Knoxville Habitat for Humanity utilizes VolunteerHub to engage and manage volunteers. We had a chance to interview Trinity Edgar, Director of Engagement for Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, to learn more about her organization and how they are leveraging VolunteerHub.

Can you tell me more about Knoxville Habitat for Humanity and your role within the organization?

Trinity: Habitat for Humanity is a housing service organization that partners with working families to help them have access to safe and affordable housing. Our affiliate serves Knox County, and we work with families in Knoxville, Tennessee. There are affiliates all over the US and it is an international organization. Families in our program participate in a very extensive homeowner education program. Classes include budget, home maintenance, how to be a good neighbor, understanding wills and insurance. They also participate in a construction class and they come out and build their house working alongside other family members and volunteers.

What is the biggest misconception about Habitat for Humanity?

Trinity: The biggest misconception about Habitat is that we give houses away and we don’t. We’re just giving folks an opportunity to purchase a home at an affordable rate.

Do you have any impact statistics from Knoxville Habitat for Humanity that you would like to share?

Trinity: There’s a lot of great statistics out there about what stable housing does for families. 73% of our families attribute positive changes in safety and health to home ownership here in our program.

How many volunteers does Knoxville Habitat for Humanity work with each year, on average?

Trinity: We work with a large number of volunteers – if I had to guess, I’d say we engage with over 3,000 volunteers on a yearly basis. Construction activities occur three or four days a week, and during those days, volunteers are present in various areas. Additionally, we have volunteers working in our retail store called Our Restore, as well as volunteers in administrative roles. We also have specialized volunteers handling a variety of tasks.

How was your organization handling volunteer management before implementing VolunteerHub in 2018?

Trinity: Oh gosh, I tell people this all the time: If you’re not using VolunteerHub, you’re not living your best life. Tracking volunteer data on spreadsheets or Word documents isn’t very fun. Before VolunteerHub, that’s how we did it. It feels like we lived in the dinosaur era before 2018 when we first started using VolunteerHub.

What features of VolunteerHub stand out the most to you?

Trinity: I love the automated waiver functionality. We have had to make some changes to our waiver, and VolunteerHub allows us to quickly create and update a new waiver, which is fantastic. I also like that the system notifies me when a volunteer has not completed their waiver.

I also really like the texting feature because when we’ve had to make last minute changes, we can notify volunteers quickly.

Finally, I love VolunteerHub’s Zapier integration. We are using the integration to connect VolunteerHub with another piece of software that we use to record videos. The integration allows us to send welcome videos directly, and automatically, to volunteers as part of their onboarding process. That first touch point is huge and VolunteerHub is helping us make it a welcoming one that volunteers will remember.

What stood out about VolunteerHub when you were vetting volunteer management software?

Trinity: Yes, absolutely. The thing that stood out to me most with Volunteer Hub was the capability to segment volunteers. We work with a lot of different corporate faith community groups and to send them all to one page doesn’t allow me to provide a unique experience. Being able to segment volunteers is also valuable when reporting for grants and when sending communications to individual volunteers or volunteer groups.

What has your experience been like with the VolunteerHub team?

Trinity: I love the tech support from VolunteerHub. When I first started using the software, I struggled a bit. I think it was the first time that I had really dived deep into this kind of software. But the support team at VolunteerHub was fantastic. They were testing things with me and helping me and answering every single question I had and provided me with resources to be successful. The response time from support is amazing.

What would you say to other nonprofits who are on the fence about implementing volunteer management software?

Trinity: I would say just make the jump. It is OK to start small with one specific area of volunteers to get your feet wet. Sometimes it can feel very daunting and it is a lot of change, especially, if you work with a lot of different volunteers that have been used to doing things one specific way. Change is hard but necessary. If you are considering VolunteerHub, just know that you’re going to have great support and that making the transition to volunteer management software will help you in the long run.

How can people volunteer for your organization?

Trinity: Visit our website (knoxvillehabitatforhumanity.com) and click on “volunteer” from the “get involved” drop down. We are always looking for people within our community to help support our mission.

Listen to the full audio recording

Ready to transform your volunteer program?

Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission.  VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.

The post Knoxville Habitat for Humanity Leverages VolunteerHub’s Zapier Integration appeared first on VolunteerHub.

Choosing the best volunteer management software extends beyond functionalities and features; it’s also about the people and processes that come with it. What constitutes as great customer experience as it pertains to implementing volunteer management software? To gain a comprehensive understanding of what your experience should look like, and what to look for when evaluating software, it’s vital to consider how a software provider prioritizes your success.

In this blog post, we detail five aspects of good customer experience that you should consider when evaluating volunteer management software. These factors encompass not only the capabilities of the software itself but also the level of support and guidance you receive from the software provider. From a responsive customer support team to ongoing training and software updates, these elements play a crucial role in your success.

Use Case and Qualification

A positive experience with a volunteer management software provider starts before you become a customer. It begins with a thorough qualification process during the sales phase, aimed at determining if the software is the best fit for your organization and your specific use case. Look for a software provider who prioritizes your success and has processes in place to help you succeed.

For example, at VolunteerHub, we conduct a qualification call with every organization interested in our volunteer management software. During this call, we gather information about the organization’s needs, requirements, budget, and timeline. Ultimately, our aim is to ensure that all our clients are successful and derive the maximum value from our nonprofit software.

Here is a breakdown of our sales process at VolunteerHub.

Personalized Onboarding

Onboarding is one of the most important steps in successfully adopting volunteer management software. Many nonprofit tech solutions often provide only generic asynchronous or self-guided onboarding experiences, leaving organizations struggling to adapt. Given the distinct needs of each organization, including your own, it’s crucial to seek a software provider that tailors the onboarding experience to align with the specific problem you aim to address through their software. Additionally, a customized onboarding experience typically includes guided support, training, and resources designed to empower your team, thus setting the stage for long-term success with the software.

At VolunteerHub, we take pride in delivering a personalized onboarding experience to each of our clients. Our onboarding process consists of live onboarding sessions that are tailored to each organization’s specific goals and needs. These interactive, live sessions help to ensure that our clients understand how to use our software and how to leverage it to drive their mission forward. Moreover, our Implementation and Training Manager is readily available to assist throughout the onboarding and training process, providing a comprehensive and hands-on approach to help our clients achieve lasting success with our industry-leading volunteer management software.

Data Migration and Integration

Some organizations encounter challenges when adopting a new volunteer management solution, including migrating their volunteer data to the new platform. Migrating data from existing systems can be daunting, even more so if the volunteer management software provider does not have a clear migration process defined. In such cases, it’s essential for your organization to thoroughly evaluate potential software providers and inquire about their data migration procedures during the selection process, if migration or integration is necessary.

At VolunteerHub, we assist clients with migrating data into our platform, Initial data import is included as a part of all of our plans to help streamline the data migration process. We also integrate and have well-defined integration processes with some of the leading nonprofit software on the market including all Blackbaud CRMs, Salesforce, and Zapier (connection to thousands of applications).

Client Success

Client success is paramount when evaluating volunteer management software because it directly influences the effectiveness and impact of an organization’s volunteer program. Volunteer management software should not be just a tool; it should be a solution that addresses unique needs and objectives. A comprehensive client success process ensures that your organization is maximizing the potential of the volunteer management software. It means having a dedicated team that understands your mission and goals and tailors the software to align with those objectives. In essence, it’s not just about acquiring software; it’s about fostering an ongoing partnership that facilitates the achievement of the nonprofit’s mission through efficient volunteer management.

At VolunteerHub, we provide each of our clients with access to a Client Success Manager who works with them to identify challenges, provides solutions, and make sure that they are getting value from our software.

Here are some client quotes about our client success process:

“I really love how the VolunteerHub team listens to customer suggestions and is consistently adding valuable features and capabilities to the software that can help organizations, like ours, take our volunteer program to the next level.” Tosheena Thompson, Volunteer Manager for Students Association of MacEwan University

“The VolunteerHub team did a great job of coaching us through the set-up process and creating a solution that really works for our specific needs and goals.” Heather Rompel, Manager of Family Support Services for Ronald McDonald House of the Piedmont Triad

Post-Purchase Support

Post-purchase support is crucial to success when implementing any nonprofit software product, including volunteer management software. It ensures that your organization can navigate the complexities of software with confidence. Moreover, it reinforces that the software provider is invested in your organization’s success, creating a collaborative and supportive environment beyond the initial sale.

At VolunteerHub, we prioritize post-purchase support and genuinely want our clients to achieve success with our volunteer management solution. We have streamlined the process for clients to connect with our technical support specialist through our support site, its as easy as submitting a support ticket. For organizations requiring additional assistance in utilizing the product, we offer the option to schedule additional training sessions à la carte.

Here are a few quotes from our clients about our product support:

“We greatly appreciate the customer service and support that we receive from the VolunteerHub team. When we need support, we receive it quickly and efficiently.” Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

“I love that VolunteerHub stands behind its software and provides the support, training, and functionality to get the most value possible.” Trish Lackey, Event Administrator for the City of Dublin

Take a look at 80 additional quotes from VolunteerHub users.

In conclusion, when it comes to assessing volunteer management software, the importance of client success cannot be overstated. It’s not merely about choosing a tool but establishing an ongoing partnership. If you are in the process of selecting a volunteer management solution, remember that it’s not just about the technology; a provider that stands behind their product will make all the difference to your success.

The post Customer Experience: 5 Considerations When Assessing Volunteer Management Software appeared first on VolunteerHub.

Charlotte Rescue Mission utilizes VolunteerHub to enhance volunteer management. We had a chance to interview Donnie Shell Jr., Director of Community Engagement for Charlotte Rescue Mission, to learn more about the organization’s initiatives, and their utilization of our software.

Can you tell me more about Charlotte Rescue Mission and your role within the organization?

