This report analyzes small-business buyers of volunteer management software, highlighting key needs and issues they face. It reveals that 63% currently use general-purpose software, with 25% desiring improved data accuracy and 93% prioritizing features that track volunteer hours and activities. The findings emphasize the demand for specialized software to enhance recordkeeping and streamline volunteer coordination.

1. Software Advice BuyerView:
Volunteer Management Software Report
Insight into today’s software buyer

2. Software Advice recently analyzed interactions with prospective buyers of
volunteer management software. We tapped into a subset of small-business
buyers—those representing nonprofits with less than $1 million in annual
revenue—to uncover their pain points and reasons for purchasing new software.
Some key findings include:
• Sixty-three percent of buyers currently use general-purpose software to
maintain contact data, schedule volunteers and track participation.
• Twenty-five percent want the adoption of new volunteer management software
to result in more accurate volunteer records.
• The vast majority—93 percent—say the most important functionality lets staff
track volunteer activities and the number of hours worked.
Abstract

3. General-purpose software
Commercial software
Manual methods
Volunteer management software
Custom software
None
0% 25% 50% 75%
9%
1%
7%
10%
26%
63%
Percent of sample
Sixty-three percent of buyers currently rely on general-purpose software—like
Microsoft Excel and Google Drive—to track data and coordinate volunteers.
Most Buyers Currently Use General-Purpose Software
1%

4. Improve data accuracy
Consolidate data/systems
Acquire more functionality
Nonprofit is growing
Software not user-friendly
Software not vendor-supported
Improve staff's access
Current method too expensive
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
7%
7%
7%
10%
14%
17%
19%
25%
Percent of sample
One in four prospective buyers want volunteer management software to lead to
more accurate recordkeeping and to prevent data from “falling through the cracks.”
Need for Better Data Chief Motivation for Software Purchase

5. Track hours/activities
Send texts/emails
Segment by characteristics
Integrate with event planning
Manage schedule/coordination
Reporting
Online portal/sign up
Automatic reminders
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
7%
9%
15%
21%
23%
23%
33%
93%
Percent of sample
Features that streamline hour and activity tracking are requested by 93 percent of
buyers; tools to send texts or emails from the system are requested by 33 percent.
Hour, Activity Tracking Most Requested Features

6. Read the full report
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