Why the Value of Volunteer Time Matters in 2025

If you're a volunteer manager for a nonprofit or charitable organization, you may struggle to account for volunteer time and efforts, or the dollar value of that time.

And with so much to do and so few hands on deck, you may have put figuring out volunteer time tracking and management on the back burner.

The truth is, however, tracking the value of volunteer time is more important than ever as a priority in 2025.

Is it Important to Track Volunteer Value?

Tracking volunteer time allows nonprofits to:

• Get Financial Support: Detailed volunteer records are often key for securing grants, convincing supporters to donate, and even enticing like-minded organizations to team up.
  
  
• Strategically Plan: By understanding where and when volunteers contribute most, organizations can make smarter decisions about resource allocation and program development.
  
  
• Visualize Impact: Every volunteer opportunity and volunteer role is different. Precise tracking across all efforts turns volunteer efforts into clear, tangible numbers that showcase the real significant impact volunteers make in the community and the importance of volunteering.
  
  
• Show Volunteer Appreciation: Tracking volunteer work and hours enables more personalized recognition, helping volunteers feel valued and encouraging their continued engagement.
  
  
• Improve Their Volunteer Programs: Time tracking helps organizations fine-tune their volunteer programs, balance workloads, and improve the overall volunteer experience.
  
  
• Remain Compliant: Many organizations must report certain volunteer activities in their financial statements. According to Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Standard No. 116, volunteer services that require specific qualifications, which the organization would have purchased had a volunteer not stepped up, needs to be accounted for.

What is a Volunteer's Time Worth?

Today, The Independent Sector value of volunteer time 2025 is nearly $33.49 per hour.

It's important to note that the IRS does not assign a monetary value to volunteer hours for tax deduction purposes. Meaning, there is no IRS value of volunteer hours. Unlike cash donations or in-kind contributions, the IRS does not allow individuals to deduct the value of their time as a charitable contribution on their personal tax returns.

What is the Value of Volunteer Time by State 2025?

The value of volunteer time varies by state, based on differences in local wages and economic conditions.

Some state and national estimates include:

• California: $38.61 per hour
• Massachusetts: $40.97 per hour
• Washington: $40.28 per hour
• Florida: $31.61 per hour
• Texas: $31.94 per hour
• Mississippi: $25.42 per hour (one of the lowest)
• District of Columbia: $50.88 per hour (the highest)

Need more information? Check out the full Independent Sector value of volunteer time by state report.

How to Calculate Volunteer Hours Value

Understanding the value of volunteer time at your nonprofit organization can make a world of difference. And with the use of a few tools, you can calculate the value of volunteer time easily.

Instead of depending on a value of volunteer time calculator or value of volunteer time formula, many nonprofits use all-in-one volunteer management software like Get Connected to easily track, account for, and calculate volunteer time.

With Get Connected's volunteer management platform, nonprofits can use:

• Automated Time Logging: Get Connected allows volunteers to log their time via a mobile app, web portal, or on-site kiosk. This eliminates manual tracking and ensures accurate, up-to-date records.
  
  
• Activity-Specific Tracking: Nonprofits can categorize volunteer activities (e.g., event support, administrative work, specialized services) to see which types of volunteer work contribute the most value.
  
  
• Role-Specific Valuation: For specialized roles like legal advice, graphic design, or IT support, nonprofits may apply a higher wage equivalent (like the local market rate) rather than the general volunteer rate. Get Connected’s skill-based volunteer tools allows for this customization.
  
  
• Custom Dashboards: Get Connected can provide visual summaries (like charts and graphs) to showcase the cumulative value of volunteer time, helping to build support from funders and community partners.
  
  
• Export Reports: Get Connected allows nonprofits to create program reports that break down total hours by volunteer, activity, or event. These reports can illustrate the value of volunteer time over specific periods, which helps nonprofits demonstrate their impact to stakeholders.
  

     Learn more about Get Connected's Exportable Program Reports

Contact us to schedule a free demo and take the first step to track your volunteers' hard work this year.