Your nonprofit website is more than an online brochure. It can be your strongest volunteer recruitment website, the place where interested people learn about your mission, picture themselves helping, and take the first step. External volunteer platforms are valuable, but the best recruitment strategy points people back to your own site, where you control the message and the next action.
Start With a Volunteer Page That Answers Questions
Before you post opportunities anywhere else, build a dedicated page on your site. A volunteer page should tell a visitor what your organization does, who it serves, and exactly what kind of help is needed. People scan quickly, so keep the language clear and put the most important details near the top. A focused page respects the visitor’s time and makes your organization look organized and welcoming.
Describe Each Role With Specifics
Vague requests like “we need help” do not inspire action. Instead, describe what a volunteer will actually do, how much time it takes, and what training or experience is required. If you need help at a community event, say so. If you need someone to handle social media, name the tasks. Specific descriptions help people decide quickly whether they are a good fit, which saves everyone time and reduces the number of mismatched inquiries.
Make the Next Step Obvious
Every volunteer page should end with one clear call to action. That could be a simple contact form, an email address, or a sign-up button. Keep the form short. Asking for a name, email address, and interest area is enough to start the conversation. The easier it is to respond, the more likely someone will. If the next step takes more than a minute, you may lose people before they ever reach out.
Use Trusted Volunteer Platforms to Extend Your Reach
Even the best volunteer recruitment website will not help if nobody knows it exists. Posting your opportunities on established volunteer platforms can put your organization in front of people who are already looking to give their time. Several platforms appear consistently on lists of the best volunteer recruitment options for nonprofits, and each one reaches a slightly different audience.
Large National and International Platforms
VolunteerMatch is described as one of the largest volunteer recruitment platforms, offering searchable listings that help nonprofits connect with volunteers. VolunteerMatch is now part of Idealist, a network that helps organizations reach people who want to support a cause. Idealist also lists jobs, internships, and organizations, so it can give your nonprofit broader visibility beyond a single volunteer posting.
Points of Light Engage and All For Good are frequently recommended listing options for organizations that want to post opportunities in front of a wide audience. Create the Good is another name that shows up on lists of the best volunteer recruitment websites. Together, these platforms give smaller nonprofits access to audiences they could not reach on their own.
Platforms Built for Specific Needs
Depending on how your organization operates, a specialized platform may fit better. VolunteerLocal is designed to handle daily, weekly, and monthly shifts, and it supports volunteer recruitment, scheduling, and communications in one place. This makes it a strong option for organizations that run events or need ongoing coverage throughout the year.
Mobilize, Catchafire, Civic Champs, and POINT also appear on lists of top volunteer recruitment platforms, each with its own strengths for different types of organizations. For groups in Canada, Volunteer Success is a registered charity that operates a user-friendly online hub where volunteers can find opportunities and organizations can connect with qualified volunteers. It also offers a resource and learning centre covering volunteer management and engagement topics.
Federal and Community Options
Volunteer.gov is a portal where volunteers can submit applications to thousands of sites across the country, all located at federal agencies. If your organization is not a federal agency, this site may not apply to you, but it shows how large-scale volunteer matching can work. Many nonprofits find more relevant results on community-focused sites.
JustServe.org is one example of a website where organizations post their volunteer needs and volunteers search for opportunities. Sites like this can be particularly useful for local nonprofits that want to reach people in their own region without competing for attention on national platforms.
Compare Common Volunteer Platforms
Because no single platform works for every nonprofit, it helps to see how the most frequently mentioned options compare before you choose where to post.
| Platform | What It Is Known For |
|---|---|
| VolunteerMatch | One of the largest volunteer recruitment platforms; searchable listings for nonprofits |
| Idealist | Network that includes VolunteerMatch; lists volunteer opportunities, jobs, internships, and organizations |
| Points of Light Engage | Listing platform recommended for posting volunteer opportunities |
| Create the Good | Frequently named among the best volunteer recruitment websites |
| VolunteerLocal | Handles daily, weekly, and monthly shifts; supports recruitment, scheduling, and communications |
| Volunteer Success | Registered Canadian charity; online hub for volunteers and organizations, with a learning centre |
| Volunteer.gov | Portal for volunteer applications at federal agencies across the country |
| JustServe.org | Website where organizations post needs and volunteers search for opportunities |
This list is not exhaustive. Platforms change, and new ones appear regularly. Check each site to confirm that it serves your region and matches the kind of volunteering you offer before you invest time in creating listings.
Promote Your Volunteer Recruitment Website
Posting on external platforms is only half the work. Your own website should be the destination, and you need to tell people it exists. Here are practical ways to direct more visitors to your volunteer page.
- Add a volunteer button to your main navigation so the page is one click away.
- Mention volunteer opportunities in your email newsletter and ask readers to share the page.
- Link to the volunteer page from your social media profiles and from posts about upcoming events.
- Include the page link in your email signature and in any printed materials your organization produces.
- Ask current volunteers to share the link with friends, colleagues, and community groups.
For organizations that qualify, the Google Ad Grant is another option that appears on lists of recommended volunteer recruitment websites. It can give qualifying nonprofits more visibility in search results, which may bring additional traffic to your volunteer page. Check the current requirements with the official program to see whether your organization is eligible.
Keep the Page Current and Respond Quickly
A volunteer page with outdated information can do more harm than good. If someone shows interest and never hears back, they may not try again. Assign one person to monitor volunteer inquiries and respond within a day or two. Update the page whenever a role is filled or a new need appears.
Your nonprofit website should reflect the reality of your volunteer program. If you need twenty people for a weekend event, say that. If you have one ongoing role for a graphic designer, describe it clearly. Accurate, current information builds trust and makes your organization easier to work with, which matters more than a polished design.
Measure What Works
Recruitment is not a one-time task. Track which platforms send the most inquiries and which posts on your own site get the most attention. You can simply ask new volunteers how they heard about you when they sign up. Over time, those answers will show you where to focus your effort and which listings are worth maintaining.
A volunteer recruitment website that is clear, current, and well promoted will serve your organization for years. External platforms bring people to your door, but your website is where they decide whether to walk through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best site to find volunteer opportunities?
There is no single best site for every person, but VolunteerMatch is widely described as one of the largest volunteer recruitment platforms and appears at the top of many lists. Idealist, Points of Light Engage, and Create the Good are also frequently recommended. The right site depends on your location and the type of volunteering you want to do.
What is the best way to recruit volunteers?
The best approach combines a clear volunteer page on your own website with listings on trusted volunteer platforms. Describe each role specifically, make the sign-up step simple, and respond quickly to inquiries. Posting on platforms like VolunteerMatch, Idealist, and VolunteerLocal can extend your reach to people who are already looking to help.
What are the best volunteering websites?
Commonly recommended websites include VolunteerMatch, Idealist, Create the Good, and All For Good through Points of Light Engage. VolunteerLocal, Mobilize, Catchafire, Civic Champs, and POINT are also named among top platforms. Volunteer Success serves Canadian organizations, and JustServe.org lets organizations post needs for volunteers to search.
What is Volunteer.gov?
Volunteer.gov is a portal where volunteers can submit applications to thousands of sites across the country, all located at federal agencies. It is designed for people who want to offer their time and talent to support federal missions. Nonprofits that are not part of the federal government should look to other platforms for their recruitment needs.
