Top 15 Volunteer Management Software Solutions for Nonprofits in 2025

Erin Booker

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January 31, 2025

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6 minutes

Nonprofit Trends

How To Nonprofit

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What is volunteer management software?

Volunteer management software is a digital platform that helps nonprofits streamline volunteer operations. It offers online tools for recruitment, volunteer scheduling, hour tracking, communication, and reporting capabilities. This software enhances efficiency, improves volunteer engagement, and allows organizations to focus on their mission by automating administrative tasks and providing valuable insights.

A crucial component of the broader nonprofit technology ecosystem, your nonprofit's volunteer solution is a key part of a comprehensive platform like Funraise, enhancing your overall organizational efficiency.

Funraise's all-in-one fundraising software for nonprofits incorporates volunteer management as a key feature, recognizing the vital link between volunteers and donors. This integration allows nonprofits to:

Track volunteer engagement alongside donor activity
Convert volunteers into donors and vice versa
Streamline communication across all supporter types
Generate detailed reporting on supporter impact

By combining volunteer management with fundraising, CRM, and engagement tools, Funraise provides a holistic volunteer solution that maximizes nonprofit resources and strengthens community relationships

Benefits of volunteer management software

Volunteer management software revolutionizes how nonprofits engage with their most valuable asset: their supporters. POINT, especially when integrated with Funraise's donor management system, offers a comprehensive volunteer solution that streamlines operations and maximizes impact.

Key benefits include:

Efficient Volunteer Tracking
Enhanced Communication
Simplified Scheduling
Detailed Reporting
Improved Retention

Key features of top volunteer management software platforms

Volunteer Database

A comprehensive volunteer database is crucial for managing volunteer information efficiently. It allows you to store and organize individual volunteer profiles, including contact details, skills, interests, availability, and participation history.

Scheduling and Time Tracking

Advanced online volunteer self-scheduling tools are essential for coordinating volunteer activities. Look for software that offers easy volunteer shift allocation, calendar management, and automated reminders to volunteers. Valuable time tracking features help you accurately record countless hours, which is vital for advanced reporting capabilities and recognition.

Recruitment and Onboarding

Effective volunteer management software should streamline the recruitment process with online application forms, background checks, and automated onboarding workflows. This ensures a smooth transition from prospect to active volunteer.

Communication Tools

Robust communication features are a must-have. Look for software that offers email and SMS capabilities, automated notifications, and the ability to create targeted communication campaigns to keep volunteers engaged and informed.

Detailed Reporting and Analytics

Advanced reporting capabilities are crucial for measuring the impact of your volunteer program. Choose software that provides detailed reporting on volunteer hours, impact metrics, and program effectiveness to support decision-making and stakeholder reporting.

Self-Service Portal

A user-friendly self-service portal empowers volunteers to manage their own profiles, offers a quick sign-up process for volunteer shifts, and allows volunteers to track their contributions. This key feature reduces administrative tasks burden and enhances the volunteer experience.

Integration Capabilities

Select software that can integrate with your existing systems, such as centralized platforms, donor management tools, and background check services. This ensures a seamless flow of information across your organization.

Mobile Accessibility

With the increasing use of smartphones, mobile-friendly advanced features are essential. Look for software that offers mobile apps or responsive design, allowing volunteers and volunteer coordinators to access the system on-the-go.

Best 9 volunteer management platforms

1. POINT and Funraise

If you're looking to supercharge your nonprofit's volunteer management and fundraising efforts, it's time to explore the powerful integration between POINT and Funraise. This dynamic duo combines POINT's cutting edge volunteer management platform with Funraise's all-in-one fundraising software for nonprofits, creating a seamless volunteer experience for both your organization and your supporters.

POINT: Revolutionizing Volunteer Management

POINT offers a comprehensive volunteer solution for nonprofits to recruit, manage, and mobilize volunteers effectively. With its user-friendly interface and robust key features, POINT makes it easy for organizations to streamline their volunteer programs and maximize impact.

