The 8 Essential Volunteer Program Reports—and How to Create Them

If creating volunteer reports feels overwhelming, you’re not alone.

Many volunteer managers struggle to make sense of their data or turn it into meaningful insights. But data isn’t just numbers—it’s your key to proving impact, securing support, and growing your program.

The real issue? Most reporting is done manually, making it harder than it needs to be.

This guide breaks down the 8 essential reports every volunteer program needs—and shows how the right tech can turn reporting from a chore into a game-changer.

Summary: Volunteer program data proves impact, secures funding, and drives career advancement for volunteer managers.

8 Essential Volunteer Program Reports

1. Volunteer Hours Logged - Track total hours (worth $34.79/hour in 2024) to demonstrate economic value
2. Program Growth - Monitor active volunteers and registration trends to show momentum
3. Retention & Turnover - Measure volunteer satisfaction and program sustainability
4. ROI Report - Calculate financial value vs. management costs to justify funding
5. Program Participation - Identify which initiatives resonate most with volunteers
6. Demographic Report - Understand volunteer base for targeted recruitment and grant applications
7. Impact & Outcomes - Connect hours to tangible community benefits for storytelling
8. Skills & Training - Ensure proper volunteer placement and identify training gaps

Why is Volunteer Program Reporting Important?

Your volunteer program creates tremendous value, but without data to prove it, that impact remains invisible to leadership, funders, and stakeholders who make decisions about resources and support.

Volunteer managers who effectively use data reporting experience:

• Career advancement opportunities: Data-driven professionals are more likely to be promoted and included in strategic planning
  
  
• Increased program funding: Concrete metrics make compelling cases for budget increases or grant funding.
  
  
• Enhanced stakeholder engagement: Clear reporting builds trust and demonstrates accountability.
  
  
• Better program outcomes: Understanding patterns helps you optimize recruitment, retention, and impact. 

The Top 8 Volunteer Program Reports— and How to Create Them

1. Volunteer Hours Logged Report

What it tracks: Total volunteer hours contributed across your program, broken down by time periods, projects, or volunteer roles.

Why it matters: Volunteer hours translate directly into economic value. For reference, the estimate for the value of a volunteer hour was $34.79 in 2024, meaning that a program with 1,000 volunteer hours monthly represents over $34,000 in contributed value.

How to use it: Include volunteer hour totals in board reports, grant applications, and annual impact statements. Use monthly trends to identify seasonal patterns and plan recruitment accordingly.

How to create it: Get Connected's Volunteer Hours Logged report automatically tracks hours submitted for each opportunity, showing you exactly who responded and how they submitted their hours. The system eliminates manual timesheets and provides real-time data for immediate reporting needs.

SUCCESS STORY: Volunteer Hour Tracking Secures $500K FEMA Grant

During the COVID-19 response, One Albuquerque Volunteers logged over 20,000 volunteer hours using Get Connected. With accurate data in hand, the city applied for and received a $500,000 FEMA grant!

Read One Albuquerque's story here →

2. Volunteer Program Growth Report

What it tracks: Number of active volunteers over time, new volunteer registrations, and growth trends.

Why it matters: Growth metrics demonstrate program momentum and community engagement. Steady growth indicates effective recruitment strategies, while declining numbers signal areas needing attention.

How to use it: Present growth data to show program expansion to leadership or to identify what recruitment strategies work best and allocate resources accordingly.

How to create it: Get Connected's New Users Added report shows you which days saw the most volunteer signups, while the Time From Registration to Response report reveals how quickly new volunteers engage with opportunities—crucial data for optimizing your onboarding process.

Not sure if you have the right tools for your volunteer program reporting? Get a free technology audit to find out →

3. Volunteer Retention and Turnover Report

What it tracks: How long volunteers stay engaged, retention rates by program area, and reasons for volunteer departure.

Why it matters: Retention is more cost-effective than recruitment. High turnover indicates program issues, while strong retention shows volunteer satisfaction and program sustainability.

How to use it: Use this data to identify programs needing improvement and to showcase stable, well-managed initiatives.

How to create it: Get Connected's Repeat Volunteerism User List helps you recognize volunteers who consistently return to support your organization and those who don’t.

4. Volunteer Program ROI Report

What it tracks: The financial value of volunteer contributions compared to program management costs.

Why it matters: ROI demonstrates fiscal responsibility and program efficiency. 

How to use it: Program ROI can be used to justify program funding and expansion requests.

How to create it: Automated hour tracking and expense categorization make ROI calculations simple and accurate. 

5. Program or Event Participation Report

What it tracks: Volunteer participation rates across different programs, events, or initiatives.

Why it matters: Participation data reveals which programs resonate with volunteers and which may need restructuring or better promotion.

How to use it: Identify your most popular programs to understand what attracts volunteers and use low-participation data to improve program design or marketing strategies.

How to create it: Get Connected's Needs/Opportunities Viewed report reveals how many views your opportunities receive, helping you identify which programs may need promotional support to boost awareness and participation.

6. Volunteer Demographic Report

What it tracks: Age, location, skills, availability, and other relevant volunteer characteristics.

Why it matters: Understanding your volunteer base helps with targeted recruitment, program design, and demonstrating community diversity to funders.

How to use it: Use demographic data to identify gaps in your volunteer base and develop targeted recruitment strategies. You can also use this volunteer data to unlock nonprofit funding through grants.

How to create it: Nonprofits can use Get Connected to capture demographic information through Custom Registration Question Metrics. You can also generate a Zip Code report that lets you see where your volunteers are located. This can help you pair volunteers with needs and opportunities in their area.

7. Volunteer Impact and Outcomes Report

What it tracks: Specific outcomes achieved through volunteer work—people served, meals provided, students tutored, etc.

Why it matters: Impact metrics connect volunteer hours to tangible community benefits, creating powerful storytelling opportunities.

How to use it: Combine volunteer hours with outcome data to show complete program impact. Use these metrics in fundraising materials and stakeholder communications.

How to create it: Platforms like Get Connected can make it easy to report on impact and outcomes with automated, real-time Impact Pages that share your data with compelling visuals, which help to keep your community up to date on total impact.

Learn more about Get Connected's Volunteer Impact Reporting tools

8. Volunteer Skills and Training Report

What it tracks: Volunteer skills, completed training programs, and certification status.

Why it matters: Skill tracking ensures volunteers are matched to appropriate roles and helps identify training needs across your program.

How to use it: Use skill data for strategic volunteer placement and to identify training gaps. You can even showcase volunteer expertise to demonstrate program quality.

How to create it: Get Connected's Prerequisite/Qualification Status Review report lets you track who has submitted qualifications, their contact information, responses, and current status. This makes it simple to see who's qualified for specific opportunities and who might need to resubmit certifications, ensuring your volunteer placements meet safety and competency requirements.

Making Volunteer Reporting Manageable with Get Connected

Volunteer program reporting isn't about becoming a data expert—it's about having the information you need to advocate for your program, advance your career, and maximize your impact. The right technology makes this process simple, accurate, and even enjoyable.

With Get Connected, your nonprofit can easily import your most important data and generate dozens of exportable volunteer reports—from hourly reporting to impact reporting—all in one centralized system. 

Learn more about how Get Connected volunteer technology makes it easier to report on volunteer program outcomes to create more impact than ever.
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