Donnie: We provide cost-free, faith-based recovery programs for both men and women. Our goal is to interact with individuals who are struggling with the disease of addiction and help them achieve long-term sobriety, financial stability, stable housing, and build healthy relationships with the people they are interacting with. My role in the organization as the Director of Community Engagement mainly consists of working with our volunteers, community outreach, and partners.

What has been your impact within the community?

Donnie: In fiscal year 2022, over 270 people graduated from our core program, during which residents stay with us while receiving the help they need to thrive. Additionally, 170 individuals participated in our 2-year recovery living program, which offers accountability and support in the subsequent stages of their lives. It has been an exciting time at Charlotte Rescue Mission because we have witnessed significant growth and an increase in the number of individuals successfully completing our programs.

Where do volunteers fit in?

Donnie: Volunteers are integral to various aspects of our organization. We emphasize our meal sponsorship program, where volunteers can either sponsor a meal financially, sponsor and serve, or simply serve a meal. We strive to offer multiple options for volunteers to support our organization. They also contribute to our kitchens 365 days a year. There’s always an opportunity for people to get involved, lend a hand, and make a meaningful impact.

What features of VolunteerHub do you find the most valuable?

Donnie: The feature of VolunteerHub that we use the most is Landing Pages. This feature really gives us an opportunity to customize the experience for our volunteers and create pages that are branded specifically for an organization, group, or business to really provide a sense of connection. We also use Landing Pages for events such as our holiday events. The ability to create volunteer groups has also been immensely beneficial as it gives us a way to segment our communications.

What has your experience been like with the VolunteerHub team?

Donnie: The VolunteerHub team, especially support, has been great at providing us with training and answering any question that we have within 24-hours. VolunteerHub stands behind its product.

Do you believe that VolunteerHub software provides your organization with a return-on-investment?

Donnie: I definitely do, we are able to use VolunteerHub to track volunteer hours and this information is provided to our board to demonstrate the evolution of our volunteer program. We are able to calculate the value of our volunteer program using the national average value of a volunteer hour. We couldn’t do that without the software.

What would you say to someone in your position who does not have volunteer management software yet?

Donnie: I would definitely say gauge what your return on investment would be from using volunteer management software, including the hours your team would save. Every volunteer management system is not for everyone, understand the features that your organization needs to be successful.

How can people volunteer for your organization?

Donnie: Visit our website (https://charlotterescuemission.org) and click on “volunteer” from the “get involved” drop down. We are always looking for people within our community to help support our mission.

Listen to the full audio recording

Ready to transform your volunteer program?

Charlotte Rescue Mission is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission.  VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.

The post Charlotte Rescue Mission Loves VolunteerHub’s Dedication to Client Support appeared first on VolunteerHub.

For organizations using both platforms, Integrating VolunteerHub with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge (data is also accessible via Raiser’s Edge NXT) can provide many benefits including streamlined data management and a 360-degree view of constituents. Unlike other volunteer management software on the market, VolunteerHub directly integrates with Blackbaud-hosted and locally installed versions of The Raiser’s Edge, allowing nonprofits to synchronize volunteer information such as names, dates of birth, contact information, and event hours into Raiser’s Edge and see that data in Raiser’s Edge NXT with a simple click of a button.

Note: Because VolunteerHub integrates directly with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, data can also be accessed via Blackbaud’s web-view version, Raiser’s Edge NXT.

What is Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT?

Raiser’s Edge NXT is web-view, cloud-based, version of Raiser’s Edge developed by Blackbaud, a prominent company that specializes in providing technology solutions for nonprofit organizations, schools, and other social good institutions. Raiser’s Edge is designed to help nonprofit organizations efficiently manage their fundraising efforts, cultivate donor relationships, and optimize their operations to achieve their mission.

On average, Raiser’s Edge NXT users report:

• 35% increase in donors
• 48% increase in donations
• 44% increase in total dollars raised

Why Integrate Raiser’s Edge with VolunteerHub?

By integrating Raiser’s Edge with VolunteerHub, nonprofits can better leverage two sources of constituent information and gain a more comprehensive view of each individual’s engagement and contribution history. This enables organizations to better understand their supporters, tailor their communications, and steward their relationships more effectively. Furthermore, integrating these databases can improve resource allocation, as nonprofits can identify volunteers who have the potential to become major donors or donors who might be interested in volunteering. Ultimately, the integration between Raiser’s Edge and VolunteerHub allows nonprofits to build stronger, more personalized connections with their supporters and maximize their impact. Here are some additional benefits of integrating Raiser’s Edge (and web-view version, Raiser’s NXT) with VolunteerHub:

Established Relationship Between VolunteerHub and Blackbaud

VolunteerHub has a well-established relationship with Blackbaud, becoming a Blackbaud partner in 2014, winning Blackbaud’s Technology Partner of the Year in 2016, and winning Blackbaud’s ISV Partner of the Year in 2019. This established and long-standing relationship means that VolunteerHub has a well-defined process for integrating its platform with Raiser’s Edge NXT and other Blackbaud CRM solutions. In fact, VolunteerHub was the first volunteer management solution to integrate with Blackbaud’s suite of CRM’s including The Raiser’s Edge, Blackbaud CRM, Luminate, Altru, and eTapestry.

Here are several case studies that demonstrate the value of VolunteerHub’s direct integration with The Raiser’s Edge:

VolunteerHub Optimizes Central Texas Food Bank’s Volunteer Program

Preble Street Increases Efficiency with VolunteerHub and The Raiser’s Edge

Food Bank Achieves 4-Month ROI from VolunteerHub Integration with The Raiser’s Edge

VolunteerHub is a Game Changer for Atlanta Food Bank

VolunteerHub is an Invaluable Resource for Meals on Wheels People

Catholic Charities Leverages Volunteer Value

Seamless Data Synchronization

VolunteerHub offers a native integration with Raiser’s Edge that ensures an accurate and up-to-date information exchange between the two platforms. Unlike other volunteer management solutions that integrate with Raiser’s Edge via API, VolunteerHub’s integration is direct. When volunteers sign up for events or update their profiles in VolunteerHub, this information is transferred to Raiser’s Edge, and accessible via Raiser’s Edge NXT, after an admin initiates the data transfer within Raiser’s Edge. This synchronization ensures that both platforms maintain consistent and accurate data at all times.

VolunteerHub data populates directly within Raiser’s Edge NXT and the data lives within Blackbaud’s servers. Admins can easily merge their VolunteerHub data with existing constituent records in Raiser’s Edge or create new constituents.

The table below shows VolunteerHub data that can be synchronized into Raiser’s Edge via the integration.

Note: Some other volunteer management software providers that claim to integrate with Raiser’s Edge NXT only synchronize users (VolunteerHub synchronizes everything through its direct integration with Raiser’s Edge).

Reporting Directly in Raiser’s Edge:

The integration between VolunteerHub and Raiser’s Edge enables nonprofits to generate reports that combine data from both platforms. This data can provide insights into volunteer engagement, event participation, and donor contributions, allowing organizations to track progress and have a holistic view of their supporters. Also, because VolunteerHub is directly integrated with Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge, deduplication happens upon syncing, improving data validity.

VolunteerHub + Raiser’s Edge

In conclusion, VolunteerHub’s direct integration with Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge offers a streamlined, native solution for synchronizing data between VolunteerHub, Raiser’s Edge, and Raiser’s Edge NXT. The integration not only enhances efficiency but also empowers nonprofit organizations to make data-driven decisions and maximize their volunteer engagement and fundraising efforts.

The post VolunteerHub Offers Direct Integration with Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge appeared first on VolunteerHub.

“The flexibility and ease of adoption are two very beautiful aspects of VolunteerHub.” Myra Khalife, General Secretary for Donner Sang Compter

“We have had nothing but a positive experience with the VolunteerHub from the start until now. We had a great implementation experience and whenever an issue comes up, the team is quick to provide a fix.” Catie Ellis, Manager of Human Resources & Volunteer Services for Meals on Wheels People

“I really love how the VolunteerHub team listens to customer suggestions and is consistently adding valuable features and capabilities to the software that can help organizations, like ours, take our volunteer program to the next level.” Tosheena Thompson, Volunteer Manager for Students Association of MacEwan University

“We greatly appreciate the customer service and support that we receive from VolunteerHub’s team. When we need support, we receive it quickly and efficiently.” Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

“The VolunteerHub team did a great job of coaching us through the set-up process and creating a solution that really works for our specific needs and goals.” Heather Rompel, Manager of Family Support Services for Ronald McDonald House Winston-Salem

“We really love Admin 2.0 and the new capabilities that VolunteerHub has included in their most recent update. It is pretty clear that the VolunteerHub team is listening to the voice of their clients.” David Thoms, Volunteer Coordinator for Open Hand Atlanta

“I was blown away by how fast VolunteerHub was adopted by the DSC organization and how quickly the solution made an impact towards our mission.” Myra Khalife, General Secretary for Donner Sang Compter

“Our organization loves VolunteerHub and the new version has made the tool even better. I highly recommend and have recommended VolunteerHub to other nonprofits that want to streamline their management process.” Carla Fortenberry, Volunteer Manager for Loudoun Hunger Relief

“The support received from the VolunteerHub team is second to none and I truly appreciate the personal emails when I have questions or need a simple how-to answer. The monthly updates are also essential to learning new “tricks of the system. We are excited for the future and continuing our strategic partnership with VolunteerHub.” Dawn Hammer, Volunteer Manager for Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity

“I cant stress the importance of post-purchase support and VolunteerHub stands behind the software.”Matthew Herrera, Volunteer Experience Manager for  West Houston Assistance Ministries

“I love that VolunteerHub stands behind its software and provides the support, training, and functionality to get the most value possible.” Trish Lackey, Event Administrator for the City of Dublin

““The support, training, and knowledge base that VolunteerHub provides has been very helpful for us when navigating the software.” Nicole Davis, Volunteer and Youth Programs Director for Paul’s Place

The post Implementation and Support Quotes from VolunteerHub Clients appeared first on VolunteerHub.

