Creating Effective Volunteer Policies and Procedures

No matter the size of your nonprofit organization, developing volunteer program policies and procedures that govern the program—the volunteer program laws, if you will—is critical in protecting your organization and your volunteer corps. It’s also essential for ensuring your volunteers present your organization in the best light possible

But, it can be hard to know exactly what policies are crucial to create and include in your volunteer handbook. In this article, we’ll cover exactly what volunteer policies and procedures you need to have in order to ensure that your volunteer program runs as successfully as possible.

• Focus on creating 10 core volunteer policies: Screening procedures, termination guidelines, accessibility standards, position descriptions, dress codes, privacy protection, safety protocols, violence and abuse prevention, harassment prevention, and confidentiality agreements—these protect your organization legally while creating positive volunteer experiences.
  
  
• Know which policies are legally required for your organization: Nonprofits with paid employees must provide ADA accessibility accommodations, organizations with 15+ employees need harassment prevention policies in most states, and all nonprofits must conduct background checks for volunteers working with vulnerable populations.
  
  
• Write policies people will actually read and follow: Use conversational language with specific examples, store everything in one accessible location, have volunteers sign acknowledgment forms during onboarding, and review policies annually.
  
  
• Start with basic policies even if you're a small nonprofit: Even with limited volunteers, a single incident can result in lawsuits or insurance claims—start with four essentials (screening, safety, confidentiality, and termination) and expand as you grow.

The 10 Essential Volunteer Policies Every Nonprofit Needs

Because nonprofit organizations cover everything from child advocacy to fine arts galas, there is no one-size-fits-all template for putting together your policies and procedures. However, in general, these are the major policies any nonprofit should consider for its volunteer handbook:

1. Volunteer Screening Policy

Before anyone starts volunteering with your organization, you need a reliable way to evaluate whether they're the right fit—for their sake and yours. A well-designed screening policy protects your organization, your clients, and your existing volunteers while ensuring you're matching the right people with the right opportunities.

Your screening policy should include:

• Application process details: Collect basic information including skills, availability, interests, and relevant experience through standardized forms
  
  
• Interview protocol: Even brief 15-minute conversations where staff ask specific volunteer interview questions can help assess motivation and clarify mutual expectations
  
  
• Reference verification: Contact at least two references to verify reliability and character
  
  
• Volunteer background checks: Required for positions involving vulnerable populations (children, elderly, disabled individuals), financial access, or unsupervised facility access

Same policy language: "All volunteers must complete an application and interview before service. Volunteers working with minors, vulnerable adults, or handling finances must pass a criminal background check covering the past seven years at no cost to the volunteer. Any felony conviction or misdemeanor involving violence, theft, or crimes against vulnerable populations disqualifies the applicant."

2. Volunteer Termination Policy

A written volunteer termination policy establishes the ground rules for behavior at the beginning. Again, the structure of the policy is dependent on your organization, but here are the basics that yours should include:

• Grounds for immediate dismissal: Violence, theft, harassment, abuse, intoxication, or confidentiality breaches
  
  
• Progressive discipline framework: Verbal warning → written warning → suspension → termination for less severe issues
  
  
• Documentation requirements: Written records of all disciplinary conversations and actions
  
  
• Appeal process: Fair procedure for volunteers to contest disciplinary decisions

If your organization relies on volunteers whose participation is mandatory rather than voluntary, this is arguably the most important part of your policies. 

3. Volunteer Accessibility Policy

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, nonprofits with paid employees must provide reasonable accommodations to volunteers with disabilities, just as they would for employees. The only exceptions are religious organizations or those governed by religious entities. If you're exempt, clearly state your exemption status and reasoning in your policy documentation to avoid public relations issues and demonstrate transparency.

4. Volunteer Position Description Policy

“Effective volunteer position descriptions act as a solid foundation for recruitment and communications throughout the volunteer lifecycle,” says Michele Francesconi, Vice President, Capacity Building, Training & Strategic Initiatives at Jersey Cares. “And making them repeatable and predictable helps volunteers who are following your organization know exactly where to go and what to look for, making it easier for them to sign up and volunteer—and keep volunteering,” she adds.

A volunteer description policy can help you do just that—and create a consistent framework for writing opportunities, so your team never has to start from scratch.

When creating your volunteer description policy, be sure to note that every description should include:

• Role purpose: Why this position exists and what impact it creates.
  
