Volunteer management software: for some, it's a new frontier. For others, it's time for an upgrade.
Whether you want to learn a little more or looking for a new way to manage your volunteer program, we'll cover everything you need to know about how this game-changing tech can support volunteer leaders and their volunteers. We also listed all the best tools on the market, so you can make an informed choice when you're ready!
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What Is Volunteer Management Software?
Volunteer management software (also known as a volunteer management system or VMS) brings together the many tools that volunteer leaders need to organize volunteers, events, and initiatives. The best part is, it’s all housed in one central digital solution, so your program becomes a buzzing hive of community action!
In other words, volunteer management software is many things, including:
- A volunteer recruitment platform
- A volunteer database
- A communications system
- A scheduling tool
- An event management space
- A website for organizing and browsing volunteer opportunities
- A check-in, time-tracking, and reporting application
We’ll take a closer look at how each of these features and tools works. But first, let’s learn what volunteer management software can do for your organization and its volunteers.
Already know you need volunteer management software? Get Connected by Galaxy Digital covers all your volunteer management needs.
What Are the Benefits of Volunteer Management Systems?
After making the switch to volunteer management software, volunteer managers report lots of benefits. Here are some of the top reasons organizations like yours use (and love) volunteer management systems:
- Save Time
- Streamline Your Everyday Processes and Tools
- Reach More Volunteers and Grow Your Program
- Understand More About Your Program’s Impact
Save Time
Are you spending hours a day on data entry? Are you spending even more time trying to juggle your volunteers’ unique schedules?
Volunteer management software helps volunteer professionals regain control of their time by automating key parts of the volunteer management process, from communications to volunteer hour tracking and everything in between. What volunteer manager wouldn’t love having more time in their day?
Volunteer management software can save you time and make your job much easier:
- Significantly reduce back-and-forth and simplify volunteer communications with integrated email and text messaging, self-scheduling, and more!
- Spend less time populating and organizing spreadsheets (and more time building relationships).
- Quickly share volunteer data with your organization and community.
Streamline Your Everyday Processes and Tools
Have you found that you rely on a mishmash of tools, from email platforms to attendance sheets?
As volunteer programs grow, they tend to accumulate more tools. The problem is, these tools rarely work together. For example, Sign-Up Genius doesn’t integrate with the piece of paper you’re using to check in volunteers, and Excel doesn’t speak to your MailChimp platform.
Volunteer management software is an all-in-one system that will help you:
- Keep your data, tools, and processes stored all in one place using only one set of log-in information!
- Eliminate the need for lots of third-party tools, like check-in forms and spreadsheets.
- Drastically improve the volunteer experience with simplified, user-friendly registration, sign-up, and hours tracking.
Reach More Volunteers and Grow Your Program
Today’s volunteers find opportunities online. But you need the infrastructure in place to recruit and manage volunteers from anywhere.
With a web-based volunteer management system, you can:
- Grow your program with a user-friendly, eye-catching volunteer site.
- Empower volunteers to self-identify activities that match their passions and unique skills.
- Build capacity with easy-to-use tools like automated communication and simple scheduling.
Understand More About Your Program’s Impact
Do you know how many hours your volunteers logged in real-time? Can you quantify the impact your volunteers have on your community?
Tracking and communicating your program’s impact is critical to decision-making, engaging stakeholders, and funding your program. But the fact is, too many organizations just don’t have the data they need.
Volunteer management software makes it easy to:
- Capture every single volunteer hour, so you make the most of your data
- Generate compelling reports for every purpose
- Make important decisions and direct resources based on your impact data
How Does Volunteer Management Software Benefit Volunteers?
It’s no secret that volunteer leaders benefit from better volunteer management tools. But your volunteers win, too.
Volunteer management software can empower volunteers to:
- Engage with your organization more deeply.
- Find opportunities that match their passions and receive personalized recommendations.
- Get involved more quickly with painless registration and onboarding.
- Understand their impact and receive recognition.
- Enjoy the experience from check-in to check-out.
Volunteer management software is chock-full of tech features your volunteers will love. After all, your volunteers deserve the best!
What Does Volunteer Management Software Replace?
As your organization grows, so does your need for better management tools. However, not all tools are designed specifically for volunteer programs. So, you’re accumulating online sign-up sheets, email platforms, and scheduling software that just don’t work together.
In other words, tools and processes that were intended to improve efficiency are no longer cutting it.
