Volunteer Management Software Essentials + 20 Popular Picks

Most nonprofits are busy with initiatives designed to change the world. But changing the world requires a lot of hard work, and studies show manual processes and limited capacity are pervasive pain points for nonprofits.

Enter volunteers. They love your mission. They probably love your nonprofit. They’re willing to work for free because they believe in your work. They’re the backbone of your activities.

A robust volunteer program will supercharge the efforts of any nonprofit. Your organization just needs a system that can effortlessly manage those volunteers. That’s where volunteer management software comes in!

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about volunteer management software, including:

• What Is Volunteer Management Software?
• Why Do Nonprofits Need Volunteer Management Software?
• Key Features to Look For in Volunteer Management Software
• 20 Popular Volunteer Management Software Options

What Is Volunteer Management Software?

Volunteer management software is a digital tool that helps nonprofits organize and track volunteers across the entire volunteer lifecycle. This cycle, otherwise known as the stages of volunteer management, includes the following steps:

1. Planning: During this stage, nonprofits identify their volunteer team needs and determine the roles their volunteers will fill.
2. Recruitment: Next, nonprofits promote opportunities, collect applications, and onboard volunteers.
3. Training: Volunteers undergo role-specific training, where they learn how to carry out their unique responsibilities.
4. Scheduling: Nonprofits assign shifts or allow volunteers to sign up for shifts on an ongoing basis. Volunteer coordinators must manage availability and track volunteer attendance.
5. Engagement: Throughout a volunteer’s participation, nonprofits work to make them feel valued by the organization and retain their support for future volunteer needs.

Volunteer management software intervenes at each of these steps, offering tools that streamline the process for nonprofits or automate it entirely. 

Why Do Nonprofits Need Volunteer Management Software?

It’s common for nonprofits to start small when managing these stages, perhaps with Excel spreadsheets. However, even small organizations will quickly outgrow makeshift systems and find they need dedicated fundraising tools to take over. That’s where volunteer management software can be a game-changer!

Here are some of the benefits this software delivers that provisional systems can’t:

• Streamlines scheduling and shift management. Managing volunteer signups, shifts, check-ins, and thank yous requires a lot of paperwork and coordination. Volunteer management software automates these tasks and makes scheduling or tracking hours effortless. This saves time and eliminates the risk of errors.
• Improves volunteer communication. Volunteer management solutions keep the lines of communication open and clear through emails, messaging platforms, and forums. When your volunteers sign up and check in through your software, detailed instructions and contact information are right there. Even changes in plans are easy to communicate quickly, saving you the stress of chasing people down.
• Simplifies participation. When you have capable software, customizing an online application or using the system to match skills and jobs helps you get the support you need while ensuring the volunteers have a pleasant experience. Volunteer portals give volunteers the power to manage contact information and stay in touch.
• Boosts volunteer engagement and retention. Recognized and appreciated volunteers are more likely to stay involved with your organization. However, retention is one of the top challenges reported by volunteer managers. Software can help you track volunteer achievements and personalize thank-you messages that deepen their connection to your organization.
• Centralizes data for decision-making. A system dedicated to handling volunteer management helps your nonprofit move away from scattered spreadsheets and consolidate its most important information. Data-driven insights can help you optimize recruitment, scheduling, and communication strategies, making a centralized database key to volunteer program success.

The investment in volunteer management software pays off. By reducing time spent on routine tasks and improving the volunteer experience, your nonprofit and its volunteer team can work together more efficiently to see programmatic results.

Key Features to Look For in Volunteer Management Software

Volunteer Database

Your nonprofit shouldn’t just accept volunteer sign-ups and assign volunteers to specific roles. You need to know volunteers, track their involvement over time, and make their experience meaningful. To do that, you need a volunteer management platform that houses comprehensive supporter data.

Look for a solution that: 

• Centralizes donor and volunteer records for a unified supporter view
• Offers tags or categories for skills, interests, and qualifications
• Tracks volunteer history for shifts and events

Flexible Scheduling Tools

Your volunteer program will run smoothly when scheduling is easy for both program coordinators and the volunteers who participate in it. Flexible scheduling tools ensure your nonprofit can keep up with changing time commitments without endless back-and-forth.