For those who don’t know, gamification is the application of game principles and rewards into non-game contexts. Incorporating gamification within a volunteer program can help an organization retain and engage valuable supporters. As the value of a volunteer hour continues to rise ($31.80 in 2023), the importance of volunteer engagement and retention also increases. Gamification provides an organization with a differentiator and volunteers with a motive to continue to give regularly.

Many studies have demonstrated the value of gamification in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In fact, 87% of people surveyed agree that gamification makes them more productive. For nonprofit organizations, gamification offers the unique opportunity to entice volunteers, reward them, and create long-term ambassadors for a cause.

Here are 3 ways nonprofit organizations can use gamification to strategically increase volunteer engagement, and drive program efficiency.

Deploy a Rewards Program

Creating a rewards program is a great way to enhance volunteer-based initiatives. Because volunteers are not being paid for their valuable time, organizations can use points and perks to stand out and provide volunteer constituents with value. The accumulation of points and the ability to exchange points for prizes, such as organizational merchandise, increases volunteer engagement and provides a nonprofit with a way of marketing their unique cause/brand. Many organizations use branded prizes (example: t-shirts) to launch grassroots marketing campaigns within the community.

Some volunteer management solution providers, such as VolunteerHub, understand the importance of gamification and incorporate it into their software. In VolunteerHub, administrators can add a point value to each of their volunteer opportunities in order to drive engagement and differentiate critical roles.

Below is what the points-based gamification feature in VolunteerHub looks like from both the admin and volunteer views.

Admin View – VolunteerHub

Volunteer View – VolunteerHub

One example of an organization using gamification to create value for volunteers is Open Hand Atlanta. Open Hand Atalanta uses a point system (LeaderTree program) to provide volunteers with prizes in exchange for their time. To date, Open Hand Atlanta has saved over $649,000 since initiating its gamification-based rewards program.

Reward Volunteers Going Above and Beyond

Deploying gamification can help nonprofits reward volunteers who go above and beyond. This is especially true with a point-based gamification strategy. Many organizations reward extra points to volunteer constituents who exceed expectations, refer talent, or provide testimonials. Depending on an organization’s mission, a reward system can be created that outlines what going above and beyond means, and how volunteers will be rewarded for extra achievements.

It is key that organizations reward top-performing volunteers if they want to retain them. On average, volunteers provide 50 hours of service to an organization each year. Nonprofits that provide high-performance volunteers with incentives to give have a better chance of tapping into their full value. Reward and recognition strategies that provide “bonus points” for over achievement can help an organization maintain its top talent and incentivize them.

“Retention is a key objective for 60% of recognition programs” (source)

Using VolunteerHub’s gamification features, organizations can provide high-performing volunteers with additional points to use towards their reward and recognition program.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is one of the most important components of gamification and engaging volunteers strategically. For organizations that deploy a rewards and recognition strategy, communicating the program is almost as important as creating it. Nonprofits can use gamification to create engaging call-to-actions as part of their communication process with both current volunteers and prospects. Because the nonprofit space is competitive, organizations should use rewards and recognition as a way to stand out, and drive new volunteer relationships.

Investing and deploying a volunteer management system can help organizations communicate with volunteers and provide information about their rewards program. With VolunteerHub, administrators are easily able to communicate their program to both groups and individual volunteers, quickly and efficiently.

The screenshot below shows how easy it is to communicate a rewards program with volunteers within the VolunteerHub system. 

Rewards and Recognition Communication – VolunteerHub

Using gamification to create a strategic reward and recognition program also gives organizations content to promote.  For example, many organizations are using VolunteerHub to display a leader board to volunteers, based on the accumulation of points for a specific period of time.

The leaderboard can be promoted as part of an organization’s communication strategy.

Below is a screenshot of the leaderboard functionality in VolunteerHub. 

Points-Based Reward Program Leaderboard – VolunteerHub

Takeaways

Gamification can provide organizations with a new way to engage volunteers, provide rewards and recognition, and improve retention. Setting up and deploying a rewards program, backed by gamification, is easier than many nonprofits think. Investing in the right tools, with the right features, can help a nonprofit take its volunteer program to new heights.

Interested in learning how VolunteerHub’s gamification features can enhance your program?

The post 3 Ways to Increase Engagement with Gamification appeared first on VolunteerHub.

VolunteerHub is helping Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley recruit, engage, and manage volunteers. We had an opportunity to speak with Donna Martin, Volunteer Services Manager for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, to learn more about her organization’s mission and how they are gaining immense value from VolunteerHub.

What does a Volunteer Service Manager do?

Donna: At Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, the Volunteer Service Manager oversees, manages, and directs all of the volunteers across the organization. We currently have 31 locations, utilizing around 1000 volunteers. My job is to make sure we have the volunteer manpower that we need. It keeps me very busy.

Can you explain the merger that led to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley?

Donna: In 2020, we had a significant merger between two Boys & Girls Club organization in Maricopa county. We had Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix merge causing us to literally double in size overnight. We doubled the number of kids we can serve, doubled our locations, and saw a significant staff increase. It has been an exciting adventure. The cool thing about the merger is we already had the same mission, vision, and values.

What is your mission?

Donna: We empower young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible members of the community.

What is your vision?

Donna: To be the premier out-of-school-time provider and leading voice for youth development in Arizona, ensuring youth and teens have the skills and resilience to successfully navigate childhood and prepare for adulthood.

What has been your impact?

Donna: In fiscal year 2021/2022, we served almost 22,000 youth and teens. Its also important to mention that 56% of the families we serve are single head of households, meaning single moms and single dads. That is a huge number. We also know that out of all the parents we support, 93% rely on our services to go to work or school to better their financial situation. This is significant because 46% of our members are below the poverty level. It is amazing working for an organization that is doing such great work to support the community.

How many volunteers do you leverage per year?

Donna: Last year we recruited a little over 1000 volunteers and this year I anticipate having 1300 or so volunteers. I am very proud of those numbers as we have a very small volunteer services team.

What types of roles do volunteers fill?  

Donna: I like to tell people we have three types of volunteer opportunities. You can help out in a club as a club volunteer where your engaging with kids one-one-one and working in small groups. You can volunteer to help support our special events. And finally, you can volunteer at our administrative center. We couldn’t do what we do without our amazing volunteers.

What was your process like for managing volunteers before VolunteerHub?

Donna: Oh my gosh… very archaic. We relied a lot on spreadsheets, handwritten lists, index cards, business cards, and filling cabinets. I often felt like I was drowning in paper. It was extremely difficult to gather monthly data because we were working off of handwritten reports. The process was very labor intensive and it was challenging to produce anything quickly. Before VolunteerHub, it took three to four weeks to put our year end report together.

What has your experience been like with VolunteerHub?

Donna: What I love most about VolunteerHub is that it is incredibly user-friendly on both the volunteer and admin side. It is very easy to learn. What I appreciate the most is, how it has simplified data gathering and data reporting. We are able to pull together data and run reports when we need them. VolunteerHub has freed up my time and has made it easier for our staff to submit the information that we need. The software also makes event management incredibly streamlined. I like that volunteers can use their smart phone, scan a QR code, and automatically be checked-in. That just makes everything so much easier. They don’t need to stop and fill out paperwork or stop and sign-in, they just scan the QR code and they are ready to go. Out of all the features in VolunteerHub, that is the one I truly love the most.

What are your thoughts on the return-on-investment from volunteer management?

Donna: I love this question. I teach part-time at Arizona State on a graduate level and calculating ROI of volunteer management is part of my curriculum. Its important to know that where we are investing our time matters. VolunteerHub makes it so easy to calculate.

If I want to volunteer with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley what should I do?

VolunteerHub makes it super easy. If you are in Arizona and you want to volunteer, go to our website, clicks “ways to support”, click “volunteer”, and check out our opportunities on our VolunteerHub landing page. It’s as simple as that.

Listen to the full audio recording

Ready to transform your volunteer program?

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission.  VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.

The post Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Increases Efficiency with VolunteerHub appeared first on VolunteerHub.

“The value that volunteers provide our organization is tremendous. We could not achieve our goals and provide the support we do to the community without our volunteer’s commitment to the cause,” said Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

“I don’t know how to put into words how important volunteers are to our mission! Volunteers have given us around 29,000 hours of their time in the past year helping us reach our goals and provide an important service to the community,” said Hayley Harvey, Volunteer Coordinator, Humane Society of Sarasota County

“Our volunteer program production is equivalent to 24 full-time employees…the value add is huge,” said Mary Cooper, Office Service Coordinator, St. Louis Area Food Bank

“MANNA would not be MANNA without the ongoing support of volunteers,” said JodyAnn Mcintosh, Manager of Community Engagement & Volunteer Services, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance. “MANNA was founded by volunteers so volunteerism is one of the foundations that makes our organization what it is today.”

