Federal spending is expected to drop by 8% in the next two years, meaning that funding opportunities for nonprofits are likely to decline. In these uncertain times, nonprofits rely on volunteers more than ever to fill the gap. However, with volunteers coming and going frequently, it can be difficult to manage their onboarding and workloads to ensure that every critical task is completed.
In addition, nonprofits are working within thin margins. They often stick with legacy software or paper systems because they think they can't afford a new and improved program. However, businesses that implement data management software can see a 348% return on investment within three years.
This same idea can be applied to nonprofits. Volunteer coordinators use volunteer management software like PlanStreet to save time on administrative processes, maximizing each volunteer's skillset. Let's dive further into must-have features and how they can help your nonprofit manage volunteers effectively.
What is Volunteer Management in a Case Management System?
Volunteer management in a case management system is the tools and processes that help nonprofits coordinate every aspect of their volunteer program. This includes:
- Recruiting
- Onboarding
- Scheduling
- Communication
- Tracking activities
Many nonprofits need a case management system to interact with and track the clients they care for. It's beneficial for this software to integrate with volunteer coordination, allowing supervisors to track connections between daily operations and volunteer experience. For example, a certain volunteer may be in charge of purchasing groceries for a food pantry. If there's a discrepancy with a receipt, case management software can track who was working that day, and you can resolve the issue faster.
This differs from standalone volunteer tools, which focus on one or two specific tasks. They require you to manually input data from one software to another (which spells disaster for data). With case management software, all the tools you need are in one place, increasing your time to spend on critical community work.
How Case Management Software Enhances Coordinating Your Nonprofit's Volunteers
With volunteer management software, nonprofits can better coordinate both their clients and volunteers in one platform. It simplifies everyday tasks that can be burdensome when done the old-fashioned way. A case management system makes it easier to coordinate volunteers through:
- Shift matching: Coordinators can match volunteers to opportunities that connect with their skills and interests.
- Faster communication: Email, SMS, and push notifications make it easier to send real-time messages to a large group at one time.
- Real-time reporting: Demand for nonprofit services has increased by 70% since 2021. Analytics can help nonprofits see which services are most used by clients and send regular reports to donors about progress.
- Lower overhead: Tools in case management software help each step of the process go faster, reducing costly admin time.
Top 10 Volunteer Management Features You Need
It's important to assess what features you need for managing volunteers at your nonprofit. Avoid purchasing multiple subscriptions that keep data separate. This wastes time in the long run and drives up costs. Instead, review the volunteer management features below to understand how they can improve your volunteer's experience and help each step go smoothly.
1. Volunteer Recruitment and Onboarding
26.4% of surveyed volunteer managers said that recruiting is their biggest challenge. They struggle to find volunteers who are available when they are needed and often want to find specific populations to diversify their teams.
Case management software can simplify the recruitment and onboarding process. Communication tools like email and SMS can alert current volunteers of when the pool starts to dwindle, encouraging them to reach out to friends, family, and community members to join the cause.
The actual onboarding process can be fraught with errors. If there is not an identified workflow, an interested volunteer may fall through the cracks. Case management software can help establish:
- Easy sign-ups: online forms include fields that change based on selection.
- Background checks: each task in a background check can be checked off as it goes. Nonprofit coordinators can see where each potential volunteer is in the process, and check in as needed.
- Contact database: all volunteer contact information can be collected upon sign-up and stored, so it's always possible to get in touch with someone.
- Training: easily schedule and set up training sessions with new volunteers to get them up to speed and ready to serve.
2. Role & Task Assignment
Every volunteer will come with a different skill set. The challenge for nonprofits is to match them with the work that best fits them. Using online forms, you can ask volunteers about the work they are most interested in doing. This information is stored in the system, and you can utilize the following for role and task assignments:
- Role templates: predefined positions that define the responsibilities, requirements, and expectations for each volunteer position.
- Time tracking: track the amount each volunteer wants to serve (and then what they end up doing) to match them to the right role assignment.
- Task matching: based on their onboarding forms, a case management system can suggest the best tasks for each volunteer.
3. Availability & Scheduling Tools
Volunteers are unpaid, so your nonprofit needs to work with their schedule and availability. Volunteer management software offers real-time calendars with shift planning tools. Your volunteers can give their availability, and you can slot them in the shifts. Volunteers can even self-schedule by signing up for available shifts.
4. Volunteer Time Tracking and Attendance
Many teenage and young adult volunteers do so to fulfill volunteer requirements for high school or college programs. You need time-tracking features to help them obtain these requirements. Hour reports are also critical for grants and donor updates, showing the success of your volunteer programs.
Vital tools for time tracking include:
- Clock-in and clock-out tools
- Mobile time tracking (so that volunteers can log time anywhere)
- Attendance tracking over time
These tools can also help you identify your hardest-working volunteers and give them recognition via volunteer emails or awards such as "volunteer of the month.