Look for a solution that:

• Allows for self-service sign-ups, shift swaps, and cancellations
• Handles recurring shift templates
• Accounts for volunteers’ interests and qualifications

Communication Tools

Keeping volunteers informed and engaged helps keep them involved long-term. The right volunteer management software solution will come equipped with built-in communication tools, so you can reach out to volunteers without jumping between platforms.

Look for a solution that:

• Automates reminders and messages
• Segments contact lists for targeted outreach
• Facilitates bulk email and SMS messaging

Comprehensive Reporting & Analytics

Whether you’re sharing your volunteers’ impact or making program improvements, your nonprofit must be able to track volunteer activity. Volunteer management software should not only collect relevant data but also compile easy-to-understand reports so your nonprofit can keep track of its progress.

Look for a solution that:

• Provides customizable reports on hours, attendance, and retention
• Offers filters for sorting by program, role, or other relevant factors
• Exports reports for grant applications, board reports, or audits

Event Management Capabilities

Managing volunteers involves more than scheduling and assigning responsibilities. Often, volunteers participate in larger events that require additional coordination, like guest ticketing and venue set-up.

Look for a solution that:

• Aligns event tasks with volunteer role assignments
• Handles registration, on-site check-in, and attendance tracking
• Streamlines post-event communications and follow-up surveys

20 Popular Volunteer Management Software Options

When you’re ready to turn to software to help manage volunteers, where should you look first? There are many choices, but the following options are a good place to start.

1. CharityEngine

CharityEngine is full-service fundraising software that offers every core tool fundraisers need—including volunteer management. Volunteer tools are native to CharityEngine’s platform, meaning data from every source is centralized and at your fingertips in real time.

Our all-in-one nonprofit CRM eliminates the need for multiple, disconnected tools and gives nonprofits a holistic view of every supporter.

Key features of our volunteer management software include:

• Volunteer recruitment tools
• Customizable sign-up forms
• Volunteer hours tracking
• Scheduling capabilities
• Easy-to-use volunteer portal

Whether your volunteer team consists of one supporter or 1,000, CharityEngine’s platform provides all the tools you need to manage their efforts easily!

Bloomerang

Bloomerang offers volunteer tools for nonprofits, conferences, and sports organizers. An integrated app helps organizers reach volunteers during events and calculate volunteer hours. As a nonprofit CRM, Bloomerang is an excellent choice for smaller nonprofits that value ease of use over robust functionality.

Little Green Light

Little Green Light has more than volunteer management tools and is an option for much smaller nonprofits moving from Excel spreadsheets. Most features result from integrations with other systems. Still, the platform will allow you to accept digital applications, let volunteers submit hours online, generate reports, communicate with your volunteers, and acknowledge volunteers.

WildApricot

WildApricot's membership management software includes volunteer management tools. Offering a CRM, a member database, and more, it provides basic functionality for small nonprofits. While some users criticize its customer service, many think the interface is user-friendly, and the basic tools are sufficient.

SignUp.com

SignUp.com moves away from full-service CRMs and instead focuses on basic volunteer management. This platform offers features like event schedules, availability checks, spot confirmations, and automated reminders. It can work for managing small events, but it works best when you’re solely wrangling volunteers.

6. Volgistics

Known for its easy-to-use scheduling features,  Volgistics is a leading option for software that streamlines recordkeeping and reporting. Although the software’s interface looks a bit outdated, its features are so straightforward that users don’t have to be technology-literate to schedule their next shift. Plus, its extensive reporting filters make it easy for volunteer coordinators to track their team’s efforts over time.

7. POINT

POINT is a user-centric platform designed to connect volunteers to the causes they care about. Willing volunteers can find your organization’s upcoming events and volunteer needs on the platform, even if they’ve never connected with your organization before! For nonprofits, the software facilitates customizable profiles, which your organization can share across its social media channels for even more visibility.

8. PlanHero

PlanHero touts its platform as “simple group organizing,” meaning the platform’s capabilities extend far beyond just volunteer management. It also supports businesses, faith-based groups, schools, and other organizations looking to gather a group for an event. Keep in mind that this versatility may not be necessary for your nonprofit’s needs, and it could potentially clutter your workflows when managing volunteers.