“Our organization would not be able to achieve our goals or make the impact we do without the help of volunteers and the roles they fill,” said Ashlie Klopper, Director of Engagement for St. Matthew’s House

“We would not be able to meet the goals of our ministry without the help, dedication, and ongoing support of volunteers in our community,” said Dave Cook, Corporate & Community Outreach Manager, LifePath Ministries

“Our volunteer program saves our organization around $230,000 a year. We wouldn’t be able to make the impact we do without the help and support of volunteerism,” said Carla Fortenberry, Volunteer Manager, Loudoun Hunger Relief

“Our organization would not be able to make an impact in the lives of the girls we serve without the support and dedication of volunteers and donors. We appreciate them and their commitment to the cause,” said Stephanie Mendoza, Volunteer Services Manager, Girls Inc. of Orange County

“Volunteers are the life-blood of The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. Our volunteer program is equivalent to the production of 40 full-time employees. We wouldn’t able to achieve our goals without the commitment of our supporters,” said John Bode, Food Center & Volunteer Manager,” The Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank

“Our organization would not be able to achieve its impact without the support of volunteers and their commitment to the betterment of the community,” said Leslie Rimmer, Director of Organizational Development & Learning, Upper Valley Haven

“We wouldn’t be able to provide nourishment to the clients that desperately need our support without the help, dedication, and ongoing commitment of volunteers and the time they invest in our program,” said David Thoms, Volunteer Coordinator, Open Hand Atlanta

“Volunteerism is a huge component of our organization’s ability to reach its goals and provide support to the community in which the Food Bank serves,” said Jonathan James, Volunteer Program Manager, Atlanta Community Food Bank

“Volunteers are crucial to the work we do at Miriam’s Kitchen. With the support of volunteers, we are able to effectively engage with individuals experiencing homelessness in D.C. while providing them with the essentials they need,” said Andrea Scallon, Director of Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning, Miriam’s Kitchen

“Our volunteers make a difference and have the opportunity to change lives (including their own) every time they fill a role. Our organization would not be able to reach its mission without their selfless support,” said Dawn Hammer, Volunteer Manager, Habitat for Humanity Maumee Valley

“At Gateway Pet Guardians we take volunteerism seriously. Our volunteer program is saving our organization over $200,000 per year while helping us build relationships with amazing community talent” said Alisha Vianello, Program Director, Gateway Pet Guardians

“Birmingham Botanical Gardens needs the support of members, volunteers, community partners, and donors to function. We would not be able to provide this resource to the community without their commitment,” said Alice Thompson Moore, Volunteer Coordinator for Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

“Our volunteer program plays an important role in providing the MacEwan student body with much-needed resources, services, and programs that would otherwise be unattainable without the support and commitment of volunteers,” said Tosheena Thompson, Volunteer Manager for Students Association of MacEwan University

“Our volunteers, docents, and donors are instrumental in the success of the museum and its programs,” said Madelyn Strubelt, Director of Visitor and Volunteer Services for Holocaust Museum Houston

Why Volunteer Management Software

“There was a lot of time spent sorting through Excel spreadsheets and reports for volunteer check-in prior to events. Also, a lot of hours went into printing paperwork before events,” said Austin Rippeto, Training Coordinator at Special Olympics Missouri

“We had no clue who or how many people would come out and volunteer on any given day. It was a challenge to make sure we had all the volunteers we needed for each opportunity,” said Derek Perry, Volunteer Services Director at Habitat for Humanity of Collier County

“We wanted to make information easily accessible for our volunteers at all times. I really believe that this is our supporter’s volunteer program and VolunteerHub is helping us to empower them to have ownership,” said Megan Maciel, Community Engagement Coordinator, Midwest Transplant Network

“We needed a way to capture more data, track volunteers accurately, and enhance experiences,” said Ellen Weaver, Volunteer Resources Manager, Central Texas Foodbank

“The time commitment necessary to schedule volunteers was eating up all of our manager’s time. We needed a solution to increase efficiency and better support volunteers. We also needed to improve our process and organization of volunteer data.” said Melanie McKean, Development Director, Preble Street

“We realized we needed a solution to individualize each of our sign-ups for corporate sponsors that would automatically feed volunteer information into our database to save time and allow us to invest it in other areas of growth for our program,” said Megan Silbert, director of operations for Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain

“Manual hour tracking and reporting used to take our team five or six hours to analyze a month. We knew that there had to be a better way to save and utilize these hours.” Rob Lemons, Director of Volunteer Services, Ronald McDonald Winston-Salem

“Our previous volunteer management process was not as organized and involved translating data into electronic records. We needed a system that would grow with our organization. A manual process was no longer feasible,” said Ashlie Klopper, Director of Engagement for St. Matthew’s House

“We wanted a volunteer management solution that was visibly pleasing, easy to use, and provided a manageable transition from our previous process,” said Dave Cook, Corporate & Community Outreach Manager, LifePath Ministries

“The manual process that we used to measure our program before investing in VolunteerHub was time-consuming and prone to error. We needed a more strategic way of collecting and reporting program impact,” said Stephanie Mendoza, Volunteer Services Manager, Girls Inc. of Orange County

The ROI of VolunteerHub

“Time saved is one of the primary ROI indicators that our organization looks at when selecting a solution and VolunteerHub is exceeding our expectations,” said Megan Maciel, Community Engagement Coordinator, Midwest Transplant Network

“Being able to get real-time data about events and volunteers is one of my favorite features of VolunteerHub,” said Megan Maciel, Community Engagement Coordinator, Midwest Transplant Network

“Prior to VolunteerHub we managed our volunteer program by hand. We had a system of spreadsheets, memory, and phone calls. The process was controlled chaos and was not allowing our team to use our time effectively and to its full potential.” said Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

“VolunteerHub has helped to eliminate some back and forth that our old management process caused. Volunteers can now easily sign-up for opportunities that work for them. It’s a win-win.”  “Volunteers have transitioned to using VolunteerHub well. We have received little to no push-back from our online registration process,” said Mary Bachman, Director of Volunteer Resources, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

“VolunteerHub offers more strategic feature sets than other solutions when it comes to tracking and managing volunteers,” said Hayley Harvey, Volunteer Coordinator, Humane Society of Sarasota County

“VolunteerHub is helping us automate tracking, schedule volunteers ahead of events, enhance our communication strategy, and understand volunteer data,” said Hayley Harvey, Volunteer Coordinator, Humane Society of Sarasota County

“Prior to implementing VolunteerHub, we used multiple spreadsheets to manage volunteers. This method wasn’t an effective use of our time,” said Mary Cooper, Office Service Coordinator, St. Louis Area Food Bank

“The group sign-up feature in VolunteerHub is great. The feature has really improved our ability to track and analyze supporters,” said Mary Cooper, Office Service Coordinator, St. Louis Area Food Bank

“Volunteers have praised our organization for having an organized volunteer program and easy online registration process,” said Ellen Weaver, Volunteer Resources Manager, Central Texas Food Bank

“VolunteerHub is saving our organization a lot of time to focus on pushing other areas of our program forward and to new heights,” said Ellen Weaver, Volunteer Resources Manager, Central Texas Food Bank

“VolunteerHub’s Integration with Raiser’s Edge was one of the key decision-making factors when our organization was considering volunteer management solutions and which software to pursue,” said Melanie McKean, Development Director, Preble Street

“Our volunteer manager’s time has been able to significantly increase cultivation and recruitment strategies rather than spending such an enormous amount of time on scheduling volunteers,” said Melanie McKean, Development Director, Preble Street

“We absolutely love the landing page feature of VolunteerHub! We now have the ability to create and update individual pages for each of the companies we work with enhancing our corporate partnership capabilities,” said Megan Silbert, director of operations, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain

“Our biggest gain from moving away from a manual volunteer management process to VolunteerHub has been the ability to fully take advantage of our incredible staff’s skills and capabilities without being hindered by other less impactful tasks,” said Megan Silbert, director of operations, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain

“The VolunteerHub team did a great job of coaching us through the set-up process and creating a solution that really works for our specific needs and goals.” Heather Rompel, Manager of Family Support Services, Ronald McDonald House Winston-Salem

“VolunteerHub has saved our organization hundreds of hours a year by streamlining our volunteer management process.” Rob Lemons, Director of Volunteer Services, Ronald McDonald Winston-Salem

“Having VolunteerHub has freed up time allowing our Volunteer Coordinators to focus on building relationships both internally and externally.” Kristen Hopkins, Volunteer Coordinator, City Rescue Mission

“Implementing VolunteerHub has greatly improved our communication process with our volunteers and has led to many new opportunities for volunteers to support our organization.” Kristen Hopkins, Volunteer Coordinator, City Rescue Mission

“We have seen a substantial decrease in “no shows” after implementing VolunteerHub.”  Christina Mitchell, Director of Volunteers & Events, Metropolitan Ministries

“The ability to create groups has helped our organization put the right volunteer in the right role.” Christina Mitchell, Director of Volunteers & Events, Metropolitan Ministries

“VolunteerHub allowed us to streamline communication by emails with volunteers. It also allowed us a central location to communicate with volunteers and endless flexibility,” said Austin Rippeto, Training Coordinator at Special Olympics Missouri

“I went from keeping track of volunteers in an excel spreadsheet and manually emailing volunteers, to VolunteerHub that has allowed us to automate the process of volunteer signup,” said Arden Ellis, Volunteer Coordinator at The Birthday Party Project

“VolunteerHub has the ability to give limited access to party coordinators and ambassadors, in order to see the appropriate birthday party details, they were assigned to,” said Arden Ellis, Volunteer Coordinator at The Birthday Party Project

“VolunteerHub has simplified every aspect of our volunteer management. Now, when people want to volunteer, they just go to our website. With one click, a volunteer can see all of the upcoming opportunities, register for an event that is appealing…and own it.” ~Barbara Massar, Executive Director of Pro Portsmouth, Inc

“The functionality of our previous solution, for volunteer management, does not even compare to the features VolunteerHub provides and its ability we now have to interact with volunteers,” said JodyAnn Mcintosh, Manager of Community Engagement & Volunteer Services, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance

“VolunteerHub literally paid for itself after 3 months because we saw an increase in volunteer donations after implementing the software,” said JodyAnn Mcintosh, Manager of Community Engagement & Volunteer Services, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance

“Implementing VolunteerHub has helped our organization increase our volunteer hours by almost 10,000 per year,” said Ashlie Klopper, Director of Engagement for St. Matthew’s House

“VolunteerHub has literally changed community service for our organization. It has provided a tool that the courts actually trust and one that we know provides an accurate depiction for service hour completion,” said Dave Cook, Corporate & Community Outreach Manager, LifePath Ministries

“Before we deployed VolunteerHub, I spent around 70% of my day sending emails, recruiting volunteers, and entering data into our Access database. VolunteerHub has eliminated that burden and allowed me to spend my time on engagement and revolutionizing our program,” said Carla Fortenberry, Volunteer Manager, Loudoun Hunger Relief