5. Communication & Alerts
The average value of volunteer time per hour is $34.79. For their sake and yours, you don't want to waste any of it. Volunteer coordination software comes with communication and alert tools to help your internal team update volunteers quickly. You can send out messages through the case management software or utilize SMS and email alerts.
Sending volunteers reminders via text message decreases the flake rate of attendance. Timely updates keep them engaged---after all, people are busy. They may simply forget they signed up to volunteer unless you remind them.
6. Training & Certification Management
Many nonprofits require specialized skills for specific tasks. For example, many animal rescues require extra training for volunteers who administer medication. Case management software assists in scheduling training programs and tracking which volunteers have completed them. Additionally, you can upload documents and certifications to verify each training.
7. Volunteer Performance & Feedback Tools
Volunteer performance and feedback tools help nonprofits track, evaluate, and improve the contributions and experiences of their volunteers. These tools support data-driven decision-making, help keep volunteers active and engaged, and help nonprofits make systems better and better.
Volunteer engagement tools to look for include:
- Feedback Collection: built-in survey tools or feedback forms allow organizations to gather input from volunteers about their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement.
- Performance Tracking: volunteer coordination software tracks volunteer hours, attendance, and activities.
- Volunteer Portals: volunteers can access their performance data, see feedback, and track progress toward milestones.
Staff can use these tools to review volunteers' contributions and ensure that they're fit for the best roles within the organization.
8. Customizable Forms & Reports
While forms are critical in the onboarding process, they are needed throughout a volunteer's time at a nonprofit. Case management software can ease the process of creating online forms for:
- Applications
- Registration forms
- Waivers
- Shift reports
- Background check authorization forms
Case management software offers robust analytics so that you can generate reports quickly based on your grant funding requirements. Plus, it helps build trust with your donors, one of the key ways to retain their support. Showing donors how many volunteers you have and the important work that you're doing can encourage them to give more, elevating your ability to serve the community.
"With PlanStreet, we can report back to our funder. So we were able to get information in a place that we could easily then send reports to them about." - Denise Renee Noris, Eviction Mediation Program Coordinator | Center for Housing and Community Studies UNCG
9. Volunteer Engagement Analytics and Reporting
Nonprofits need to track engagement and retention to see patterns of why they might be losing volunteers. Reporting tools allow you to track participation over time and understand trends---and hopefully stop them before they cause an issue in your everyday work.
Studies have shown that investing in training, helping diverse volunteers feel included, and positive organizational support all increase retention rates. Case management tools can help you pinpoint top volunteers. Be sure to send thank you emails or give them small gifts. A $10 Starbucks card or a reusable water bottle can go a long way in making someone feel valued.
10. Integration with Donor or Program Data
A unified database allows you to understand the scope of a volunteer's commitment to your nonprofit. They may be connected in a way that's important to understand, such as receiving a service as a client previously or first donating money to the cause. Case management software allows you to build a 360° volunteer profile, helping you understand what drives people to volunteer in the first place.
Why These Features Matter for Nonprofits, Agencies, and Community Programs
These features help nonprofits, agencies, and community programs provide more services to the community.
For example, food banks rely heavily on volunteers to sort, pack, distribute food, and reach out to the community. Integrating volunteer management features within case management software helps food banks:
- Attract a diverse pool of volunteers, including younger people who prefer using their computers or phones.
- Increase engagement with volunteers through messaging and notifications about shifts, events, and organizational needs.
- Analyze volunteer trends, track participation, and measure the impact of volunteer contributions.
How to Choose the Right Case Management System with Volunteer Tools
With many options on the market, you need to choose the right case management system for your firm. When looking at different options, ask yourself the following questions:
- Can the software grow with your nonprofit?
- Are there tiered pricing options?
- Does it support analytics?
Before signing up for a subscription, complete the following steps to choose the right volunteer case management system:
- Prioritize: Figure out which features are "must-haves" versus "nice-to-haves" before evaluating each software.
- Collaborate: Involve volunteer coordinators and advisors, to ensure the software meets practical needs.
- Test: Use demos or trial versions to evaluate usability and feature fit.
- Score: Assign weights or scores to each criterion based on your mission and workflow.
Empower Volunteers to Join Your Cause With PlanStreet
Volunteers are what keep most nonprofits running day in and day out. Value their time and hard work with a system that's easy for them to use. Volunteer case management features allow nonprofits to maximize their volunteer skills, and in turn, it makes it easier than ever for volunteers to sign up for shifts and get involved with causes they care about.
With case management software like PlanStreet, you can elevate your volunteer program to new heights. See our volunteer management features in action and schedule a demo with PlanStreet today.