Using Salesforce to Manage Volunteers: 3 Tips for Volunteer Leaders

Managing volunteers in a nonprofit organization can feel like a juggling act, but Salesforce, a powerful CRM platform with nonprofit-specific features, can make a world of difference by helping track schedules, interactions, and stay connected with your team.

In this guide, you’ll learn 3 practical tips to use Salesforce to improve volunteer management.

Understanding Salesforce for Volunteer Management    

What Does Salesforce Offer for Nonprofits?

Salesforce provides powerful tools tailored for nonprofits, including its Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP).

The NPSP is a free, open-source toolset that helps organizations manage donor relationships, programs, and volunteers all in one place. Learn more about the NPSP.

Key Salesforce features include:

• Constituent management: Keep volunteer records updated, complete with skills, preferences, and participation history.
• Reports and dashboards: Gain insights into volunteer activity and engagement.
• Attendance tracking: Monitor who shows up for recurring events and identify trends.
• Personalized email templates: Send timely, engaging communications to engage your team.

So, how can NPSP features make life easier for volunteer managers? Here are 3 tips to help you effectively manage volunteers with Salesforce

Top 3 Tips for Effective Volunteer Management With Salesforce

1. Leverage Reports and Dashboards to Track Your Volunteers' Engagement 

Salesforce has many pre-built reports and dashboards designed specifically for nonprofits. Make sure to take advantage of these!

You can use these tools to track key metrics like volunteer attendance, hours worked, and overall engagement. 

For example:

• Want to identify your most active volunteers? You can filter data by hours logged to pinpoint top contributors. 
• Curious about who hasn’t volunteered in a while? Try running a report to flag inactive volunteers and re-engage them with a tailored email. 

These insights aren’t just numbers—they’re opportunities to foster stronger relationships with your volunteers!

2. Use Salesforce’s Customized Profiles for More Efficient Volunteer Communication 

Every volunteer is unique, and Salesforce allows you to capture those details.

By creating comprehensive profiles for each volunteer, you can store everything from contact information to skills and interests in one place. 

Why is this important?

Imagine knowing:

• Which volunteers have a knack for social media and could help with an upcoming campaign?
• Who prefers weekend shifts versus weekdays? 
• Which volunteers have completed specific training programs for specialized roles?

This information empowers you to assign tasks efficiently and reach out with relevant opportunities. This goes a long way in volunteer engagement and retention. Plus, it makes your volunteers feel valued and understood—a win-win!

3. Explore Salesforce’s Automated Volunteer Scheduling and Communication Features to Save Time

Managing volunteer schedules can be a challenge, but Salesforce’s automation tools will make it easier for you.

• Schedule Recurring Shifts: Use Salesforce to easily assign volunteers to ongoing roles, like weekly tutoring sessions or monthly clean-up efforts. 
• Send Reminders Automatically: Schedule reminder emails a few days before shifts, helping volunteers stay informed and reducing no-shows. 
• Personalize Follow-Ups: After an event, thank your volunteers by name and share event results (e.g., “Thanks to your efforts, we cleaned up over 200 pounds of trash this weekend!”). 

By streamlining these tasks, you’ll have more time to focus on making an impact while ensuring your team feels valued and informed.

Make Volunteer Management Simpler With Salesforce 

With tools like Salesforce, you can build stronger volunteer relationships, streamline operations, and focus your time where it matters most. 

By using Salesforce’s custom profiles, detailed reports, and automation for scheduling and communication, you’ll empower your volunteer program to thrive. 

Needing more functionality to manage volunteers with Salesforce? Look at HandsOn Connect, a native Salesforce app, that offers an incredible library of customizable volunteer management features.