  
• Key responsibilities: Specific tasks the volunteer will perform (3-7 main duties).
  
  
• Time commitment: Expected hours per week/month and schedule flexibility.
  
  
• Required qualifications: Mandatory skills, certifications, or credentials.
  
  
• Preferred qualifications: Nice-to-have skills that enhance effectiveness.
  
  
• Physical requirements: Lifting, standing, outdoor work, or other physical demands.
  
  
• Supervision structure: Who the volunteer reports to and how support is provided.

5. Dress Code Policy

While this might appear frivolous, remember that you're responsible for your volunteers while they're out there working on your behalf. How they present themselves to the community has a direct bearing on how people perceive your group, so set out some basic rules on what not to wear.

There's also a safety issue—high school students working on a Habitat house may not know they need at least closed-toe shoes, if not actual work boots. People tidying up the highway need to know that shorts and flip-flops are not safe, no matter the heat. 

Here’s what your dress code policy might include: 

• Safety-based requirements: Appropriate footwear (closed-toe for physical work, non-slip for food service), protective clothing for construction or outdoor work, etc.
  
  
• Professional appearance standards: Business casual for client-facing roles, clean and well-maintained clothing for office settings, etc.
  
  
• Role-specific guidelines: Construction/physical work attire, outdoor project requirements, food service standards, etc.
  
  
• Prohibited items: Clothing with offensive graphics or language, excessively revealing attire, strong fragrances (consideration for allergies and sensitivities), etc.
  
  
• Flexibility considerations: Weather-appropriate options, accommodations for religious or cultural dress requirements, budget-friendly alternatives when specific items are needed.

6. Privacy and Personal Information Policy

Your volunteers trust you with personal information—from contact details and emergency contacts to background check results and health disclosures. A privacy policy establishes how you'll handle this sensitive data.

When drafting your privacy and data protection policy, include important information like:

• Data collection standards: Define what information you'll collect, explain why it's necessary, and commit to gathering only what's needed for volunteer management.
  
  
• Storage and security protocols: Specify safeguards including password-protected digital files, locked physical storage, limited staff access, and encryption for sensitive data.
  
  
• Retention schedules: State how long you'll keep records (typically 3-7 years for volunteer files, longer for incident reports per insurance requirements).
  
  
• Volunteer access rights: Establish procedures for volunteers to review and request corrections to their personal information.
  
  
• Recognition opt-out: Allow volunteers to control whether their names or photos appear in public materials.

It’s important to note that your privacy practices need to comply with sector-specific privacy rules like HIPAA for healthcare volunteers or FERPA for education settings. 

7. Volunteer Safety and Risk Management

Something will eventually go wrong—an injury, a close call, or an unsafe situation. A solid safety policy protects everyone by setting clear expectations and establishing exactly what to do when incidents occur. 

Your safety policy should establish:

• Role-specific requirements: Valid licenses and insurance verification for drivers, mandatory training and protective equipment for power tool operation, etc.
• Incident reporting procedures: Clear protocols for who to contact, what information to document, immediate response steps, and more.
• Follow-up responsibilities: Investigation of root causes, corrective action implementation, policy adjustments when needed, and communication with affected parties.
• Organizational commitments: Providing safety equipment at no cost, comprehensive training before work begins, well-maintained tools and facilities, etc.

8. Volunteer Violence Policy

A single incident of abuse or violence by a volunteer can devastate those you serve and permanently damage your organization. That's why prevention through clear policies and proactive safeguards is essential to both protect vulnerable people and fulfill your legal duty of care.

Your violence prevention policy should include:

• Zero-tolerance standards: Explicitly prohibit any form of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; inappropriate touching or boundary violations; verbal harassment or threats; theft or financial exploitation; etc.
• Training requirements: Mandatory abuse recognition and reporting training, boundary education, awareness of grooming behavior signs.
• Supervision protocols: Two-adult rule for youth interactions, visible and interruptible spaces (no closed doors without windows), unannounced observations, client feedback mechanisms, etc.
• Reporting procedures: Clear process for volunteers to report concerns, mandatory reporting to authorities when legally required, protection from retaliation for good-faith reports, etc.
• Consequences: Immediate suspension pending investigation, permanent removal upon substantiated findings, law enforcement notification when appropriate, etc.

