Choosing volunteer management software can feel overwhelming with so many options on the market. The Volgistics team has designed this guide to help volunteer managers, program directors, and HR professionals cut through the noise.
You’ll find a three-step framework for evaluating software, practical formulas for calculating ROI, and guidance on selecting a solution that fits your organization’s needs, whether you run a small animal shelter or a sprawling health system.
1. Define Your Organization’s Core Needs
There are no one-size-fits-all volunteer management tools. The best platform for your organization depends on your goals, challenges, and resources. Before comparing features, consider your obstacles and clarify your needs.
Assess Your Current Processes
Ask yourself and your team these questions to identify pain points and priorities:
- How many hours per week do you spend on volunteer scheduling?
- What are your communication hurdles with volunteers?
- How do you track volunteer hours and generate reports?
- Are you struggling to recruit or retain volunteers?
- What manual tasks are the most time-consuming?
- Do you have special requirements, like background checks or certifications?
Account for Your Organization’s Size and Scale
Your software needs will vary depending on your organization’s size and complexity:
- Small nonprofits may only need simple scheduling and communication tools.
- Large, multi-site organizations often require advanced reporting, management, and integration with other systems.
- Consider how many volunteers, programs, and events you manage.
Involve Your Team in the Process
A successful volunteer management software rollout starts by gaining buy-in from everyone who will use the system. Survey staff and volunteers about what features would simplify their jobs. Armed with this information, you can choose a solution that meets everyone’s needs and increases adoption.
2. Analyze Software Features
This section is the heart of your evaluation. As you go through each feature, ask yourself how it might solve a specific problem you identified in your needs assessment.
Volunteer Recruiting and Onboarding
Efficient recruitment and onboarding are essential for growing your volunteer base. Here’s how volunteer management tools can help:
- Customized online application forms streamline the sign-up process.
- Postings or ads on social media attract new volunteers.
- Automated welcome messaging and onboarding checklists ensure a smooth start for every volunteer.
Scheduling and Event Management
Having too many or too few volunteers reporting for duty is frustrating for everyone involved. Effective scheduling is crucial for consistent service delivery. It also shows volunteers you value their time and talents.
Valuable features of shift and volunteer event management software include:
- Flexible shift scheduling allows for recurring, one-time, or group events.
- Self-service sign-ups let volunteers choose shifts that fit their schedules.
- Tools for managing large events or multiple locations save time and reduce errors.
Communication and Engagement Tools
Studies suggest volunteers are more engaged and satisfied when they feel competent and can choose tasks that align with their interests and strengths. This autonomy will increase their motivation and make them more likely to spread the word about your mission.
Clear, consistent communication helps organizations tailor opportunities to match volunteer preferences. The benefits of volunteer management software include:
- Built-in text messaging tools for easy communication and simplified outreach.
- A central document library makes it easy to share policies, waivers, and training materials.
- Volunteer-facing portals or mobile apps let volunteers check schedules, update profiles, and log hours from anywhere.
Tracking, Reporting, and Analytics
Volunteer tracking software is vital for demonstrating impact and securing funding. Use it to maximize collected data in the following ways:
- Automated hour logging reduces errors and saves staff time.
- Customizable reports support grant applications and stakeholder updates.
- Coordinated documentation gathers skills and certifications and helps meet compliance requirements.
- On-site touch-screen workstations or kiosks provide easy check-in and checkout, and easy volunteer interaction.
3. Evaluate Budget and Calculate ROI
Budget is always a consideration, but the cheapest option isn’t always the best value. Look for a solution that delivers a strong return on investment by saving time, reducing errors, and improving volunteer retention.
Pricing Models
Before committing to a tool, be confident you understand the costs of implementing it. While volunteer management software pricing varies, models typically include:
- Per-volunteer or per-user pricing charges based on the number of active volunteers and operators.
- Tiered feature pricing offers various packages with different functionalities.
- Some platforms charge a one-time fee, while others are subscription-based.
Features and Training
When evaluating the cost and ROI of volunteer management software, remember that training quality and ongoing support can maximize the platform. Here’s what to look for:
- Providers that offer free introductory demonstrations to help new users get started quickly.
- Solutions with unlimited, prompt support available within reach.
- A library of help documents and video tutorials to empower self-guided learning.
- Regular live classes or webinars to keep your team up to date on best practices.
- Options for personalized, one-on-one training sessions for more tailored guidance.
- Easy import of existing volunteer data from other platforms and assistance with data conversion services.
How to Justify the Investment
Demonstrate the value of your investment with a simple ROI calculation.
- Calculate staff time savings: (staff hours saved per month) × (staff hourly rate) = staff cost savings
- Calculate the value of volunteer hours managed: (total volunteer hours managed per month) × ($34.79 national value per volunteer hour) = volunteer value managed
- Estimate additional operational efficiency gains: (estimated reduction in errors, improved reporting, or compliance savings per month) = operational efficiency savings
- Add the value of increased volunteer retention: (estimated additional volunteer hours from improved retention) × ($34.79) = retention value
- ROI formula: (total monthly value – monthly software cost) ÷ monthly software cost = ROI
Make Your Final Decision
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s time to put each volunteer software platform to the test and plan for long-term success.
Seeing the software in action is essential, so request demos and free trials. Start by preparing a list of real-world scenarios and questions to test during the demo and involve your team in the evaluation process. Next, look for a comprehensive knowledge base, video tutorials and onboarding resources and ask about the implementation process and ongoing training options.
Lastly, choose a solution that can grow with your organization by answering these questions:
- Can the software handle more volunteers, new programs, or additional locations?
- Does it integrate with other tools you use, like email marketing or background check services?
- Is the platform regularly updated with new features and security enhancements?
Why Your Organization Needs a Better System
Managing volunteers with spreadsheets, emails, and paper sign-in sheets is time-consuming and error-prone. These manual processes often lead to frustrating scheduling conflicts, missed communications, and inaccurate hour tracking.
Account for these four factors that will continue defining the formal volunteering landscape:
- The national formal volunteering rate increased 5.1% between 2022 and 2023.
- Formal volunteers contributed just under 5 billion hours — about $167.2 billion in economic value.
- The per-person hours served decreased in favor of one-time or short-term volunteering.
- The fastest-growing volunteer demographic is millennials aged 29 to 44.
These facts suggest that while more Americans want to get involved in formal volunteer programs, organizations must work harder to attract, engage, and retain busy, tech-savvy millennials and Gen Zers.
Streamline Volunteer Scheduling and Improve Engagement With Specialized Software
Does your organization need a better system? We’ve served almost 5,000 organizations with our solutions. Volgistics’ volunteer management tools mitigate several common issues.
- Manual scheduling: Leading to double-bookings and last-minute cancellations
- Communication breakdowns: Resulting in missed shifts and disengaged volunteers
- By-hand time tracking: Increasing the risk of errors and making reporting for grants or stakeholders difficult
- Operational inefficiencies: Wasting staff time and contributing to volunteer burnout and lower program impact
If you’re ready to dramatically shorten your onboarding process, cut background processing times, and make communications feel effortless, Volgistics streamlines those tasks so you can focus on accomplishing your mission.
Contact us today to learn how top-tier volunteer scheduling, communication, and reporting software can transform your program.
