Get Connected vs. Golden

Get Connected and Golden are two popular platforms for organizations looking to recruit, manage, and engage volunteers.

Both solutions support core volunteer management needs, but they’re designed with different approaches to volunteer engagement, program structure, and scale.

Here are the key distinctions so you can decide which tool aligns best with your volunteer program.

Get Connected vs. Golden

Get Connected is a comprehensive volunteer engagement platform built for organizations of all sizes—from local nonprofits to large networks and community-wide initiatives. With powerful opportunity management, scheduling tools, automated communications, and a branded volunteer portal, Get Connected delivers a seamless experience for volunteers, staff, and partners.

Built-in reporting, configurable workflows, and tools for managing individuals, groups, and teams make it easy to coordinate volunteers, track impact, and scale programs—without relying on manual processes or disconnected systems.

Golden is a volunteer management platform built to support event-based and shift-driven volunteer programs. It offers tools for volunteer registration, scheduling, hours tracking, and basic reporting, helping organizations coordinate volunteers for defined activities and programs.

For organizations managing more complex operations—such as multiple programs, teams, or partner organizations—Golden may offer fewer options for advanced workflows, customization, or cross-program coordination, often requiring additional tools as needs grow.


Volunteer Applications	✓	✓
Volunteer Mobile App	✓	✓
Job & Shift Management	✓	✓
Role-Based Admin Permissions	✓	—
Scheduling Calendars	✓	✓
Team & Group Management	✓	—
Volunteer Hours Tracking	✓	✓
Workflow Automation & Approvals	✓	—
Email & Text Messaging	✓	✓
Credentialing & Documents	✓	—
Volunteer Portal	✓	✓
Multi-Organization Engagement	✓	—
Training & Customer Support	✓	✓
Month-to-Month Subscription	—	✓

Key Features: Included in Get Connected

✔️ Branded, Mobile-Friendly Volunteer Portal
✔️ Unlimited Volunteer Opportunities & Signups
✔️ Opportunity Scheduling & Calendar Management
✔️ Automated Hour Tracking
✔️ Automated Reporting, Dashboards & Impact Metrics
✔️ Email, Text & Notification Communication Tools
✔️ Volunteer Mobile App (iOS & Android)
✔️ Integrated Waivers & Document Management
✔️ Credentialing & Compliance Tools
✔️ Team & Group Volunteer Functionality
✔️ Automated Reporting, Dashboards & Impact Metrics
✔️ Email, Text & Notification Communication Tools
✔️ Industry-Standard Security (HIPAA, SOC 2 & GDPR)

Get Connected

A Smarter WAY TO MANAGE VOLUNTEERS

Whether you’re coordinating a local volunteer team or managing programs across multiple sites and partners,
Get Connected provides the structure, visibility, and automation needed to stay organized and focused on impact.

With a fully branded volunteer experience and powerful tools for coordinating individuals, groups, and partner organizations, Get Connected makes it easier to engage volunteers and build stronger connections across your community.

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Manage Volunteers with Confidence

Get Connected’s helps you manage volunteers with centralized profiles, sign-ups, and schedules. No more guessing who showed up or how many hours they gave—just a real-time view of your entire program. Stay informed and manage volunteers from anywhere.

Simplify Communication and Onboarding

Stay in touch while tracking volunteers at every stage. Automate welcome emails, reminders, and shift updates. Volunteers stay in the loop, and you save hours of manual follow-up.

Watch Your Volunteer Program Grow!

From tripling volunteer recruitment numbers to helping secure a $500,000 grant, HandsOn Connect helps organizations that use Salesforce hit their volunteer program goals, get more funding, and make a bigger impact.

4.4/5 stars on G2.com

4.4/5 stars on Capterra.com

"Get Connected is the volunteer management software that my organization needed."

Ellen M.

"Get Connected Has Changed Our Non-Profit"

Cierra L.

How do organizations like mine benefit from using Get Connected?

Organizations gain several benefits from using volunteer management software like Get Connected.

Get Connected streamlines volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention, providing essential tools to manage volunteer programs effectively.

Additionally, it offers the capability to report on the outcomes and achievements of volunteer activities.

By centralizing volunteer management and engagement activities into one dashboard, volunteer leaders have access to the tools they need quickly to make managing their programs easier.

This frees up volunteer leaders' time to build, deepen, or grow their programs!
What are the main features that set Get Connected apart from other volunteer management tools?

Get Connected sets itself apart from other volunteer management tools with its fully customizable branding, engaging volunteer portal, and robust multi-location functionality that seamlessly integrates with your organization’s website.

When volunteers land on your Get Connected volunteer site, it looks and feels just like a custom site for your volunteer program, not a software landing page. With photos, calls to action, and spotlights, the focus is on your volunteerism from the very beginning.

Get Connected is an interactive volunteer platform that empowers volunteers to discover meaningful ways to get involved. See a video preview of Get Connected

Our Customer Support team is consistently one of the top things clients rave about, always ready to assist you every step of the volunteer management journey.

Unlike other providers, Get Connected never charges based on the number of volunteers, because we’re dedicated to helping your program grow without limitations!
How does Get Connected help engage volunteers and encourage retention?

Get Connected is designed with volunteer engagement and retention in mind.

The Get Connected volunteer portal is visually interesting for volunteers, allowing their personalized profiles to reflect the causes and interests they care about.

Unified calendars and scheduling keep everyone on the same page.

Together, these features create a more engaging volunteer experience, encouraging continued involvement with your organization.
How easy is it for volunteers to sign up and what does the registration process look like?

Yes, the registration and sign-up process for volunteers on Get Connected is designed to be user-friendly and straightforward.

Get Connected's registration and sign-up process is fully customizable to your organization's needs.

Volunteers can easily sign up by creating a volunteer profile, where they can select their interests, skills, and availability. This profile helps match them with suitable volunteer opportunities.

Your Get Connected site is set up to guide users through a simple step-by-step process, ensuring they can quickly get started and find volunteer opportunities that align with their preferences.

Volunteer opportunities are shared on Get Connected in an engaging way that boosts your volunteer's participation.
Can Get Connected handle digital waivers, consent forms, background checks, and customized profile fields?

Yes, Get Connected can handle digital waivers, consent forms, background checks, and customized profile fields.

This functionality allows organizations to streamline the onboarding process by collecting necessary information and agreements from volunteers digitally.

Customized profile fields enable organizations to gather specific data relevant to their needs, enhancing the ability to match volunteers with appropriate opportunities and ensuring compliance with any legal or organizational requirements.
How does Get Connected help with tracking and recognizing volunteer hours and achievements?

Get Connected helps track and recognize volunteer hours and achievements with tools that monitor activities in real-time.

The platform includes an awards and recognition feature, enabling organizations to customize benchmarks based on volunteer achievements. Volunteers can then be recognized with awards based on these milestones, cultivating a motivational volunteer culture which encourages ongoing engagement.
Can Get Connected integrate with my website, CRM, and other tools my organization already uses?

Yes. Get Connected has an open API that is designed to seamlessly integrate with a variety of tools, enhancing its functionality and ensuring it fits smoothly into your existing workflow.

This includes integration with CRMs, such as Salesforce, which helps in managing and analyzing volunteer data more effectively.

Additionally, it can connect with your website to facilitate volunteer sign-ups and engagement directly from your online presence.

These integrations help streamline operations, reduce manual data entry, and ensure that all your systems work together efficiently to support your organization's goals.

Get Connected vs. Golden