Enter volunteer management software, a tool created specifically for volunteer programs that combine and replace that hodgepodge of tech you’re currently enduring. What’s more? Because the software is web-based, the tools can be accessed anywhere (even through our mobile app), making it easier to manage lots of moving parts.
So what can volunteer management systems replace? To name a few of your standard tools:
- Paper logs, timesheets, and attendance records
- Excel spreadsheets
- Manual processes
- Basic online sign-up forms
- Scheduling templates
Who is Volunteer Management Software For?
Volunteer management software is for volunteer programs of all sizes. Here are just some examples of organizations that can benefit from volunteer management software:
- Nonprofits
- Grassroots organizations
- Volunteer centers
- Faith-based organizations
- Corporate employee volunteer programs
- Service learning, student volunteers, and parent volunteer programs
- Medical centers and health systems
- Cities, counties, and state commissions
Whether your organization relies on ten volunteers or ten thousand, there’s a tech solution for your budget and needs.
Discover the best system for your needs below!
Volunteer Management Software Features
What are some of the features of volunteer management software? Check out some of our community of volunteer leaders’ favorite volunteer management tools and features.
Volunteer Hours Tracking
Tracking volunteer activity is an essential function of volunteer management. The problem is, not enough programs are tracking their impact.
Why? Because, without the right tools, volunteer hour tracking can quickly become convoluted and time-consuming.
It’s time to upgrade from paper sign-in forms, excel documents, and Google Sheets. Smart volunteer management software allows volunteers to log their hours instantly from anywhere, on any device. You’ll collect more data and generate real-time reports with the click or two of a button.
Learn more about game-changing volunteer hours tracking tools.
Volunteer Management Software Mobile App
Do you feel like you’re constantly having to hassle your volunteers to manually log their hours? If this is the case, you could be missing out on critical data.
That’s where volunteer mobile apps come in. Volunteers can download a mobile app on their smartphones to track their hours, check in to activities on the go, and view their schedules. The app integrates with your volunteer management software, so all your data is centralized in a single database. That means no more manual data entry!
Even better? Some volunteer management systems come with a free app! Check out the best volunteer mobile apps for your organization.
Volunteer Program Planning and Coordination
Your volunteer management system goes beyond attendance tracking; it can actually help you plan, coordinate, and grow your program.
Keep all your communications, administrative processes, and data associated with managing volunteers in one place. Especially if you’re charged with coordinating multiple volunteer programs and community partners, you need a centralized system.
Capabilities like levels of leadership access, multiple program management, easy shift scheduling, and consolidated data make volunteer management software a must for the complex needs of community volunteer centers, and even state-wide volunteer organizations!
Plus, personnel planning tools help organizations of all sizes to identify and leverage the resources available to them. Manage background checks and signed documentation, place skilled volunteers in specialized roles, and deploy available volunteers to last-minute needs.
Unique Volunteer Profiles
Volunteer profiles keep all volunteer information in one place so they’re in control of their volunteer experience. Individual volunteer profiles also give volunteer leaders access to information for every volunteer, so managers can work to create more meaningful, personalized volunteering experiences.
In addition to basic volunteer information (name and contact details), the software will also store the following volunteer data:
- Interests, skills, and qualifications
- Waivers and documents
- Personalized schedules
- Recommended opportunities
- Individual impact tracking
Team Engagement
Volunteer teams are pivotal to the success of many organizations (just think: more helping hands and happier volunteers). From corporate groups to families, volunteering together is better!
But many organizations simply don’t have the infrastructure or a strategy for engaging teams of volunteers. For a start, communicating with volunteer groups can become confusing (not to mention, inefficient). And without a robust tracking system in place, programs struggle to collect team-specific data that keeps them engaged.
Volunteer management software can allow you to create groups in your volunteer databases, designate team leaders, generate exclusive web links for joining, communicate efficiently with groups, and create unique impact reports for every group!
Volunteer Recruitment and Program Promotion
Recruiting volunteers is an integral part of volunteer management. But many volunteer websites and listings just aren’t working.
Your website could be failing to convert because your opportunities are disorganized or difficult to find.
Instead, highlight events, promote volunteer opportunities, and increase volunteer attendance with an engaging volunteer interface. The best software displays volunteer opportunities through an inviting and easy-to-navigate volunteer website. Volunteers can even search for activities based on their interests, skills, and schedules, so you know you’re getting the best volunteer for the job.
You know what exciting features you can expect from your volunteer management software. Now let's explore the best products available for your organization's needs.
Volunteer Management Solutions
Seen enough? Your one-stop volunteer management solution is Get Connected by Galaxy Digital. Check it out with a free demo!