POINT+Funraise: The Power of Integration

The integration between POINT and Funraise brings together the best of both worlds, offering essential tools and benefits:

Seamless Volunteer-to-Donor Conversion
Embedded Donation Options
Streamlined Data Management
Enhanced Supporter Engagement

While Funraise data isn't directly synced with POINT's system, this integration still offers a powerful way to combine volunteer management and fundraising efforts. We encourage you to reach out to both POINT and Funraise support teams to discuss any specific integration needs or future developments.

POINT Services

Admin and volunteer dashboard
Volunteer platform
Website widgets
Check-in stations

2. Volgistics: Connecting Volunteers with Opportunities

Volgistics is a comprehensive volunteer management solution tailored for organizations of all sizes. It offers robust scheduling capabilities, volunteer tracking and detailed reporting, and easy-to-monitor volunteer journey progress. Knowing the nonprofit world as it does, Volgistics is a solid choice for nonprofits seeking a feature-rich platform to streamline their volunteer programs.

Volgistics Services

Volunteer profiles
Scheduling
Recruiting
Detailed reporting
Volunteer portal
Sign-in kiosk
Communication
Documents
Multi-site capabilities
Checklists

3. VolunteerHub: Robust Event Management Tools

Volunteer Hub offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies volunteer recruitment, engagement, and management. Volunteer Hub's ROI-focused approach, including advanced features that can lead to increased donations from volunteers, is particularly appealing to resource-conscious organizations.

VolunteerHub Services

Volunteer management
Opportunity management
Volunteer communication
Client success

4. Get Connected by Galaxy Digital: Enhancing Community Engagement

Get Connected is a mobile-friendly platform that shines in its ability to create a community-wide volunteer engagement hub. It's, therefore, particularly well-suited for volunteer centers, colleges, and charitable organizations looking to connect multiple organizations and volunteers in one place.

Get Connected by Galaxy Digital Services

Mobile app for volunteers
Hours tracking
Volunteer check-in
Scheduling
Volunteer waivers
Volunteer event management
Groups & Teams
Volunteer profiles

5. SignUpGenius: Easy Scheduling Made Simple

SignUpGenius stands out for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for smaller nonprofits or those new to volunteer management software. It has a straightforward, quick sign-up process and communication tools that are praised by users.

For organizations with basic volunteer management needs and limited budgets, SignUpGenius is a good starting point, though they may outgrow its capabilities as their programs expand.

SignUpGenius Services

Simple sign up creation
Powerful group messaging
Quick sign-up process
Advanced reporting capabilities
Award-winning support

6. VolunteerMatters: Youth Volunteering Focus

VolunteerMatters caters to mature volunteer programs requiring high scalability and complexity. It includes a comprehensive automated onboarding system and advanced reporting capabilities, and excels in policy compliance and safety measures, making it ideal for organizations with strict volunteer requirements.

VolunteerMatters Services

Volunteer recruitment
Volunteer onboarding
Volunteer engagement

7. Better Impact: Powerful Reporting and Analytics

Better Impact offers a well-rounded volunteer solution with strong onboarding and qualification management features with exceptional flexibility in creating custom application tracking and forms. It also gives volunteers the ability to self-manage their schedules. Better Impact seems to live up to its name by offering a comprehensive volunteer solution that can indeed lead to better impact if you're willing to invest the valuable time to learn its ins and outs.

Better Impact Services

Volunteer impact
Donor impact
Client impact
Member impact

8. VolunteerLocal: User-Friendly Event Management

VolunteerLocal is a cloud-based volunteer solution that excels in event-based volunteer management. Its user-friendly interface and strong communication features make it a favorite for organizations managing in-person volunteering opportunities at large events or festivals. The software offers flexible pricing options, including per-event pricing, which can could work best for organizations that have sporadic volunteer needs. However, some users note that it may lack some of the more advanced features found in year-round volunteer management platforms.

