Volunteers are the lifeblood of many organizations, and they're essential for keeping your nonprofit running smoothly. With the right software, you can easily oversee and track your volunteers, assign them tasks, and manage their schedules — all from one central location.
What Is Volunteer Management Software?
Volunteer management software is a great way for nonprofits to keep track of, connect with, and manage volunteer activity. Depending on the software you choose, this can include assigning volunteers to events, tracking volunteer hours, understanding volunteer interests, and much more.
One tool nonprofits can consider for volunteer management is Civic Champs. It offers a tailor-made set of capabilities designed for nonprofits to easily onboard, train, and manage their volunteers. Through TechSoup, nonprofits can get either a 50 percent or 10 percent discount (depending on budget size) on an annual subscription to Civic Champs.
Volunteer management platforms can make it simpler to engage your most active supporters. Plus, if the solution is comprehensive, it can even support other forms of giving, such as money and in-kind donations. Here are a few examples of how management software can benefit your nonprofit.
Managing Schedules
Organizing volunteers can be difficult, especially when your nonprofit grows. Having software to manage their schedules and track their hours is essential. This ensures that everyone is in the right place at the right time and that volunteers get the recognition they deserve.
Tracking Applications
If you're looking to recruit volunteers for your nonprofit, you'll need to have a workflow for reviewing and accepting applications. With Civic Champs, you can quickly set up an online form for anyone to submit their applications. As an admin, you will then be able to review and approve or deny applications.
You can also customize the application to include important onboarding information, such as orientation videos, inputs, and waivers. Additionally, you can accept payments for any extra costs associated with the application process, such as background checks or t-shirts.
If you manage your application process through Civic Champs, all volunteer details will be saved in your database, shared with as many admins as you need. That means you can quickly update everyone regarding scheduled shifts for new volunteers the moment they are approved.
Storing Documents
If you choose a volunteer management platform with inbuilt document storage features, you can centrally manage forms, applications, reports, and other volunteer-related items. With Civic Champs, you'll get custom access settings to ensure that the right people will have access to the documents they need when they need them.
Analytics and Reporting
Transparency is key when it comes to nonprofits. It's important to know where your volunteers are spending their time and effort to get the most out of your program and deliver accurate reports to funders.
Civic Champs’ data collection and analysis features make reporting easier. You can store all your data in one place, from events and volunteer applications to tracking hours and attendance, and use easy-to-understand visual tools to effectively convey your impact over time.
Communicating
When it comes to managing volunteers, communication is crucial. That's why investing in volunteer management software is so important. Having a centralized system means you can quickly send out emails or texts to everyone. Plus, you can even set up automated messages that remind volunteers of shifts, thank them for taking part, invite them to donate, and more.
Recruitment
Having a fast, responsive, and user-friendly volunteer recruitment system is essential for any successful volunteer-based program. You should seek out a tool that enables you to post volunteer roles in the places where your target audience is most likely to see and engage with them. Civic Champs allows you to post volunteer roles on your website, collect info from potential volunteers using customized forms, and sync it all with your larger database without any manual labor.
You can also automatically update your data and make the whole recruitment process a breeze using these platforms. They help you save time and energy by streamlining your recruiting efforts. With the right software, you can quickly identify and onboard the best prospects so that they can start helping your cause as soon as possible.
Volunteer Management Software for All Nonprofits
Volunteers are the backbone of your organization, and without them it would be nearly impossible to keep your nonprofit going. Volunteer management software gives you the power to track and manage your volunteers, assign tasks, and manage their schedules from one central location.
Every organization is different, and you'll need to compare the unique needs of your nonprofit with the capabilities of each volunteer management software. Civic Champs offers a wide range of customizable features, making it a great option for educators, healthcare facilities, community organizations, and more. Visit the Civic Champs website to discover even more features and determine whether it is the right solution for you.
Additional Resources
- Find out about TechSoup's Efficient Courses for Staff, Volunteers, and Donor Management.
- See a recording of a Public Good App House event on Volunteer Management Apps for Food Security Organizations.
- Get some advice on How to Effectively Screen and Onboard New Volunteers Online.
Top photo: Shutterstock
