Features You Must Look For In A Volunteer Management System

Technology has transformed many ways people do their daily tasks, and now even non-profit charitable organizations have gotten a taste of it. With more than 70 million people volunteering annually in the United States alone, non-profits have turned to the latest software for help.

Volunteer management software for non-profits essentially helps with better management and keeps track of their volunteers’ impact. Thankfully, there are a number of options available when it comes to such programs, each with better features than the other.

While this makes sure that you can get whatever you are looking for, it can often make choosing the perfect one a lot more confusing. If you are in the midst of looking for the best volunteer management software for your non-profit, this article is a great read. Here you will find a few of the must-have features you must include in your purchase.

 

• Tracking And Reporting Of Volunteer Hours:

The majority of non-profits are community organizations, and as one, it is essential that they communicate as well as keep track of their impact. This further helps build enthusiasm and retain stakeholders’ support. This is also why you should look for a volunteer management program that comes with the ability to create custom reports along with the conventional reporting tool.

With better and more accurate reports, your stakeholders’ are surer of where you are allocating your resources. It will show that you are allocating all resources as needed and consistently working towards the primary mission. The easiest way to capture accurate data is by tracking volunteer hours.Out of the many volunteer management systems you can find, each offers a myriad of the way this can be done.

For instance, some provide a mobile volunteer app that will automatically log all hours; others need an online check-in kiosk for attendance. Basically, they allow automated tracking with comprehensive reports that can save you a lot of time on menial administrative tasks. You can then use this time to focus on the more critical factors, like building rapport with stakeholders.

• Online Background Check:

Another essential feature that you should not miss out on is online background checks. Risk minimizing is absolutely important when it comes to volunteer organizations. It helps create a more cordial, friendly, and safer environment to work in.

Before finalizing on particular volunteer management software, make sure it offers quality background screening. How intensively a volunteer’s background gets checked can vary, so it is best you choose a reputable provider. By implementing background checks in your system, you can be a lot more productive and efficient.

This further helps offer a better overall experience for your volunteers. When any volunteer registers through the management platform, they will automatically be redirected to a check form they have to complete. Each data can then be attached to the specific volunteer’s profile, allowing you to find and go through it quickly.

• Better Communication:

 Multichannel communication is key when running a non-profit since you always have to maintain real connections with your volunteers. With a program that comes with Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) capabilities, this can be made a lot more efficient and more accessible for the coordinator. With such systems, you can easily send texts or emails to community partners and volunteers.

More so, it omits the necessity for a separate CRM service or building long email lists. This is what makes having software that automatically filters the contacts based on particular preferences crucial to run a non-profit smoothly. You can also choose certain filters to use, including availability, interests, skills, programs, or others. The site should be able to gather the necessary profile information and email addresses since the volunteers have to register for your site.

This way, you can quickly establish contact with any new or existing volunteer. You can also look for additional features like automated communication, social media integration, mobile notifications, and volunteer text messages.

• Matching Volunteers By Skills And Interests:

It is pretty evident that if like-minded people work together, the task will get completed a lot sooner and more efficiently. However, given the considerable volunteer database, it is not possible for the coordinator to group them accordingly, even if they have the data.

This is why a volunteer management system that automates matching each volunteer according to their skills and interests becomes crucial. In addition, by knowing which group is better at what skill, you can communicate with them and offer a tailored user experience.

The system will help offer more informed opportunity suggestions, making it easier for the volunteers to choose programs they like. If a volunteer is perhaps more passionate about a particular cause, they will more likely become a long-term supporter.

To put it in perspective, you should only choose a volunteer management system that has features to make your job as the coordinatora lot easier. It should replace having to fill out long spreadsheets and save you time and resources. The easiest way to ensure that you have chosen the correct system is if it takes into account all aspects of your volunteer program, right from engagement to management.

There are many such services you can find in the market. Make sure they are pretty well-known in the industry for their flawless software and customer service. It would help if you also considered checking their overall industry reputation and client testimonials. That will give you a good idea of if you are making the right choice.