Here’s a sample “zero-tolerance” policy:

"[Organization Name] prohibits any form of abuse or inappropriate conduct including: physical contact beyond professional interactions, commenting on a client's physical appearance, private communication with clients outside program activities, and being alone with a client in non-visible locations. Volunteers must immediately report suspected abuse to [designated staff]."

9. Volunteer Harassment Policy

Creating a respectful environment requires clearly defined boundaries and actionable reporting mechanisms. Doing so creates safe environments that keep your best volunteers engaged and productive.

Your harassment prevention policy should include:

• Prohibited behaviors: Sexual harassment, discriminatory harassment based on protected characteristics, bullying, and abuse of leadership positions.
• Boundary standards: No personal relationships with clients beyond program scope, no private social media connections or contact exchange, professional interactions between all volunteers
• Reporting procedures: Designated contact person with alternative if needed, acknowledgment within 24 hours, prompt investigation with interim protections.
• Anti-retaliation protections: Protection from consequences for good-faith reports.
• Consequences: Warnings for minor offenses, immediate removal for serious or repeated violations.

10. Volunteer Confidentiality Policy

Volunteers often encounter sensitive information—client records, donor details, financial data, or personal stories from the people you serve. A confidentiality policy protects this information and maintains the trust people place in your organization.

• What's confidential: Client information, donor data, financial records, organizational strategy and personnel matters.
• Practical boundaries: No discussing clients outside authorized settings, no photographing without consent, access only role-necessary information, no social media posts about organizational issues, confidentiality continues after service ends.
• Training and agreements: Pre-service confidentiality training, signed annual agreements, refresher training when policies update.
• Consequences: Warnings for minor violations, immediate termination for serious breaches, legal action if harm resulted.
• Reporting violations: Immediate supervisor notification, document without sharing confidential details.

Here’s some sample confidentiality agreement language:

Sample confidentiality agreement: "As a volunteer, I will keep all client information, donor data, and internal discussions strictly confidential. I will not photograph, copy, or discuss confidential information outside of authorized program purposes. I understand this obligation continues after my service ends, and violations may result in immediate termination and legal action."

Volunteer Signature: _________________________ Date: _____________

Top 8 Best Practices for Developing Effective Volunteer Policies

Creating policies that actually work requires more than copying templates. Follow these evidence-based approaches to develop policies your volunteers will understand and follow.

1. Use Clear, Conversational Language

Write policies as if explaining them to a new volunteer over coffee. Avoid legal jargon, use short sentences and common words, define any technical terms you must include, and organize information with descriptive headers. If someone needs a law degree to understand your policies, they're too complicated.

Here’s an example:

• Too complex: "Volunteers shall maintain appropriate professional attire commensurate with the duties performed and environmental conditions present."
• Clear version: "Wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, and shirts covering your shoulders when working in the warehouse."

2. Make Every Policy Actionable and Specific

Vague policies create confusion and inconsistent enforcement. Instead of broad statements, provide concrete examples and specific standards.

Instead of: "Dress appropriately for your role." Write: "Office volunteers: business casual (no jeans, no sneakers). Warehouse volunteers: closed-toe shoes, long pants, no loose clothing around equipment."

3. Involve Volunteers and Staff in Development

Your best insights come from people doing the actual work. Before finalizing policies, conduct volunteer focus groups asking what's unclear or frustrating, interview staff supervisors about recurring issues, share drafts with your volunteer advisory committee, and run final versions past legal counsel and insurance advisors.

This collaborative approach increases buy-in and catches problems before they affect your program.

4. Create a Centralized, Accessible Policy Hub

Don't make people hunt through emails and file folders. Compile everything in one place, whether a volunteer handbook (PDF or printed), a dedicated section of your website, or your volunteer management software. 

Digital platforms like Get Connected allow you to centrally store policies, so volunteers can access them at any time.

5. Train Staff on Consistent Policy Implementation

Policies only work when enforced consistently. Ensure every volunteer supervisor understands what each policy means, knows how to address violations fairly, can explain the reasoning behind policies, and documents enforcement actions properly. 

6. Integrate Policies into Onboarding

Make policy review a standard part of new volunteer onboarding and orientation. Walk through key policies verbally, allow time for questions, provide the full policy manual in writing, and have volunteers sign acknowledgment forms confirming they've read and understood the policies.

This simple step sets clear expectations from day one and creates documentation showing volunteers were properly informed.