“Our organization loves VolunteerHub and the new version has made the tool even better. I highly recommend and have recommended VolunteerHub to other nonprofits that want to streamline their management process,” said Carla Fortenberry, Volunteer Manager, Loudoun Hunger Relief

“The tracking, communication, and reporting features of VolunteerHub have saved our organization a substantial amount of time and resources. We are very pleased with the solution and the support that we receive from the VolunteerHub team,” said Stephanie Mendoza, Volunteer Services Manager, Girls Inc. of Orange County

“Our volunteer program has grown from relying on 50,000 volunteer hours per year to 80,000. We have been able to achieve this 60% increase in our program hours by providing volunteers with more opportunities to give. Growth in our volunteer program has allowed us to increase our food distribution by 500% over the last decade,” said John Bode, Food Center & Volunteer Manager,” The Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank

“VolunteerHub saves our organization hundreds of hours per year and allows our volunteer program to adapt quickly to change and need within the community,” said Kerri Weeks, Volunteer Coordinator, Upper Valley Haven

“Implementing VolunteerHub has allowed our team to spend more time connecting with volunteers and less time on administrative tasks. We are big supporters of VolunteerHub and the efficiency that the solution provides,” said Kari Baudoux, Director of Volunteer Services, Open Hand Atlanta

“I was blown away by how fast VolunteerHub was adopted by the DSC organization and how quickly the solution made an impact towards our mission,” said Myra Khalife, General Secretary, Donner Sang Compter

“The flexibility and ease of adoption are two very beautiful aspects of VolunteerHub,” said Myra Khalife, General Secretary, Donner Sang Compter

“Prior to investing in VolunteerHub, we used another volunteer management solution but the software did not meet the needs of our unique program. The features that VolunteerHub provides is a game-changer,” said Jonathan James, Volunteer Program Manager, Atlanta Community Food Bank

“I recently went to a Habitat for Humanity conference and was asked what the best volunteer management solution was. Without hesitation, I said VolunteerHub. VolunteerHub is user-friendly, support is outstanding, and the features are industry-leading. I would encourage any organization that is not using volunteer management software to do their research and consider VolunteerHub,” said Mimi Mitchell, Director of Community/Volunteer Engagement, Habitat for Humanity of Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg

“Being able to connect VolunteerHub with Salesforce is a huge benefit. The integration provides us with a holistic view of our supporters and makes converting volunteers to donors a streamlined process, focused on engagement,” said Liz Salter, Director of Community and Donor Engagement, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

“The integration between VolunteerHub and Salesforce provides our organization with an outlet to communicate the value of financial gifts with our volunteer constituents and create engagement that impacts our bottom-line,” said Liz Salter, Director of Community and Donor Engagement, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

“The integration between VolunteerHub and Salesforce allows us to see when donors are scheduled to come in and volunteer. This information gives us the ability to welcome them effectively and nurture the relationship strategically,” said Andrea Scallon, Director of Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning, Miriam’s Kitchen

“VolunteerHub provides our organization with the features that we need to have a successful volunteer program and make the biggest impact that we possibly can.  The support received from VolunteerHub is second to none and I truly appreciate the personal emails when I have questions or need a simple how-to answer. The monthly updates are also essential to learning new “tricks of the system”.  We are excited for the future and continuing our strategic partnership with VolunteerHub,” said Dawn Hammer, Volunteer Manager, Habitat for Humanity Maumee Valley

“The ability to create landing pages in VolunteerHub has been very valuable to our volunteer program and goal to increase volunteer recruitment efforts. We use landing pages for almost every step in our recruitment and training process,” said Madelyn Strubelt, Director of Visitor and Volunteer Services for Holocaust Museum Houston

“The point-based reward and recognition program we have created in VolunteerHub is awesome! Volunteers receive one point for every hour they give, and three points are equivalent to a dollar. These points can be exchanged for products and services to support their own pet or others in need,” said Alisha Vianello, Program Director, Gateway Pet Guardians

“VolunteerHub provides us with the tools needed to manage our program, increase engagement, and incentivize volunteers,” said Alisha Vianello, Program Director, Gateway Pet Guardians

“The integration between VolunteerHub and Blackbaud’s Altru has saved our organization hundreds of hours per year. The marriage between the two platforms eliminates hours upon hours of data entry that was required prior to investing in software,” said Alice Thompson Moore, Volunteer Coordinator for Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

“Implementing VolunteerHub has allowed our organization to identify a strong relationship between members, donors, and volunteers without having to invest hundreds of hours in data entry and analysis,” said Alice Thompson Moore, Volunteer Coordinator for Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

“VolunteerHub’s Kiosk and OnSite features alone have made the investment in the software worth it for our association. These features were not offered by our previous volunteer management solution, and they are game-changers for our program,” said Tosheena Thompson, Volunteer Manager for Students Association of MacEwan University

“Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we never stopped recruiting, onboarding, and training. VolunteerHub helped us quickly go from 14 active volunteers to 81 active volunteers and over 70 docents, support that was drastically needed to assist with daily operations,” said Madelyn Strubelt, Director of Visitor and Volunteer Services for Holocaust Museum Houston

“One of the most valuable features of VolunteerHub is its Single-Sign-On (SSO) integration with Xcelerate Media. This integration has been a game-changer for the festival and our ability to provide online beverage server training,” said Trish Lackey, Event Administrator for The City of Dublin

“I love that VolunteerHub stands behind its software and provides the support, training, and functionality to get the most value possible,” said Trish Lackey, Event Administrator for The City of Dublin

“VolunteerHub has provided us with a fast automated system for managing volunteers. The ability to create landing pages that can be customized by organization has been huge for us, and our ability to engage corporate partners,” said Matthew Herrera, Volunteer Experience Manager for West Houston Assistance Ministries

“VolunteerHub has been a breath of fresh air for our organization, it really has. It is amazing knowing that I can just log into VolunteerHub, go to our admin page, and access all of our volunteer data,” said Molly MacDonald, Lead Volunteer Coordinator for Mercy Chefs

“VolunteerHub has freed up my time and has made it easier for our staff to submit the information that we need. The software also makes event management incredibly streamlined,” said Donna Martin, Volunteer Services Manager for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

The post 80 Quotes from VolunteerHub Clients appeared first on VolunteerHub.

VolunteerHub has helped Mercy Chefs automate volunteer management and create a streamlined, easy-to-use, system for volunteers. We had an opportunity to talk to Molly MacDonald, lead volunteer coordinator for Mercy Chefs and learn how her organization is leveraging VolunteerHub.

What is the aim of Mercy Chefs?

Molly: We create hot, fresh, restaurant-style, quality meals in times of greatest need. Our main mission is feeding people.

What is your day-to-day like at Mercy Chefs? What led you to become a volunteer coordinator?

Molly: I have been with Mercy Chefs for a little over 3 years and when I came to the organization I created its volunteer program, alongside our communications department. My day-to-day life as a volunteer coordinator is comprised of two-parts. There is an office side and then a deployment side. When I am in the office, I am focused on administration; so I am making sure that we are ready for disaster season. We are a disaster relieve nonprofit so on the volunteer side I am preparing and planning. When I am on a disaster site, I am managing volunteers which could be anywhere from 10 volunteers to 200 or more volunteers, depending on the disaster.

How many meals does Mercy Chefs serve per year?

Molly: Since inception, we have served over 25 million meals to people all over the world.

How many volunteers does it take to support Mercy Chefs?

Molly: Every year, we are growing at Mercy Chefs. With serving so many meals, comes the need for a lot of hands. In 2022, we utilized 6000 volunteers serving over 18000 hours.

How did you manage volunteers before VolunteerHub?

Molly: We used Google spreadsheets and excel to manage volunteers before VolunteerHub. You know, I always thought I was proficient in excel spreadsheets, until I had to use spreadsheets for all of the locations we were supporting with volunteers. It was a tedious process that required a lot of work and time to input all of our volunteer data. Before VolunteerHub, I spent 7-10 hours per week entering data, manually. The old process could not have supported our growth.

When you were vetting volunteer management software, what were the must-haves?

Molly: First and foremost, a streamlined and automated way to track hours. We wanted volunteers to be able to just hit a button when they started their shift and hit a button when their shift was over. Second, we wanted a user-friendly platform that was attractive, aligned with our branding, and easy-to-use. Finally, we wanted a solution that could support our growth.

What has your experience been like with VolunteerHub so far?

Molly: VolunteerHub has been a breath of fresh air for our organization, it really has. It is amazing knowing that I can just log into VolunteerHub, go to our admin page, and  access all of our volunteer data. VolunteerHub has made it so easy to engage our volunteers and reward our top-performing volunteers, who we call superstars. VolunteerHub has been a great data source and its feature-set fits our needs. I couldn’t imagine managing our program without it.

What has your experience been like with VolunteerHub implementation, training, and support?

It has been great, the team at VolunteerHub stands behind the software.

How have your volunteers adopted VolunteerHub?

When we launched VolunteerHub, I was interested to see what volunteers would say about it as not everyone likes change. Volunteers loved it. I received calls and in-person feedback from volunteers about how easy the system was to use.

Listen to the full audio recording

Ready to transform your volunteer program?

Mercy Chefs is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission.  VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.

The post Volunteers at Mercy Chefs Love VolunteerHub appeared first on VolunteerHub.

Think back to the first time you volunteered to help a nonprofit. Were you inspired to make a difference? Did you feel as though you were a part of a team working towards a greater cause? Did you feel as though you had an opportunity to learn new skills?

Given their invaluable contributions, volunteers are truly the heartbeat of a nonprofit organization. They add compassion, commitment, love, and most importantly their time to a common cause that makes a substantial difference within the community. So, as a nonprofit leader, how do you inspire your volunteers to be a part of your mission? How are you retaining your volunteers and are your providing them with value? Here are a few best practices that will help motivate and engage your volunteers.

