Volunteers are without doubt the heartbeat of Australia’s not-for-profit sector. Whether they’re supporting families through crisis, delivering food parcels, mentoring online, or lending their voice to advocacy campaigns - they’re the people making missions possible.
This National Volunteer Week, we’re reflecting on the 2025 theme: “Connecting Communities.” And in today’s connected world, those relationships often begin online.
When digital tools are designed to support and empower volunteers, we don’t just improve operations, we strengthen the very communities that not-for-profits are here to serve.
Approximately six million Australians volunteer their time each year. For many organisations, they’re not a supplement to paid staff - they are the delivery model.Volunteers extend geographic reach, offer specialist skills, reduce admin costs, and keep programs running. They embody your values, amplify your mission, and bring your work to life on the ground and online.
But that value is only fully realised when volunteers are supported, retained, and empowered through clear systems and communication. That’s where digital strategy comes in.
Key Benefits of a Digital-First Volunteer Approach
Your digital strategy is no longer just about donors, clients, or brand presence. If it’s not also designed to engage and retain your volunteers - it’s incomplete.
A smart digital volunteer strategy helps you:
Attract the right people with the right skills
Automate onboarding and admin workflows
Build long-term relationships through consistent touchpoints
Respond faster during emergencies or high demand
Recognise and retain your volunteer base through digital appreciation
Digital empowerment leads to human impact at scale.
"I’ve seen firsthand how the right digital systems don’t just make a huge impact for NFPs and the communities they serve. They make volunteers feel seen, supported, and empowered to do what they do best: help others. Volunteers give their time, their hearts, and their hope. The least we can do is build them systems that honour their generosity and make every moment of service count."
Cherie Gregory, CEO
Koben Digital
How to Support Volunteers Through Every Digital Touchpoint
Volunteers don’t just donate time. They give capacity, community connection, and trust. To retain that value long-term, Not For Profits must create meaningful, flexible pathways for volunteers to engage. And that starts with your digital ecosystem.
Here’s how your systems can support volunteers at every stage of the journey:
Attracting and Registering Volunteers
Make it simple for volunteers to find and sign up for roles:
Role listings on your site, GoVolunteer, or SEEK Volunteer
User-friendly expression of interest forms
Automated welcome emails
💡 If it takes more than five minutes to get started, you're losing people.
Volunteer Onboarding and Training
First impressions matter. Make onboarding feel smooth and supportive:
Self-paced training modules or videos
Volunteer handbook and FAQs available online
Automation for compliance, forms, and agreements
💡 Digital onboarding saves time and builds early confidence.
Engaging Remote Volunteers
Flexibility matters. Many roles can be performed from anywhere:
Remote admin, mentoring, marketing, content creation, or translation
Task management with Asana, Trello, or Monday.com
Skill-based volunteering in UX, analytics, or IT support
💡 A well-structured remote role expands your talent pool.
Communication and Clarity
Connection is what keeps volunteers coming back:
Segmented email updates via Mailchimp or Intercom
Peer groups via Slack, WhatsApp, or private Facebook groups
Recognition with digital shout-outs, badges, or social posts
💡 Valued volunteers often become your biggest advocates.
Advocacy and Retention
Volunteers are more than extra hands, they're storytellers and fundraisers:
Use Raisely or Funraisin for peer-to-peer campaigns
Provide shareable Canva assets and key messaging
Send surveys or feedback requests to close the loop
💡 When people feel heard, they stick around longer.
When Crisis Hits: How Digital Builds Volunteer Resilience
Emergencies don’t wait, and they don’t always come with warning. Not For Profits that build digital readiness into their volunteer strategy can activate support faster, safer, and more efficiently.
Here’s What That Looks Like in Practice:
Rapid callouts: Segment volunteers by location, skills, or availability using SMS, email, or in-app alerts
Real-time rostering: Dynamic shift scheduling tools (like Volaby or Rosterfy) to fill urgent roles fast
Crisis-specific onboarding: Quick-access training modules and briefing documents tailored for emergency response
Remote co-ordination: Cloud-based dashboards to track who’s where, doing what, and what’s still needed
Mental health support: Post-crisis wellbeing check-ins and peer support groups to prevent burnout
⚠️ If you’re relying on spreadsheets and phone trees, you’re already behind.
Action Checklist: Does Your Digital Strategy Empower Your Volunteers?
Use this checklist to assess your organisation’s digital readiness:
Can volunteers easily find and apply for roles online?
Is onboarding automated or streamlined via email, video, or web?
Do you use a digital platform to schedule and communicate with volunteers?
Is your CRM set up to track volunteer engagement or preferences?
Do volunteers receive regular updates or recognition through digital channels?
Can volunteers contribute remotely, using accessible tools?
Are you measuring and improving the volunteer experience like you would a donor journey?
Scoring
6-7: Strong foundation - review quarterly for improvements.
4-5: Some good systems - target gaps over the next quarter.
0-3: Time to act - start small, but start now
Make Volunteers Part of Your Strategy, Not Just Your Operations
Volunteers aren’t a separate stream. They are a core audience. A strong digital presence needs to reflect that - from your UX design to your CRM setup to your communications calendar.
If your digital strategy doesn’t include how you attract, empower, and retain volunteers, you’re missing a critical opportunity to strengthen and extend your mission.
Volunteers connect people.
Digital systems connect volunteers.
That’s how we connect communities.
We partner with purpose-led organisations to build digital systems that are intuitive, efficient, and human-focused. From grassroots groups to national charities, we design tools that empower your team and your volunteers to thrive.
FAQ: Volunteer Engagement and Digital Strategy
❓ Why do many NFPs struggle to engage volunteers online?
Most NFPs unintentionally design digital systems with donors as the primary audience - volunteers are often left navigating clunky sign-up forms, outdated portals, or delayed communication. Without clear entry points, timely follow-up, or a sense of purpose built into their online experience, many volunteers disengage before they even get started. Volunteers today expect clarity, responsiveness, and connection - and if your systems don’t support that, they’ll move on.
❓ How can I improve my volunteer onboarding?
Start with clarity and ease. Use automated emails, mobile-friendly forms, and welcome videos to set expectations. Pair this with a self-guided orientation hub that covers the essentials - mission, responsibilities, policies - so volunteers feel confident before day one. The smoother the onboarding, the higher the retention.
❓ How can I measure the ROI of volunteer digital tools?
Begin by tracking time saved on manual tasks (e.g. automated onboarding vs. paper forms), then measure volunteer retention, frequency of engagement, and event participation. Layer in metrics like email open rates, feedback scores, and goal completions in your CRM to get a full picture of impact.
❓ What’s one overlooked opportunity in digital volunteer strategy?
Listening. Most NFPs invest in tools to broadcast but not to receive. Volunteers have powerful insight into your service delivery and systems. Implement feedback loops with quick surveys, suggestion forms, or debrief calls. You’ll improve your operations and deepen trust.
❓ How do I know if my digital volunteer experience is working?
Check for these signs: growing volunteer numbers, consistent engagement, positive feedback, and repeat involvement. If you’re seeing drop-offs during onboarding or low participation in events, it’s time to audit your volunteer journey, from your sign-up forms to your follow-up cadence.