7. Review and Update Policies Annually

Set a calendar reminder to review all policies at least once yearly. Update based on new laws and regulations, lessons learned from incidents or near-misses, program changes that affect volunteer roles, and feedback from volunteers and staff.

When you update policies, communicate changes to all active volunteers—not just new recruits. Send a summary of what changed and why, highlight the specific sections that are different, and ask everyone to re-acknowledge the updated policies.

8. Balance Comprehensiveness with Usability

Yes, you need thorough policies. But if your manual is 75 single-spaced pages, nobody's reading it. Focus on truly essential policies, use formatting that makes information scannable (headers, bullet points, white space), create quick-reference guides for common situations, and separate detailed procedures into appendices.

Handle All Your Volunteer Management with Get Connected

Strong volunteer policies are the foundation of a thriving volunteer program. They protect your organization, create better experiences for volunteers, and free up your team to focus on what matters most: your mission.

Ready to take your volunteer program to the next level? Get Connected makes it easy to handle all of your volunteer management in one place. From digital policy acknowledgments to centralized documentation, Get Connected helps nonprofits build professional programs that volunteers love.

Schedule a demo to see how streamlined volunteer management can transform your organization.

Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteer Policies

What are volunteer policies? 

Volunteer policies are written guidelines that define how nonprofit organizations manage their volunteer programs. They establish expectations, responsibilities, and procedures for volunteers and staff, covering everything from recruitment and screening to safety protocols and termination procedures. 

Why do nonprofits need volunteer policies? 

Nonprofits need volunteer policies for several critical reasons: they provide legal protection, they ensure all volunteers receive fair and consistent treatment, they streamline operations so programs can scale efficiently, and they reduce liability risks when incidents occur. 

What volunteer policies are legally required? 

Legal requirements for volunteer policies vary by state and organization type, but most nonprofits must comply with background check laws for positions involving vulnerable populations (children, elderly, disabled individuals), anti-discrimination and accessibility requirements under the ADA, data privacy regulations for storing volunteer information, and workplace safety standards. 

How do I create volunteer policies for my nonprofit? 

Creating a volunteer policies and procedures manual involves five key steps: 

1. Identify your organization's specific needs and risks
2. Involve current volunteers and staff supervisors in policy development to gain practical insights
3. Write policies using clear, specific language that eliminates ambiguity
4. Have an attorney review all policies for legal compliance
5. Compile everything into a centralized volunteer handbook that's easily accessible

Do small nonprofits need volunteer policies?

Yes, even small nonprofits with just a handful of volunteers need basic policies. A single incident involving an unscreened volunteer can result in lawsuits or insurance claims regardless of your organization's size or budget. Start with four essentials—screening procedures, safety protocols, confidentiality agreements, and termination guidelines—and use simplified versions that you can expand as your program grows.

What happens if we don't have volunteer policies?

Without documented policies, you're exposed to legal liability if volunteers cause harm or get injured, and most insurance providers require documented screening and safety procedures. 

You'll also struggle operationally with inconsistent volunteer experiences, poor retention, and staff spending valuable time resolving preventable conflicts instead of advancing your mission. Most importantly, you can't adequately protect the vulnerable populations you serve without clear abuse prevention and screening policies in place.

How often should volunteer policies be updated?

Plan to review your policies at least once a year, but don't wait for your annual review if something significant happens. Update immediately when new laws affect your sector, an incident reveals a gap in your policies, your insurance provider recommends changes, or you modify your volunteer program. 

Whenever you make updates, communicate the changes to all active volunteers and have them re-acknowledge the revised policies—not just new recruits.

Where can nonprofits find volunteer policies and procedures templates and samples?

Several reputable sources provide volunteer policies and procedures examples, templates, and guidance: 

• NH Center for Nonprofits — Volunteer Policies Handbook Template: A full volunteer policies handbook you can adapt.
  
  
• Move United — Code of Conduct Template (Staff / Volunteers): Useful as a code of conduct addendum.
  
  
• Workable — Employee Volunteering Policy Template: For organizations allowing employees to volunteer (e.g., corporate volunteer programs).
  
  
• Mission of Love Charities — Volunteer Policies and Procedures: Sample nonprofit volunteer policy sample.
  
  
• Track It Forward — 10 Free Volunteer Agreement Templates: A set of templates (for different complexity levels) you can download and edit.
  
  
• Volunteer Westmeath — Volunteer Policy Sample: Non-profit volunteer policy sample manual, guidelines, volunteer agreement, application form.