9. Civic Champs

Civic Champs is a mobile-first solution that aims to reduce the administrative work of managing volunteer teams. Offering digital waivers, volunteer tracking, and robust reporting tools, this platform makes it easy to manage volunteers’ involvement in your organization from the moment they sign up. 

10. Rosterfy

Rosterfy is enterprise-grade volunteer management software designed for large organizations. It integrates with numerous CRMs and provides a powerful automation engine, allowing users to take a data-driven and streamlined approach to volunteer management.

11. ClickTime

While this platform isn’t solely dedicated to volunteer management, ClickTime offers time tracking software that nonprofits can use to evaluate the effectiveness of their volunteer programs. Its expense tracking tools can also help you measure your program’s cost and budget more strategically for volunteer efforts in the future.

12. Timecounts

If you’re looking for a platform that specializes in organizing volunteers, Timecounts is a great place to start. This solution was purpose-built for the recruitment and onboarding processes, making it easy for nonprofits to get new volunteers started and scheduled properly. Plus, messaging features ensure that nonprofits stay connected with volunteers for consistent engagement.

13. CERVIS

CERVIS is a platform built for volunteer coordinators to better manage sign-ups, communications, scheduling, reporting, and more. This platform offers transparent and flexible pricing options, making it easy for nonprofits of all sizes to access its tools. Plus, CERVIS offers one-on-one training to help volunteer coordinators navigate team and event management.

14. Helper Helper

Helper Helper’s volunteer scheduling and tracking tool helps organizations of all types coordinate volunteer efforts. Its mobile app makes it easy for volunteers to check in, log their hours, and participate in leaderboards. It also offers customization features, allowing nonprofits to add their branding to their volunteer hubs.

15. Volunteer Scheduler Pro

Volunteer Scheduler Pro’s software specializes in a suite of scheduling tools, including self-sign-up and qualification-based scheduling, to help organizations match the right volunteers to the right roles. Its customizable outreach templates allow nonprofits to quickly send targeted messages that grab volunteers’ attention.

16. Better Impact

Better Impact’s volunteer management software also serves as a member management and client management tool, helping organizations reach a variety of audiences from one platform. This solution’s retention and engagement tools allow nonprofits to go beyond online training and reach volunteers through recognition badges, birthday messages, and other fun points of contact.

17. Golden

Powered by automation features and AI, Golden is a volunteer management solution built for busy coordinators. This platform touts itself as a time-saving solution offering AI-enabled fundraising and advanced CRM integrations. It also offers branding opportunities, allowing nonprofits to create a volunteer experience that reflects the organization’s identity.

18. VolunteerHub

VolunteerHub is a volunteer management solution that offers all the tools nonprofits need to create an enjoyable volunteer experience. Branded landing pages, automated communications, and self-sign-up processes make it easy for both nonprofits and their volunteers to work together to achieve more.

19. SignUpGenius

SignUpGenius’s specialty is in its name: sign-ups. This platform simplifies volunteer management by helping nonprofits create online sign-up forms and schedule appointments or events. Choose from a pre-designed template or customize the form to match your nonprofit’s branding.

20. Mobilize

Mobilize, part of Bonterra’s suite of nonprofit software, helps nonprofits drive action from volunteers and advocates. This platform integrates data from your organization’s other solutions and automates routine tasks to streamline volunteer management. It’s also used by unions and advocacy groups, making it a versatile solution for various needs.

Final Thoughts on Volunteer Management Software

There are many software options for nonprofits wanting to manage volunteers. To make the right choice, you’ll need to be a smart shopper and ask the right questions.

The bottom line: Your program will be most cohesive and streamlined when you use volunteer management tools native to your CRM. With all of your data and features in one place, you’ll be equipped to simplify recruitment, scheduling, and communications—all of which contribute to a positive volunteer experience. 

In the end, this can even lead volunteers into the donor journey, culminating in financial support for your nonprofit. Even if they never donate money, their time and dedication are worth more than gold.