Most nonprofits rely on volunteers to one degree or another. And while volunteer scheduling might sound like a pretty dry topic (and, don’t get us wrong, it very much is), it’s also one of those key volunteer management cornerstones that no organization can afford to overlook.
In this article, we’ll break down how to set up an effective volunteer scheduling system for your organization—one that delivers for both your supporters and your staff members. But, in case you don’t believe us, let’s start by diving a little deeper into why volunteer scheduling matters.
Why Volunteer Scheduling Matters
Masting the not-dark-art of volunteer scheduling will do more than solve your logistical headaches—it’ll provide a strategic advantage for your nonprofit.
When done well, it ensures that the right volunteers are available at the right times, contributing to a seamless operation that benefits your mission and helps your fundraising.
Here’s why effective volunteer scheduling can do so much for your organization:
- Operational Efficiency: Volunteers are needed across many functions, including events and ongoing programs. Effective scheduling ensures no gaps in coverage and prevents overstaffing, which can disrupt operations and reduce productivity.
- Volunteer Satisfaction & Retention: Volunteers who feel their time is valued and well-utilized are more likely to stay committed. By accommodating volunteers’ schedules and interests, nonprofits can foster a positive volunteer experience that boosts morale.
- Consistent Services: Regular volunteers provide a sense of continuity for clients and other stakeholders, creating trust and reliability. When schedules are clear and consistent, volunteers know when and where they’re needed, reducing confusion and last-minute scrambling.
Now that we’ve laid out the primary benefits of leveling up your volunteer scheduling game, let’s dive into the nitty gritty.
Getting Ready to Schedule Volunteers
Before implementing a volunteer schedule, you need to build a strong foundation.
You can do that by understanding volunteer availability, defining your different volunteer roles, and leveraging the right tools to streamline the process.
Assess Volunteer Availability & Skills
When onboarding a new volunteer, use your forms to gather data about each volunteer’s availability, interests, and skills. For existing volunteers, you can accomplish this same task by sending out a survey.
This information you get from these forms (and/or surveys) will help you understand who’s available when and for which roles they are best suited.
On that note, we recommend you try to assign volunteers to different roles and schedules based not only on availability but also on skills and interests.
Matching volunteers to roles that align with their strengths can lead to higher engagement and better outcomes.
Define Roles and Shifts
Next, clearly define each of your different volunteer roles and their specific requirements, including the tasks, time commitment, and necessary skills.
For instance, if you need volunteers to assist with your fundraising gala, make it clear whether they’ll be managing registration, coordinating activities, or helping with setup and cleanup.
When building your schedule, make sure you are breaking shifts into manageable time blocks.
Shorter shifts, such as two to four hours, will probably going to be more appealing to volunteers, especially for events.
Longer shifts may be appropriate for tasks that require more consistency, like tutoring or mentorship programs, but those are pretty specific roles that are easy to separate from more general volunteer responsibilities.
Choose the Right Scheduling Tools
Scheduling a large group of volunteers by hand is no picnic—unless your idea of a picnic involves getting attacked by bees, struck by lightning, and felled by poisoning (darn devilled eggs!) all in the same afternoon.
Technology can help. It can really, really help.
Volunteer management tools come with centralized calendars, custom sign-up forms, communications tools, volunteer profiles, and a ton of other capabilities that make you better, faster, and less prone to stress migraines.
You can learn more about the top volunteer management software options—including Neon CRM—in this article:
9 Strategies for Effective Volunteer Scheduling
Okay, once all your preparation is done and your foundation is in place, it’s time to execute. Here are nine proven and effective volunteer scheduling strategies to help you keep your volunteer corps up-to-date, ready to go, and over the moon.
1. Maintain a Centralized Calendar
Having a single, shared calendar that’s accessible to all your volunteers ensures everyone can see available shifts, upcoming events, and their own commitments.
This transparency will minimize confusion and give volunteers a clear view of how their efforts fit into the larger picture.
2. Use Flexible Scheduling Options
Offer flexible shifts that accommodate different schedules! Some of your volunteers may only be available in the evenings, while others might have more time on weekends.
By providing a range of shifts (morning, afternoon, evening, weekdays, weekends, etc.), you can engage a wider pool of volunteers.
Another way to build flexibility is by using shorter, more frequent shifts, which is particularly effective for tasks like phone banking or social media outreach, where volunteers will naturally want to contribute in shorter bursts.
3. Plan for No-Shows and Last-Minute Cancellations
Even the most committed volunteers occasionally need to cancel at the last minute—so you need to be prepared for when (not if) this happens.
What you’ll need to do is maintain a pool of backup volunteers who can step in when needed. Having a reliable backup list ensures that critical roles are always covered.
3. Encourage Self-Scheduling
Allow your volunteers to sign up for shifts that fit their availability.
Self-scheduling not only empowers volunteers but also increases accountability. When volunteers choose their shifts, they are more likely to show up and follow through.
For popular shifts, you can incorporate a waitlist, so if someone cancels, another volunteer can easily step in.
5. Plan for Peak Times and Events
Large events or peak seasons (like holidays and major fundraisers) are going to require additional planning and volunteer coverage.
Begin scheduling for these events well in advance, and consider staggered shifts to avoid volunteer burnout.
During peak times, break down roles into more specific tasks. For instance, if you’re holding a community food drive, you should have separate shifts for sorting, packing, and distributing items.
Breaking roles down like this into more discrete tasks makes it easier to fill shifts and provides clear guidelines for volunteers—all of which will be extra helpful during the mad holiday rush.
6. Set Clear Expectations from the Start
Successful scheduling relies on clear communication.
Make sure your volunteers understand the expectations for their role, including start and end times, specific duties, and any preparation required.
Providing orientation sessions or written guides for different roles during the onboarding process can reduce confusion and help your volunteers feel more confident in their duties.
7. Send Regular Reminders
Automated reminders via email, SMS, or app notifications can dramatically reduce no-shows.
Set reminders a few days before the shift, as well as on the day of the shift itself, to ensure that volunteers remember their commitments.
8. Avoid Overbooking
Double-booking or scheduling more volunteers than necessary can lead to inefficiency and, more importantly, lead to frustrated volunteers who decide they no longer want to be involved.
This is a really great place to employ real-time updates and clear, direct communication. If a shift becomes overbooked, proactively offer volunteers the chance to switch to another shift.
9. Gather Feedback Regularly
After shifts or events, ask your volunteers for feedback about the scheduling process. Did the shift length work well? Was the communication clear?
Gathering input helps you refine and optimize the process for the future, making the experience better for both volunteers and staff.
If you want some help writing questions for your volunteer surveys, this article will help:
Improve Your Volunteer Scheduling with Neon CRM
If you want to build a super team of committed longtime volunteers with the passion, skills, and experience to really deliver on your mission, then you need to get good at scheduling them. It’s not the whole ballgame, but it’s at least an inning or two.
By following the preparation tactics and strategies laid out in this article, you’ll be well on your way to building an effective volunteer scheduling process. But in order to become a volunteer scheduling master, you’ll need to find a volunteer management tool.
Neon CRM is a comprehensive nonprofit software platform that comes with a ton of awesome volunteer features—and that’s on top of our solutions for donor management, fundraising, events, memberships, email, SMS, grants, and more!
If you’d like to see Neon CRM in action, sign up for one of our regularly scheduled group demos. These 30-minute sessions will give a broad overview of what the platform can do for your nonprofit—all with zero pressure to buy.
Click below to sign up for an upcoming demo. We’ll see you there!
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