Show Appreciation

It’s easy to underestimate the power of a simple “thank you.” Expressing gratitude towards your volunteers on a regular basis can have a tremendous impact. People thrive on appreciation and validation, and by fostering a culture of gratitude within your team, you can inspire volunteers to dedicate even more of their time. Gratitude has the ability to ignite a passionate commitment to your cause. In fact, according to a new study, conducted by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, expressing gratitude not only improves one-on-one relationships but could bring entire groups together.  Consider implementing one or all of the following approaches to ensure your volunteers feel truly valued.

• Use a thank you message when they sign-up to volunteer.
• Send thank you emails after they have attended an event.
• Create a special event exclusively for volunteers.
• Send hand written thank you letters occasionally.
• Greet your volunteers with a friendly demeanor and a smile.
• Recommend opportunities that match interests.
• Thank volunteers by providing them with value.
• Showcase volunteer success stories.
• Let volunteers know impact metrics.

Communication is Key

Understanding the motivations of your staff and volunteers is crucial. What inspires them to join your events? What drives their commitment to your organization? Gaining insights into their thoughts and reasons for involvement will provide you with valuable information for recruiting new volunteers. Additionally, it will enable you to develop unique ways to express appreciation to your existing volunteers. By discovering what keeps them engaged with your organization, you can strengthen your relationships with them. Engage in meaningful conversations with your volunteers, delving into their personal lives to establish a genuine connection. When asking questions, consider their motivations for dedicating their time. These conversations can foster a deep bond with the volunteers. Here are some questions to consider:

• Do they have a special connection with your cause?
• Do they enjoy specific events?
• Do specific times work best for them?
• Are they looking to build specific skills?
• What are their interests?
• Can they share a fond memory of a time they volunteered with your organization?

Include Cultivation in Your Nonprofit Mission

Do you have a vision of your perfect volunteer? If so, why not cultivate that within the volunteers you already have? Helping to build confidence in your volunteers is a great way to make them feel valued. By acquiring new skills and giving them opportunities to use these newly acquired skills, you are building confidence within them.

We all know what it feels like to start something new. It can be scary and intimidating. However, if they are feeling personal growth, they will want to continue to come back and give more of their time.

Encouragement

Sometimes it is hard to see the big picture when you are only working at a few events a year. Being authentic and allowing the volunteers to see the progress of the team is extremely valuable. Showing them what your organization was able to accomplish with their help encourages them to continue to volunteer.

They want to see results from these efforts just as much as you do. Help them see that they are making a difference and the value they add to your nonprofit mission. By offering transparency, you create a vision for the team of volunteers. They understand where you are trying to go (your goal) and how they can help you get there (your plan).

Building a strong environment for your team and organization will encourage volunteers to give their time. Gratitude, communication, cultivation, and encouragement are just a few ways to inspire your volunteers. Think outside the box to create your own ways to show them appreciation. Use this week as a platform to inspire your volunteers and to catapult your nonprofit mission to the next level.

VolunteerHub Can Help

Are you looking for a better way to recruit, engage, and manage your volunteers? VolunteerHub is a feature-rich, easy-to-use volunteer management software created to help organizations get the most value from their volunteer program by eliminating constraints.

The post 4 Ways to Inspire Volunteers to Be a Part of Your Mission appeared first on VolunteerHub.

In today’s ever-changing landscape of nonprofit organizations, effective volunteer management is crucial for achieving impactful and sustainable results. Engaging volunteers not only helps fulfill a nonprofit’s mission but also fosters a sense of community and encourages long-term commitment. To optimize volunteer engagement and ensure a positive experience for both volunteers and organizations, implementing a volunteer engagement survey is an invaluable tool.

Before we dive into the benefits of volunteer engagement surveys, here are a few statistics to keep in mind.

• 72% of nonprofits believe that volunteer feedback surveys are valuable for improving volunteer engagement and program effectiveness.
• A study by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that nonprofits that regularly use volunteer surveys are more likely to have higher volunteer retention rates.
• In a report by Deloitte, 86% of nonprofits indicated that feedback from volunteers helped them identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to their programs.

Understand Volunteer Motivations:

One of the primary goals of a volunteer engagement survey is to gain insights into what motivates volunteers to get involved. By understanding their motivations, nonprofits can tailor their volunteer programs to better align with individual preferences, thereby increasing engagement and satisfaction. Consider asking questions like:

1. What inspired you to volunteer with our organization?
2. What specific skills or expertise are you looking to contribute?
3. How would you prefer to be recognized for your efforts?

Assess Volunteer Satisfaction:

Volunteers who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to continue their involvement and become strong advocates for the organization. Conducting a satisfaction survey can help a  nonprofit identify areas where improvements can be made. Relevant questions might include:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with your volunteer experience?
2. Have you encountered any challenges or obstacles during your time as a volunteer?
3. Is there anything we can do to enhance your experience as a volunteer?

Evaluate Program Effectiveness:

Volunteer Engagement Surveys allow nonprofits to assess the effectiveness of their volunteer programs and identify areas of strength and weakness. This evaluation can help fine-tune program structures, training methods, and task assignments. Useful questions to consider are:

1. Do you feel adequately prepared and trained for your volunteer responsibilities?
2. How well do you think our organization communicates its mission and goals to volunteers?
3. Are there any changes or improvements you would suggest for our volunteer program?

Solicit Feedback on Volunteer-Staff Interactions:

Positive relationships between volunteers and staff members are essential for a smooth and productive volunteer experience. Including questions that evaluate these interactions helps nonprofits identify potential issues and address any concerns. Key questions may include:

1. Do you feel supported and valued by the staff members you interact with?
2. How would you rate the clarity and effectiveness of communication between staff and volunteers?
3. Are there any ways we could improve collaboration and coordination between staff and volunteers?

Gather Ideas for Innovation:

Volunteers often bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table. By including open-ended questions in the survey, nonprofits can tap into this valuable resource and gather suggestions for program enhancements, outreach strategies, and community engagement. Consider asking:

1. Is there anything you would suggest we do differently to improve our impact in the community?
2. Do you have any ideas for expanding our volunteer base or reaching new demographics?
3. How can we better promote the value and impact of volunteering within our organization?

Takeaways

Volunteer engagement and satisfaction is crucial for long-term success. Implementing a Volunteer Engagement Survey enables nonprofits to gain valuable insights, make data-driven decisions, and continuously improve their volunteer programs. By asking questions related to motivations, satisfaction, program effectiveness, staff-volunteer interactions, and collecting innovative ideas, organizations can enhance their impact and foster an engaged volunteer community. Embracing volunteer engagement surveys will help nonprofits unlock the full potential of their volunteers, amplifying their collective efforts toward achieving their missions.

VolunteerHub Helps Nonprofits Better Engage Volunteers

A study published in the Nonprofit Management & Leadership journal found that positive volunteer management practices, such as clear expectations, regular communication, and recognition, were strongly associated with increased volunteer engagement. VolunteerHub streamlines and automates volunteer management processes for nonprofits, making it easy for volunteers to get involved in the mission. Nonprofits can create customized registration forms to gather essential volunteer information, such as availability and skills, ensuring a better match between volunteers and opportunities, increasing engagement

The post Volunteer Engagement Surveys: Enhance Impact with Data appeared first on VolunteerHub.

According to a 2021 research report, there are 5.22 billion mobile users today. For most people, mobile has become an integral form of communication and access to the world around them. At VolunteerHub, we understand the importance of providing a great experience to our users across all devices, including mobile.

To achieve this objective, VolunteerHub is optimized for all devices which allows our mobile interface to provide the same great experience and features found on the desktop version. If you are looking for volunteer management software that offers mobile functionality to volunteers and coordinators alike, here are 4 reasons to consider VolunteerHub.

Highly Responsive, Intuitive, and Fast

VolunteerHub offers a user experience similar to native apps, without the need to download extra resources from an app store. The software is both intuitive and highly responsive. Additionally,  landing pages are designed to adapt automatically to different screen sizes, ensuring a consistent and familiar experience for all users, regardless of their device.

VolunteerHub’s mobile solution makes it easy for Volunteer Coordinators to access data quickly and efficiently from anywhere and allows volunteers to view and register for opportunities directly from their mobile device without learning a new user interface.

Did we mention that our mobile optimized software is also faster than native apps?  Often loading 15X faster.

A faster experience means less abandonment! According to recent studies, 80% of people will abandon an app that takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Here is what VolunteerHub looks like on a mobile device

No Need to Download an Additional Mobile App

When individuals typically think of mobile apps, they often imagine Native Applications that are available for download on their device’s app store. However, such apps necessitate the user to locate and install the data before usage. This may pose a challenge for Volunteer Coordinators and volunteers, potentially influencing their interaction with a volunteer management platform.

VolunteerHub provides users a great mobile experience without the inconvenience of having to find or download additional files on their devices. Additionally, mobile optimized sites require, on average, 25X less storage space than native apps.

To use VolunteerHub on a mobile device, there is no need for a user to download an app or use lots of storage space. In fact, VolunteerHub can be accessed directly from a user’s web browser and will automatically adjust to their screen resolution, making it an ideal solution for both organizational volunteers and administrators that register volunteers in the field.

For VolunteerHub users that want to access their site directly on the home screen of a mobile device, a short-cut can be easily created eliminating the need to find it in the browser every time.

Automatic Updates

The VolunteerHub experience is consistent amongst all devices. In other words, it provides users with the same look and feel, features, and updates across all device types. VolunteerHub is designed to take full advantage of mobile features. When VolunteerHub releases new updates, these changes can be seen across all devices. VolunteerHub users do not need to update the app on their mobile devices in order to benefit and enjoy new software updates.

Security

It is important for nonprofit organizations to prioritize security and encryption when selecting volunteer management software, particularly given the amount of sensitive volunteer data that is typically stored. VolunteerHub, which is served via HTTPS and SSL encrypted, offers a higher level of security than conventional mobile apps with web connections.