We’ve put a lot of time into hearing your needs and just as much thought into creating a system intentionally designed for volunteer programs.
Our dedication to volunteerism and community building really pays off! G2 ranks Get Connected above the rest.
Let’s have a deeper look at Get Connected:
Get Connected Volunteer Management Software
Get Connected is made for every type of volunteer program.
With its comprehensive suite of tools, organizations like yours will take control of your volunteer management processes, build long-lasting relationships with supporters, track involvement, and so much more.
Get Connected offers all of the features we mentioned above (and more) in one fair subscription, including:
- A free mobile app
- Interactive volunteer profiles
- Volunteer scheduling and calendar management
- Email, text messaging, and automated communication
- Lighting-fast report generation for digestible, impactful data
Ready to check out Get Connected volunteer management software? Chat with one of our Product Specialists and get a free demo.
By the way: Galaxy Digital is more than just great software. We’re also a free resource center for all things volunteer and nonprofit management!
More Volunteer Management Options
We get it. You need to research your options before choosing the best software for your needs.
We truly believe that volunteer management software is for every program and every kind of nonprofit. Choosing a volunteer management solution can be tricky—there are lots of options out there!
If you have a specific need, we went ahead and categorized alternatives by primary function:
Event Sign-Up, Volunteer Scheduling, Registration, and Recruitment
This group of tools focuses on online sign-up forms and event registration for scheduling volunteers and tracking attendance.
- SignUp Genius - A form builder and event organizer platform. Use this tool to find volunteers to assist in your next fundraising event.
- SignUp.com - Free online signup sheets and volunteer scheduling tools to help manage events.
- Cervis - A simple online scheduling tool with email and texting capabilities.
- Volgistics - A volunteer portal for submitting applications, viewing opportunities, checking schedules, and tracking hours.
- Samaritan Technologies - Recruitment website and customizable volunteer registration forms, including a volunteer dashboard where you can access your schedule or track your hours.
- Volunteer Mark - Schedule volunteer opportunities and access a management dashboard for event attendees and volunteers.
- Volunteer Local - A self-scheduling interface for volunteer recruitment, with custom registration forms.
- VolunteerHub - A volunteer calendar to simplify scheduling, plus a volunteer database to increase functionality.
- Track it Forward - Schedule events, record volunteer hours, and manage your organization’s mileage, gifts, and donations.
- VSys One - A volunteer management platform featuring volunteer profiles and built-in reports.
- EveryAction - A digital donor management and fundraising software with volunteer scheduling in mind.
Volunteer Communication, Coordination, and Management
Get volunteers registered with your organization and keep in touch with these management tools:
- InitLive - Create volunteer programs, register volunteers, and track program data.
- Better Impact - Recruit volunteers, coordinate events, and generate targeted communication.
- HandsOn Connect - A volunteer and donor engagement platform for tracking volunteer data and reporting on engagement.
- TeamKinetic - Create custom registration, email and text volunteers from the dashboard, and measure impact using common KPIs.
- Andar/360 - Access donor data, schedule volunteers for events, and communicate directly from the platform.
- VolunteerMatters - A dedicated volunteer portal where volunteers can track hours and give feedback. A personalized project catalog allows volunteers to self-identify opportunities.
- Optimy - A social impact platform designed for corporate programs. Gather and report on employee impact data for volunteer projects.
- MobileServe - A web-based impact tracker for collecting hours data and reporting on volunteer impact.
Event Management and Fundraising Tools
These tools focus on donations, fundraising, and event management, but include some volunteer management capabilities:
- Giveffect - A fundraising software that also enables event scheduling and attendance tracking.
- GivePulse - A volunteer-facing portal for exploring local events and opportunities, as well as a relationship management database for understanding donorship data.
- Mobilize - An event management and volunteer recruitment platform. Create event postings, and send automated email and text messages to registered volunteers.
Faith-Based Solutions
These solutions are designed specifically for churches and faith-based organizations that want to manage member information, donations, and service opportunities.
- Breeze - A church management software for managing member data, scheduling volunteers, and tracking donations.
- Churchteams - A church management software with a centralized dashboard containing volunteer requests. Plus, schedules and reminders for volunteers, and the ability to manage mission teams.
A comprehensive volunteer management solution will help your organization recruit your most passionate supporters and set the foundation for long-lasting relationships.
We want to ensure the platform you invest in meets all of your organization’s needs. When you’re ready, we’ll give you the low down on the best volunteer management system out there.