VolunteerLocal Services

Volunteer scheduling
Volunteer database
Group volunteering
Hours tracking

9. Mobilize: Fostering Meaningful Connections

Mobilize is known for its focus on advocacy and community organizing. It's particularly strong in managing virtual and in-person opportunities, making it a good fit for nonprofits engaged in activism and community outreach. Mobilize might be the perfect fit for nonprofits looking to, well, mobilize their supporters for a cause.

How to choose the best volunteer management software for nonprofits

Selecting the right volunteer management software is just a matter of figuring out what you need and then finding the elements that will plug those gaps—easier said than done, we know. And adding to the complexity, you need to take into account your user experience.

What platform will make the difference for your staff and your volunteers? Check into integration capabilities, customization options, mobile accessibility, and scalability, and ensure the user-friendliness of the interface and depth of the reporting.

By leveraging the advanced features in POINT's volunteer management platform and integrating them with Funraise's donor management capabilities, nonprofits can create a powerful, personalized volunteer engagement strategy that drives long-term commitment and impact.

Best Practices for Implementing Volunteer Management Software

Implementing new software can be challenging, but following these best practices ensures a smooth transition:

Start by developing a clear implementation plan: Outline specific goals, timelines, and responsibilities for the software rollout. Include key stakeholders in the planning and onboarding process.
Conduct a thorough data migration: Carefully transfer existing volunteer data to the new system. This is an as-necessary step. Sometimes, you won't need it!
Start with a pilot program: Test the software with a small group of volunteers before full implementation. Use their feedback to refine your volunteer management processes. Don't skip this step—it'll make the full rollout a lot easier. Trust us on this one.
Provide comprehensive training: Offer thorough training sessions for staff and volunteers. There is extensive guidance and support in the nonprofit world to help you with this part; check out Funraise and POINT's helpful resources!

Training Staff and Volunteers on New Systems

Effective training ensures the successful adoption of your new volunteer management software. Here are some of the best tools you can use to get your staff and volunteers up to speed on your brand! spanking! NEW! volunteer management platform.

Develop role-specific training
Utilize multiple training formats
Create a resource library
Implement a buddy system
Conduct regular refresher training

Top 5 volunteer software boosters

Amplifiy, accessorize, complement. These tools are your volunteer management software's best friends. Let's boost those volunteer opportunities!

1. Funraise

Funraise is a leading online fundraising platform designed to help nonprofits raise more money efficiently and effectively. With its innovative tools and donor-centric approach, Funraise enables organizations to create compelling campaigns, process donations securely, and build lasting relationships with supporters.

By leveraging the strengths of both POINT and Funraise, your nonprofit can create more cohesive and effective volunteer management strategies and tips for engaging supporters, managing volunteers, and driving donations. This integrated approach not only simplifies your operations but also maximizes the potential of every interaction with your community of supporters.

2. Double the Donation

Double the Donation Volunteer Services is a powerful tool that focuses on maximizing the impact of active volunteer hours through corporate matching programs. The best thing about it is its extensive database of companies that offer volunteer grant programs, making it easier for nonprofits to identify and leverage these opportunities.

The software seamlessly integrates with many popular volunteer management platforms, enhancing their functionality.

3. Catchafire

Catchafire is a unique platform that connects nonprofits with skilled professionals willing to volunteer their expertise. It's great for matching organizations with high-quality, pro bono talent for specific projects, ranging from marketing and design to strategy and finance, which can be particularly valuable for nonprofits that lack in-house expertise or resources for certain specialized tasks.

The platform's project-based approach to volunteer management ensures clear expectations and deliverables. However, the quality of matches can vary, and some nonprofits report challenges in finding volunteers for more niche or complex projects.

While the platform is free for volunteers, nonprofits typically need to pay for access, which may be a barrier for smaller organizations. Catchafire can be a game-changer for nonprofits.

Catchafire Services

Nonprofit capacity building
Employee engagement
Social impact reporting

4. Compass Pro Bono

Compass Pro Bono specializes in providing long-term, strategic pro bono consulting services to nonprofits, complete with a rigorous vetting process for both nonprofits and volunteers that ensures high-quality matches and impactful projects. Compass focuses on comprehensive, multi-month engagements that can significantly enhance an organization's capacity and effectiveness, making it particularly valuable for nonprofits facing complex challenges or seeking substantial organizational development.