Learn More About VolunteerHub

VolunteerHub is a cloud-based volunteer management platform that helps organizations recruit, engage, and manage volunteers from anywhere with an internet connection, and on all devices.

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Volunteering is an essential component of many nonprofit organizations, and it plays a crucial role in achieving their missions. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, a research center of the Urban Institute, approximately two-thirds of nonprofit organizations in the United States utilize volunteers. Even though the value of volunteerism is known, creating a positive and fulfilling volunteer experience can be challenging for nonprofits. A well-designed volunteer program not only benefits the nonprofit, but also the volunteers themselves. In this post, we will explore five actionable tips that organizations can take to improve their volunteer programs, from communication to recognition. By focusing effort on improving and optimizing processes, nonprofits can build a better volunteer experience that attracts and retains volunteers, leading to greater impact and success in achieving their missions.

Clear Communication

One of the most important aspects of any volunteer program is clear communication. Volunteers need to understand what is expected of them, what their role will entail, how to perform duties effectively, and what impact their contributions will have in the community. Nonprofits should take the time to clearly communicate with volunteers before, during, and after their shift. Nonprofits should provide all volunteers with information about their mission, vision, and impact, along with access to training resources, documented expectations, available channels for on-site and off-site communication, and ways to provide feedback about their overall experience.

Best Practices for Communicating with Volunteers

Effective communication not only helps to clarify expectations but also fosters trust, strengthens relationships, and promotes accountability. Effective communication improves experience. Here are some best practices for nonprofits communicating with volunteers:

1. Leverage multiple communication channels. A study by Blackbaud found that nonprofit organizations that effectively engage volunteers through multiple communication channels, including email, social media, and text messages, are more likely to retain those volunteers in the long term.
2. Responsiveness. At any point in their journey, volunteers may have questions or concerns, so it’s essential for nonprofits to be responsive and address the needs of volunteers, promptly. Volunteers should have clear instructions on how to reach someone from the organization quickly and efficiently.
3. Transparency. To be successful, volunteers need to know goals, expectations, and responsibilities associated with a volunteer opportunity. Nonprofits should provide a detailed description of each role and the level of commitment required by a volunteer. Transparency can help to minimize confusion and frustration and provide a sense of direction.
4. Gathering feedback. Volunteers want to know how they are doing and whether they are meeting expectations. Organizations should provide regular feedback on volunteer performance and recognize contributions. Providing feedback can be done through emails, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings. On the flip side, nonprofits should gather feedback from volunteers about their experience to pinpoint any opportunities for improvement.

Communication Features in VolunteerHub

Training and Support

Creating and implementing a good training and support process can ensure that volunteers have the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to perform their roles effectively and with confidence. Volunteers who receive in-depth training are more likely to report satisfaction with their volunteer experience. In fact, according to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Service, volunteers who receive training are 73% more likely to continue to volunteer versus those who did not receive training. Nonprofits can create a great experience for volunteers from the beginning of their volunteer journey by investing and prioritizing training.

Best Practices for Training Volunteers

Develop a clear training plan. Before training, organizations should develop a plan that outlines the topics that will be covered, processes for execution, the activities that will reinforce learning, and the overall goal of the plan. Depending on the roles that an organization is recruiting volunteers for, this training plan may vary by volunteer opportunity.

Use a variety of training methods. People learn in different ways, so it’s important for organizations to leverage a variety of training methods to accommodate different learning styles. Providing a variety of training methods and resources can improve learning outcomes. A few examples of training methods include hands-on training, written materials, online resources, and group discussions. For organizations that want to take their volunteer training program online, Learning Management Software (LMS) is a great option.

Leverage multimedia. Incorporating multimedia such as videos, images, and animations can help volunteers understand complex concepts better and keep them engaged.

Ongoing support. It is key that organizations provide ongoing support to volunteers after training, such as access to online resources, mentoring, and regular check-ins. This will make volunteers feel valued and supported, which can lead to greater engagement and retention.

Rewards and Recognition

Reward and recognition can play a significant role in improving the experience for volunteers. Volunteers who feel valued and appreciated are more likely to continue to contribute their time and efforts to an organization. Organizations who deploy a reward and recognition program also are more likely to convert volunteers to donors. A report by Blackbaud found that volunteers who are recognized for their contributions are more likely to donate money to the organization they are volunteering with.

Best Practices for Recognizing Volunteers

Personalize recognition. Volunteer programs should personalize recognition to each volunteer’s unique contribution and personality. This shows that the organization values and understands the individual’s efforts.

Be specific and timely. When recognizing volunteers, organizations should be specific about what they did and how it contributed to the organization. Also, recognize their efforts as soon as possible to ensure that the volunteer’s contribution is still fresh in their minds.

Provide different forms of recognition. Provide different forms of recognition to accommodate the preferences of volunteers. This could include verbal recognition, certificates, badges, awards, or public acknowledgment.

Make recognition public. Public recognition in front of other volunteers, staff members, or the community can demonstrate to the volunteer that their efforts are valued and appreciated. This can also serve as a motivator for other volunteers within the organization.

Foster a culture of recognition. Nonprofits should encourage staff and other volunteers to recognize and thank each other for their contributions. A culture of recognition can create a positive environment and increase volunteer retention rates.

Rewards and Recognition Features in VolunteerHub

Flexibility

Many volunteers have other commitments outside of providing their time towards the greater good. Nonprofits need to understand that. The number of hours that volunteers have available can vary greatly depending on their individual circumstances. Some volunteers may have a lot of free time and be able to commit to volunteering several hours each week, while others may have limited availability due to work, school, or other commitments. Organizations can reach more volunteers by being flexible with scheduling and offering varying level of time commitments. This can include part-time, evening, weekend, and virtual opportunities. The more flexible a nonprofit makes its volunteer opportunities the easier it will be to recruit talent.

Opportunities for Growth

A large number of volunteers see volunteering as an opportunity to develop or enhance their skills, whether that be in leadership, communication, project management, or other areas. Some volunteers may be students or recent graduates looking to gain practical experience in their field of study, while others may be professionals looking to give back to their community while developing new skills. Organizations can retain volunteers and improve their experience by providing learning and personal growth opportunities.

Takeaways

In conclusion, a positive volunteer experience is critical for nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions successfully. Currently, a volunteer hour is valued at an estimated $31.80 and that figure continues to grow. By prioritizing the needs of the volunteer and implementing strategies such as clear communication, effective training and support, flexibility, rewards and recognition, and growth opportunities, nonprofits can create a robust and engaging volunteer program that attracts and retains volunteers.

The post Delivering a Better Volunteer Experience: 5 Tips for Nonprofits appeared first on VolunteerHub.

By leveraging skill-based volunteers, nonprofit organizations can tap into a valuable pool of qualified talent and take on new challenges. Discover the benefits of skill-based volunteerism and how nonprofits can engage and recruit top talent with these 5 essential tips..

The demand for skill-based volunteers (SBVs) to fill organizational roles within the nonprofit sector is growing in significance. Nonprofits are operating on tighter budgets and stretching their resources more than ever before. The concept of recruiting volunteers with specific skill sets is appealing to nonprofits as it offers them the opportunity to engage qualified volunteers who can fill roles not supported by staff or with limited bandwidth.

Skill-based volunteers have the chance to provide nonprofits with expertise, enhance their skills, tackle new challenges, and distinguish themselves. Effective promotion of skill-based volunteer opportunities creates a win-win scenario for both the organization and the recruited volunteer.

Professionals want opportunity. According to a study by Deloitte, approximately 63% of surveyed professionals prefer volunteer opportunities that allow them to apply their skills and expertise.

Skill-based volunteerism defined

By definition, skill-based volunteerism is the process of volunteers contributing their expertise to directly support the operations of a nonprofit. It is not uncommon for skill-based volunteers to provide support to key business functions, including marketing, accounting, operations, and legal.

According to a report by Common Impact, the average value of a skill-based volunteer hour is estimated to be $150.

A few motivations for filling skill-based roles

Contributions Toward the Greater good

Most volunteers are driven by the desire to utilize their expertise for the greater good. Talented individuals acknowledge the importance of making a positive impact on the community. Despite the growing number of skill-based roles being filled, the demand for such volunteers remains high. Research conducted by Fast Company reveals that 92% of nonprofits express a need for additional pro-bono support.

Opportunity to stand out in the career field

Many volunteers aim to enhance their skill set and achieve career goals. Skill-based volunteerism can offer them a platform to refine their craft. According to a study conducted by Deloitte, 81% of hiring managers take skill-based volunteerism into consideration during the hiring process.

Opportunity Offered by Employers

Another study, by Common Impact, found that nearly 50% of corporations report having a skill-based volunteerism program in place for employees. Some employers offer employees with incentives to provide their time.

These motivations are important for nonprofits to consider when recruiting volunteers for skill-based roles. Here are 5 additional tips for attracting skill-based volunteers

Top 5 Ways to Attract Talented Volunteers with Specific Skills

Promote Specific Job Titles / Roles

Skill-based volunteers seek opportunities that can leverage their unique skill set. Nonprofits aiming to recruit volunteers with specific expertise should provide precise job titles and detailed role descriptions.

Organizations should clearly communicate the required skills, project details, and desired experience level to potential volunteers. This approach helps nonprofits find suitable candidates for the positions. Additionally, promoting specific job titles is appealing to prospects as it allows them to highlight this information on their resumes and portfolios.

Organizations can use volunteer management software to create appealing job titles, descriptions, and a streamlined volunteer recruitment process! 

Offer Incentives

Volunteers, including skill-based prospects, appreciate incentives for their time and effort. Establishing a reward and recognition program is an effective method to attract volunteers, regardless of the nature of the opportunity they engage in. Nonprofits can also leverage professional development as an incentive when recruiting for skill-based roles. Organizations that position these roles as valuable learning experiences that contribute to making a difference will gain an advantage over other nonprofits competing for volunteers’ time and attention.

