a hodgepodge of messages that don’t symbolize your model nicely. As an alternative, share your nonprofit’s type information with them, in addition to a library of branded pictures and belongings they’ll use, equivalent to your brand and professionally taken photographs of your packages.
- Utilizing gamification instruments. Have interaction your volunteers by turning fundraising right into a sport. Some peer-to-peer platforms have gamification instruments that do issues like award volunteers badges and factors for hitting milestones, equivalent to elevating a specific amount. Some even function leaderboards, letting your volunteers have interaction in pleasant competitors with each other.
- Checking in routinely. Ensure your volunteers know they’re not fundraising alone. Have your volunteer supervisor test in with them recurrently to reply questions, troubleshoot issues, and supply encouragement. This is not going to solely enhance volunteers’ campaigns but additionally guarantee volunteers really feel supported by your nonprofit.
Like with any volunteer initiative, you must also thank your volunteers for his or her onerous work. Many nonprofits finish their peer-to-peer campaigns with an occasion as a closing alternative to fundraise and have a good time volunteers. Take into account handing out awards to top-performing volunteers or thanking your peer-to-peer fundraisers as an entire in speeches all through your occasion.
Volunteer Software program Ideas
After researching varied kinds of volunteer software program and distributors, you’ve hopefully discovered a platform you assume is true in your nonprofit. Nevertheless, the success of your volunteer software program resolution relies on how you employ it.
To make sure your software program powers your volunteer program efficiently, remember to take into account:
- Implementation timeline. Should you’re investing in a extremely customizable volunteer platform or altering volunteer software program, you’ll possible have a substantial implementation timeline. Make plans emigrate information, work with know-how consultants, and practice your workers to make use of your new platform.
- Onboarding. All volunteers ought to attend an onboarding session earlier than working together with your nonprofit. On this assembly, go over how you can carry out volunteer duties, who volunteers ought to go to with questions, and what expectations for working together with your nonprofit are. Moreover, if volunteers will use any software program, give them a tutorial on how you can function it.
- Integrations. Select a volunteer platform that integrates with the remainder of your know-how stack. Software program like 360MatchPro that has many integrations will let information stream seamlessly from platform to platform. This implies you’ll be able to entry information in your volunteers with ease and with out worrying about information getting siloed into one system.
Request demos in your high volunteer software program candidates. Throughout these periods, ask questions not simply in regards to the software program however about how the seller will assist you. Search for distributors who present quick technical assist, coaching, and in depth useful resource libraries.
Extra Volunteer Assets
Volunteer software program can elevate your nonprofit’s operations by streamlining volunteer recruitment, administration, and income technology. Discover the number of volunteer platforms accessible to search out options that suit your nonprofit’s want.
For extra volunteering and software program sources, take a look at these guides:
