What is the best volunteer tracking software for nonprofits?

Volunteer tracking software is a niche tool designed to support organisations to efficiently manage and monitor their volunteer activities. Rather than manage these day-to-day tasks via manual methods including a paper-based approach or as spreadsheets, this information can be accessed via a central location. This ensures that tracking key information such as volunteer tasks, hours, shifts, and profile information are done so accurately.

This software also provides specific features that are designed to not only save staff time but also improve volunteer engagement and accountability. Whether you're running a large nonprofit, a community group, or a hospital volunteer program, volunteer tracking software ensures you have a clear, organised view of your volunteer efforts and impact.

Find out more about our volunteer tracking software

Investing in volunteer tracking software can transform how the overall volunteer journey is managed – a key reason for this is automation. This software automates many day-to-day processes, making it easier to manage schedules, track hours, and communicate with volunteers – all in one place. What’s more, it can ensure that you see tangible benefits from this investment including:

• Saved time – that allows Volunteer Managers to focus on priority areas
• Improved accuracy – avoiding human error that can slow down processes such as recruitment
• Increased volunteer applications – allowing you to ensure your rota is consistently at capacity
• Strengthening volunteer engagement – ensuring that your volunteers remain enthused about your organisation’s mission

From a financial perspective, seeing these tangible benefits – and having the ability to report on them – can support you in demonstrating this impact to funders, boards, and the wider community. Not only can you make informed decisions surrounding your volunteers, but it also strengthens your position when looking to justify funding.

Are you in the market for volunteer coordinator software? Watch our video to see the tangible benefits our customers have experienced with Access Assemble!

Time waits for nobody and this is no different where volunteer management is concerned. The main obstacle for any Volunteer Manager is time and a suitable volunteer tracking system will help to alleviate this factor in a number of areas. Below, we provide common scenarios that you may encounter and how volunteer tracking software can offer a solution.

Time wasted on admin tasks

Admin tasks can easily eat into your schedule if you’re not careful. This is particularly common when onboarding an applicant through the recruitment process, where questionnaires and safeguarding tasks are required. In this scenario, it isn’t uncommon for an applicant to work through the process in stages, rather than complete it in one sitting.

Solution: Encouraging automated reminders

Where an applicant may have stalled on an onboarding task, Access Assemble provides you with the ability to send automated reminders when an applicant goes dormant. These reminders act as a gentle nudge to encourage the applicant to see the process through – while saving the Volunteer Manager the trouble of writing the message out themselves!

Find out more about our recruitment feature

Gaps in your rota

Gaps in your rota are an obvious obstacle to avoid. When this occurs, it can lead to understaffing – with the knock-on effect being low morale among your volunteers. How to track volunteer hours can be tricky for Volunteer Managers, especially when balancing several focuses at once.

Solution: Allowing volunteers to self-manage their shifts

Our rota feature provides volunteers with self-serve capability, where they are able to view rotas in real time, adding shifts to suit their busy lives. In addition, they can also see at a glance when your rota has enough volunteers or if more volunteers are required. This encouragement for volunteers to self-manage takes pressure off the Volunteer Manager, ensuring that rotas are looking healthy in the process!

Find out more about our rota functionality

Volunteers feeling isolated

Once volunteers are recruited, their journey doesn’t end there. When performing their day-to-day role, they will require support from their respective Volunteer Manager to keep them updated. A lack of interaction can therefore lead to feelings of isolation, causing them to look for a new role elsewhere. 

Solution: Consistent Volunteer Manager-volunteer communication

Access Assemble facilitates a closer relationship between Volunteer Managers and their volunteers via regular communications. Whether this is a personal message that acknowledges their hard work or sharing a news article about the organisation, it ensures that volunteers remain both informed and enthused during their time with you.

Find out more about our communication feature

Volunteers not knowing what is expected of them

A scenario to avoid is a volunteer not knowing what is expected of them day-to-day. In turn, it can very quickly lead to them feeling underwhelmed by the volunteering experience – making their time with you limited. This can easily be avoided by providing structure with a consistent task strategy.

Solution: Assign clear tasks

With Access Assemble, you can play to your volunteers’ strengths by assigning tasks that you know they can complete to a high standard. Our task management feature allows you to:

• Create and assign specific tasks
• Include an overview of what is required
• Set deadlines for respective tasks
• Send reminders where required

Once completed, you can then measure their impact – making informed decisions on what steps to take in future!

Find out more about our task management feature

Not prioritising diversity and inclusion

Diversity in volunteering is essential as it brings people together to create a more inclusive environment that promotes learning and understanding, while breaking down barriers and stereotypes. Failing to promote a diverse and inclusive environment could run the risk of alienating certain groups – who would no doubt be an asset to your organisation.

Solution: Report on diversity data

Our diversity and inclusion software eliminates the manual process of capturing and reporting on diversity data, while enabling you to ask additional customised questions tailored to your specific requirements. Based on your findings, you can determine whether you hit the mark where diversity is concerned – and rectify this if not!

Find out more about our diversity and inclusion feature

When looking at how to keep track of volunteers and the processes surrounding them, you can save considerable time moving away from manual processes and taking a more digital approach. Time is money – and by saving on valuable time and focusing on priority areas, you can take your organisation’s success to the next level – all while creating an environment where your volunteers can thrive.

Speak to one of our experts about volunteer tracking software