Focus on Professionalism

Skill-based volunteers seek opportunities with nonprofits that exhibit a high level of professionalism. Demonstrating professionalism indicates to prospects that an organization values its image and respects their time. Nonprofits can showcase professionalism by effectively communicating goals, impact, mission, and values in an organized manner. Being prepared from start to finish to ensure volunteers can fulfill their opportunities successfully is another way for organizations to exhibit professionalism.

Check out this interesting post from Forbes on how to promote professional growth at a nonprofit.

Leverage Networking / Social Media Sites

Create Corporate Partnerships

One of the best ways to find skill-based volunteers is by focusing on creating valuable corporate partnerships. As stated earlier in the post, almost 50% of corporations (at least the ones surveyed) have some form of a corporate volunteer program. Nonprofits can create corporate partnerships by communicating the benefits of a program to business leaders in the community.

The post Attracting Skill-Based Volunteers: 5 Essential Tips for Recruiting Top Talent appeared first on VolunteerHub.

Stop and think of the many different activities your volunteers do each day. Now, think about the risk associated with these activities. A Habitat affiliate, for example, may have volunteers operating saws, applying roofing shingles, putting up drywall, or transporting materials. A food bank may use volunteers to deliver meals, stack heavy boxes, operate forklifts, or assist with door-to-door collection campaigns.

The risk of injury, general liability, or even death can vary greatly based on the activity and the nature of the nonprofit’s mission. Is your nonprofit exposing itself to unnecessary liability because of its current liability waiver collection process?

If you answered ‘yes’ to the previous question (or you’re not totally sure), VolunteerHub is excited to unveil its newest feature: advanced liability waivers.

What is a Volunteer Liability Waiver?

Note: If your organization is already using liability waivers, you might want to skip to the next section of this article.

In a nutshell, a volunteer liability waiver (sometimes also called a “volunteer release form”) is a document that volunteers are required to sign before they are allowed to participate in your activities. The actual language in the document can vary significantly, based on your organization’s mission. However, waivers typically require the volunteer to hold the nonprofit harmless in the event of an accident or other event. They also help specify the scope of the volunteer’s relationship with your organization. In the event of an unforeseen accident, the document serves as a guide for both parties.

A quick Google search will turn up dozens of volunteer liability form templates and resources. The Nonprofit Risk Management Center website offers a free template, which may be helpful to organizations that are researching this subject. However, before you use any such waiver form, proper legal counsel should be sought.

Why Should I Use VolunteerHub’s Advanced Liability Waivers?

To answer this question, let’s look at three specific scenarios.

Scenario 1: Managing Multiple, Job or Date-Specific Liability Forms

As we alluded to in the first paragraph, it may not make sense for your organization to have a single waiver form for all volunteers. In fact, many of our customers have several forms. We find this to be especially true for high-risk volunteer activity. Let’s face it – stuffing envelopes is usually less risky than operating a band saw. Not surprisingly, some nonprofits customize their release forms to address the specifics of the job being performed.

Nonprofits may also need to set an expiration date for waivers. For example, some nonprofits have their waivers updated annually by their legal departments. In this case, it would make sense to set an expiration date prior to the review date, ensuring all volunteers have accepted the latest version of the release.

VolunteerHub can easily accommodate both of these requirements, thanks to the advanced liability waivers feature. Here’s how it works:

Select Your Waiver & Expiration Date

When creating a new volunteer opportunity, administrators can select from the waiver gallery or create a new waiver.

If creating a new waiver, you can easily set an expiration date.

Volunteers are Prompted to Accept the Waiver When Signing Up

When registering for the event, volunteers are prompted to accept the waiver electronically by checking a box.

Scenario 2: Waivers for Minors

At VolunteerHub, we understand the importance of ensuring a smooth and seamless experience for both minors and their parents/guardians when it comes to event waivers. That’s why we’ve implemented a user-friendly waiver process specifically designed for minors. Our volunteer management solution takes the hassle out of obtaining and recording waivers, allowing everyone to focus on what really matters – the volunteer event itself.

By default, our system offers the option to either select a printed waiver or a digital waiver. If you wish to require the waiver be printed or require it be done digitally, you can easily do so within our site settings menu.

For minors opting for printed waivers, our system makes the process incredibly simple. Once a minor registers for an event, our system automatically detects their age and prompts them to complete a required waiver. The minor waiver form is pre-populated with signature and date lines, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

Minors also receive a copy of the waiver for their records. To gain entry to the event, all they need to do is have a guardian sign the printed waiver and bring it with them. At the event, our system allows you to effortlessly record the receipt of the signed waiver in the user’s profile or through our convenient OnSite check-in feature.

Quick and Secure Consent

Our digital youth waivers offer an easy way for parents/guardians to provide consent. During the registration process, minors are presented with the option to email the waiver to their parent/guardian.

Once the minor clicks ‘Send Request’, an email is automatically sent to the parent/guardian. With just a single click on ‘Provide Consent,’ the parent/guardian gains access to the waiver. If they already have their own VolunteerHub account and are logged in, their name will be automatically filled in. If not, they can easily type their name to signify their consent.

In the event that a parent/guardian initially declines the waiver, our system provides a convenient option to return to the waiver and accept it later.

Scenario 3: Streamlining Registration & Onsite Check-in

Once your volunteers have accepted a waiver, VolunteerHub automatically keeps record of it in the “signed waivers archive”. When repeat volunteers return to help, the system checks the archive and bypasses the waiver acceptance process. This keeps your volunteers from having to jump through unnecessary hoops.

This feature also helps streamline the onsite check-in process, particularly with processing walk-up volunteers. From the administrator’s tablet, smartphone, or laptop, he or she can review the volunteer’s waiver history with a few clicks. No more calling the main office and digging through file folders!

Request a Demo of VolunteerHub

With VolunteerHub, your organization can implement a streamlined, organized, process for collecting and maintaining liability waivers. To learn more about VolunteerHub how can help you recruit, engage, and manage volunteers; request a demo today.

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VolunteerHub has helped West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM) reduce administrative time, grow active volunteers, increase donations, and better engage corporate partners. We had an opportunity to talk to Matthew Herrera, Volunteer Experience Manager for  WHAM and learn how his organization is leveraging VolunteerHub.

What is your role with WHAM? What is the day-to-day like?

Matthew: As an organization, we run a food pantry and a resale store. We also have client services focused on job readiness and education. My role as a volunteer manager is to oversee all three programs, in terms of volunteers. I provide food pantry volunteers, client service volunteers, and resale store volunteers. Our biggest program is our food pantry. Last year, we assisted over 130,000 people and gave out 2.6 million pounds of food. Food coming in and food going out is handled by our volunteers, and our staff of 8 people. 6 days out of week, we have volunteers involved in something here at WHAM.

What is the aim of WHAM?

Matthew: Our clients come to use in crisis, our goal is to get them to self-sufficiency.

When did you launch your instance of VolunteerHub?

Matthew: I started with WHAM a little less than a year-ago and we launched VolunteerHub June 1st. Since launching VolunteerHub, we have had over 1400 volunteers fulfill opportunities. We have had extreme success with VolunteerHub, allowing us to increase our impact and better support the community. I am hoping other volunteer managers will listen to this conversation, and can model what we have done to grow our program.

How did you manage volunteers before VolunteerHub?

Matthew: When I started with WHAM, volunteer data was managed with manually. Our volunteers would fill out a form, I would copy the information and paste it into Microsoft Access, and then I would have to send an email to the background check provider we previously worked with. The process was so inefficient, prone to errors, took up way to much of my time, and forced volunteers to wait a week to get through the process and finally schedule, an unacceptable amount. Our database was also not cloud-based so I could not access it unless I was at my computer. Our old process was not sustainable which led me to explore volunteer management software. Everything in the nonprofit space should be as automated as possible as most nonprofits operate or thin margins, and little staff. Volunteer management software is an investment, but, there are grants available for technology and the ROI is worth the cost.

When you were vetting volunteer management software, what features were you looking for?

Matthew: I will upfront, I evaluated seven or eight different volunteer management companies, it wasn’t just VolunteerHub. VolunteerHub was the best, but we did do our due-diligence to come to that determination. We needed automated emails so that we could mass communicate with volunteers, at a very fast pace. My goal coming in, was to flood WHAM with volunteers. Second, I needed a solution to automate volunteer registration and eliminate copy and pasting. I wanted volunteer data stored in one central location, and for volunteers to be able to register from their phone, in order to take advantage of QR codes and auto-fill. Third, we needed an online event sign-up process. Finally, we needed a better process for getting background checks back, faster. The integration between VolunteerHub and Sterling has been huge for us.

What features of VolunteerHub have been the most valuable?

VolunteerHub has provided us with a fast automated system for managing volunteers. The ability to create landing pages that can be customized by organization has been huge for us, and our ability to engage corporate partners. Group Manager is huge, the less emails that partners have to send the better and Group Manager streamlines the process for our internal contacts. Third, reminders emails and OnSite Check-In are a game changer for us and our ability expedite processes for our volunteers and corporate groups.

What has your experience been like with VolunteerHub implementation, training, and support?

It is fantastic, I cant stress the importance of post-purchase support and VolunteerHub stands behind the software.

What has been the ROI of VolunteerHub? 

By implementing VolunteerHub, I save 10-15 hours per week, we have substantially increased the number of active volunteers in our database, we have increased our number of corporate partners, and through new donors, impacted by the software ease-of-use, we have paid for 3-years of VolunteerHub within 9-months. The ROI is huge. I am the only person in the volunteer department and because of these systems I have been able to manage 1400 volunteers and still have time to focus on growing the program, holistically. It truly is amazing that with automation one person can manage that many people.

Listen to the full audio recording

Ready to transform your volunteer program?

West Houston Assistance Ministries is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission.  VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.

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