To connect with volunteers on Benevity, you’ll need to create a volunteer opportunity on the Benevity Causes Portal. Once you’ve logged in, select Volunteering in the navigation menu. Here you’ll find two submission forms:
- Volunteering Catalog Activity Form - activities submitted via this form are reviewed by Benevity to ensure they meet our quality standards. This form is suited for ongoing or flexible opportunities that can accommodate group participation.
- Client-Specific Event Form - this form allows your event to be published directly and become visible to corporate volunteers (at companies that enable nonprofit-created content). This option is also for companies that have shared their Benevity share key with you.
Each form helps you reach different volunteer audiences, so consider submitting both to maximize visibility. This article will walk you through what each form includes and how to complete them effectively.
Volunteering Opportunity Form
Benevity's Volunteering Catalog is a streamlined platform feature to connect nonprofits like yours with a world of engaged corporate volunteers. As a participating nonprofit, you'll gain access to a vast network of volunteers and boost awareness for your mission.
This form option works best for opportunities that are ongoing or flexible in timing, can accommodate group participation, and are either in-person (Field Volunteering) or virtual volunteering. Avoid using emojis or special characters, as they may not display correctly on the platform.
Learn more about how to create engaging volunteer opportunities and our guiding principles for building compelling listings in our eBook: A nonprofit guide to volunteering at Benevity.
What happens when I’ve submitted the Volunteering Opportunity Form?
When you complete the Volunteering Opportunity Form, our Nonprofit Partnerships Team will review your submission to make sure it meets our quality standards. If it’s approved, you’ll get a confirmation email from your Nonprofit Partnership Representative, along with a direct link to your live opportunity. This representative will be your main point of contact moving forward and can help you manage your listings or answer any questions you have.
Once a volunteer signs up through the Volunteering Catalog, you will receive an email that outlines all the information you need, such as who has applied, group size, preferred dates and their specific requirements. You will be asked to review and confirm these details.
Each year, we’ll check in to confirm which activities are still active, highlight any new ones, and archive those that are no longer available. This annual refresh keeps your listings accurate, relevant, and engaging for volunteers.
To make sure you don’t miss any updates, please add benevity.com to your organization’s safe sender list.
Client-Specific Event Form
Submitting the Client-Specific Event Opportunity Form publishes your volunteering opportunity directly to the Employee Engagement platform for companies that have enabled nonprofit-created content. This means your opportunity will be visible to employees at those companies that enable nonprofit-created content.
Unlike the Volunteering Catalog, these submissions are not reviewed by Benevity. They are immediately accessible to clients who allow nonprofit-created content in their programs. Keep in mind, not all Benevity clients allow this content, so visibility may vary.
If you're creating a volunteer event for a specific corporate partner and they've shared their Benevity share key with you, select "Private Opportunity" and enter the share key provided. This ensures your opportunity is only visible to employees at that company.
When a volunteer signs up, the volunteering manager’s email, which was provided for your organization under Contact Information, will receive an email notification.
A nonprofit guide to volunteering at Benevity {eBook}
Learn how to create volunteer opportunities that stand out to companies and their employees. Our eBook layouts the groundwork for what makes an opportunity more engaging (including a checklist), which formats work best and how to maximize participation.
You’ll also learn how you can turn volunteer hours into donations through Volunteer Rewards, along with step-by-step guidance for managing all your activities.