Additionally, the application process can be competitive, and not all nonprofits will qualify for their services.

Compass Pro Bono Services

Pro Bono consulting
Board matching
Strategic planning
Sorkin Summit

5. Taproot Foundation

Taproot Foundation is a well-established platform that connects nonprofits with skilled volunteers for pro bono projects. Its strength lies in its diverse pool of professionals and its ability to facilitate both short-term and long-term engagements.

Taproot offers a range of services, from one-hour consultations to multi-month projects, providing flexibility for various nonprofit needs as well as valuable resources and training to help nonprofits effectively manage pro bono relationships. Similar to other pro bono platforms, the quality of matches can vary, and popular skill areas may have more competition for volunteer time.

6. Idealist (previously VolunteerMatch)

Idealist, previously known as VolunteerMatch, is a widely-used platform that connects volunteers with nonprofit opportunities. Its strength lies in its extensive reach, with a large database of both volunteers and organizations.

The Idealist + VolunteerMatch platform excels in helping nonprofits recruit for a wide range of volunteer needs, from one-time event sign up to ongoing commitments. Idealist also offers robust search functionality, making it easier for volunteers to find opportunities that match their interests and skills. However, common nonprofit needs can sometimes lead to high competition for volunteers, especially in densely populated areas.

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Volunteer Management Software FAQs

How do nonprofits manage volunteers?

Nonprofits manage volunteers effectively using specialized software like POINT. This platform integrates seamlessly with Funraise, offering a perfect solution for comprehensive volunteer recruitment, online volunteer self-scheduling, communications with volunteers, and tracking. POINT's user-friendly interface streamlines volunteer management, allowing nonprofits to focus on their mission and maximize impact.

What system would you use to keep track of volunteers?

POINT volunteer management software is the ideal system for tracking volunteers. It integrates with Funraise's fundraising tools, providing a comprehensive platform for managing volunteer information, hours, skills, and engagement. POINT's key features ensure accurate record-keeping and efficient tools for volunteer coordinators at nonprofits of all sizes.

How do nonprofits create a volunteer management system?

Mission-driven organizations create an effective volunteer management system by implementing a platform that offers tools for volunteer recruitment, online volunteer self-scheduling, and tracking. When integrated with Funraise, a volunteer management software solution provides a comprehensive process for volunteers and donors, streamlining operations and enhancing overall organizational efficiency.

Why is volunteer engagement important?

Volunteer engagement is crucial for nonprofit success. It increases organizational capacity, enhances community impact, and fosters long-term supporter relationships and positive user experience. A great volunteer management software like POINT helps nonprofits maximize engagement through efficient coordination, personalized communication, and meaningful recognition, ultimately driving mission fulfillment and organizational growth. Volunteer engagement also leads to successful donor development strategies.

How do you track volunteer hours?

Track volunteer hours and provide a positive experience using a volunteer management software solution. A user-friendly interface allows volunteers to log countless hours easily, while administrators can take advantage of advanced reporting capabilities. Integrations enable nonprofits to connect volunteer efforts with fundraising data, providing a holistic view of supporter engagement and impact as well as a dynamic user experience.

How do I create a volunteer program?

Create a successful volunteer program and volunteer management processes using a comprehensive volunteer platform. Define roles, recruit volunteers, and manage schedules effortlessly to align volunteer efforts with your nonprofit organization's fundraising goals. A volunteer management solution will turn communication, tracking, and recognition into a well-organized, engaging program that maximizes impact and volunteer satisfaction.

What is the difference between volunteer management and community management?

Volunteer management processes focus on coordinating individual volunteers, while community management involves engaging broader stakeholder groups. Volunteer management tools offer tools for recruitment, online volunteer self-scheduling, user experience, and tracking and may provide comprehensive solutions for both volunteer and community management, enhancing overall nonprofit organization impact.