17 Top Volunteer Management Software Options for Nonprofits
![This guide reviews 17 of the best volunteer management software options for nonprofits.](https://bloomerang.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/volunteer-management-systems_Feature.jpg.webp)
Volunteers are integral to nonprofit organizations’ day-to-day operations. Without these dedicated supporters, many nonprofits would struggle to reach their annual goals.
However, successful volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention are no easy feat. That’s where volunteer management software comes in.
Volunteer management software is a tool that nonprofits can use to better organize their volunteers by handling everything from scheduling to ongoing communication. In this guide, we’ll review what you need to know about volunteer management software and the top solutions to be aware of.
There are many moving parts involved in the volunteer management process, and volunteer management software brings these activities under one roof. Before you can evaluate your options, you first need to establish your organization’s needs and top features to look out for in a solution. Let’s dive in!
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, which in turn increases long-term volunteer retention.
Your volunteer management system can facilitate more streamlined volunteer engagement and communication. Let’s answer a few frequently asked questions about how this process works:
There are hundreds of ways to run a volunteer program, and your team’s approach all depends on your organization’s unique goals and needs.
The volunteer management life cycle 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.
Here are the key steps in the volunteer management lifecycle:
Volunteer management software allows you to manage each of these steps in a centralized platform.
A volunteer management system, or volunteer management software, is a platform with features designed to help organizations administer volunteer programs, events, and initiatives.
This software often includes tools for volunteer recruitment, scheduling, management, and communication and acts as a database for all of an organization’s volunteer information. Some volunteer management systems integrate with donor management software, allowing nonprofits to gain a 360-view of all supporters from one convenient dashboard.
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’s long-term volunteer management needs and goals. What you need today may not be enough tomorrow.
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:
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.
With that in mind, here are 17 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’s available:
Bloomerang combines volunteer and donor management into one unified system. Instead of having to learn two separate systems, your nonprofit’s staff has access to everything they need in one convenient place.
Plus, managing volunteers and donors together lets you discover hidden fundraising opportunities for volunteers and potential new volunteers within your donor pool. You can maximize the potential of both groups, providing sustainable support for your fundraising and volunteer initiatives.
Here’s what we love about Bloomerang’s system:
Bloomerang also offers a mobile app to streamline staff and volunteer communications.
SignUpGenius simplifies the process of coordinating events and volunteers by providing online sign ups for all sorts of nonprofit events.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
This is a simple tool that’s great for organizations looking for a way to recruit volunteers online quickly.
POINT offers free volunteer management tools to nonprofits, allowing up-and-coming organizations on a budget to connect with volunteers.
Here are the features that make the POINT app stand out:
You can also create a POINT page, an online volunteer hub that includes your nonprofit’s profile information, event sign ups, donation link, and needs registry. You can easily share this link across your social media pages, website, and email newsletters to boost recruitment.
VolunteerMark offers comprehensive volunteer management software that includes scheduling, communication, and reporting. Plus, their mobile app gives volunteers an easy way to keep track of their duties and schedules.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
VolunteerMark’s software was designed to be very user friendly, allowing volunteer managers to get up and running with the system quickly and easily.
Golden makes getting involved in volunteer opportunities easy for passionate supporters. With a mobile app for iOS and Android, volunteer managers can easily organize volunteer information and scheduling, even when out in the field.
This volunteer management system offers features like:
Nonprofits looking to get started with volunteer management software for the first time can begin on the free plan and scale up their involvement as needed.
Signup Zone is an online tool for coordinating volunteers. It is as easy to use as a paper signup but with all the convenience of being online. This solution is a good option for those simply looking to collect a list of contacts quickly.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
Signup Zone offers a simple solution for organizations like schools to quickly collect parent and volunteer information online.
Giveffect is an all-in-one nonprofit software that provides robust volunteer management functionality. Volunteer shifts, hours, and contact information seamlessly integrate into the Giveffect CRM system, providing a comprehensive overview of your supporters.
Giveffect’s volunteer management features include:
With volunteer scheduling and tracking, a mobile volunteer check-in kiosk, and volunteer-to-donor conversion tracking, Giveffect consolidates your nonprofit operations and eliminates manual data entry.
Better Impact offers supporter management features—from donor and client stewardship to volunteer and member management—for nonprofits and other organizations as well.
Here are the top volunteer management features of the Better Impact platform:
This volunteer management solution offers customizable profiles, database management, volunteer recruitment, flexible scheduling tool capabilities, and reporting to help manage your volunteer team efficiently.
Helper Helper’s software platform and mobile app help you easily coordinate and track service hours across your entire organization. Nonprofits, businesses, colleges, high schools, and Greek life organizations turn to this solution to manage their ongoing volunteer opportunities.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
This solution offers a centralized data source for your volunteer program that includes sign ups, reminders, kiosk check ins, and reporting.
Galaxy Digital offers an easy-to-use volunteer management system called Get Connected. This product makes it simple for volunteers to find and select the opportunities they are passionate about.
This volunteer management system allows nonprofits to:
Ideal for everyday use, Get Connected can help increase volunteer engagement, develop long-term relationships, and track involvement.
YourVolunteers is a free volunteer management tool that supports registration management, scheduling, and volunteer profile creation.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
This cloud-based tool provides an easy way to create and assign volunteer shifts and collect information from volunteers.
Timecounts’ solution provides organizations with user-friendly, scalable tools to grow their volunteer programs.
This volunteer management software offers features like:
This solution removes friction between you and your passionate volunteers by providing a way to publish opportunities online, collect volunteer information, maintain a directory of volunteers, and maintain ongoing communication.
Volunteer Scheduler Pro is a specialized volunteer scheduler that can also help you manage and communicate with volunteers as well.
This volunteer management system allows nonprofits to:
This solution is ideal for small organizations that need a simple upgrade from general office tools.
CERVIS empowers nonprofits with volunteer management software that offers simple features for coordinating volunteers. Their solution includes tools for scheduling, communication, reporting, and more.
Here’s what you can do with this volunteer management software:
They also offer impactful training resources for you and your team to get up to speed on effective volunteer management and software.
Bonterra’s Mobilize offers a solution for mission-driven organizations to help manage events and recruit volunteers. This solution is used by nonprofits, progressive campaigns, advocacy organizations, labor unions, and more.
Mobilize’s volunteer management software allows organizations to:
This solution makes sure volunteers sign up, show up, bring friends, and come back through its powerful and engaging platform.
isolved Giving & Volunteering is a corporate philanthropy platform that makes it easy for employers to facilitate giving and volunteering opportunities for their employees.
This volunteer management software offers features like:
This platform is best for professional businesses and healthcare services looking to better track their philanthropic activities.
ClickTime makes it easy to track, plan, and manage employee and volunteer time. This solution is great for organizations looking to report on impact for funding purposes.
ClickTime’s volunteer tracking system makes it easy to:
With ClickTime, you can improve operations and increase team-wide employee productivity through easy-to-use timesheets you can access anywhere, anytime.
Volunteer management software provides the tools you need to manage your volunteer program and empower your volunteers to do their best work.
There are so many options available on the market that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with choices. We recommend taking your time to define what you need from your volunteer software before committing to any one solution. Remember, investing in a solution that offers everything you need to succeed instead of using multiple, disconnected solutions will serve you better in the long run.
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