How to Create a Volunteer Sign Up for a Nonprofit

Set up roles, shifts, and reminders in a few simple steps

A clear volunteer sign up helps nonprofits fill roles faster, reduce no-shows, and spend less time coordinating logistics. This step-by-step guide walks through how to create a volunteer sign up that’s easy for organizers to manage and simple for volunteers to use.

Quick Summary

• Best for: Event volunteers, ongoing programs, and microvolunteering
• What you’ll do: Create roles or time slots, set limits, and turn on reminders
• Why it works: Volunteers know what’s expected and organizers can see coverage at a glance

Before You Start

Before creating your volunteer sign up, gather:

• A list of volunteer roles or tasks
• Dates and times help is needed
• How many volunteers you need per role or shift
• Any information volunteers must provide

Doing this upfront keeps your sign up clear and prevents last-minute changes.

Step-by-Step: Create a Volunteer Sign Up

This is the core workflow most nonprofits follow.

Step 1: Plan Your Volunteer Needs

Decide what help you actually need. Break work into specific roles or shifts instead of asking for “general volunteers.”

Best practice:
Clear, specific roles get more sign ups than vague requests.

Step 2: Choose Roles or Time Slots

Decide how volunteers will sign up:

• Roles work best when tasks differ
• Time slots work best when coverage matters
• Many nonprofits use both

Step 3: Create the Volunteer Sign Up

Set up your sign up with:

• A clear title that explains the event or program
• A short description with expectations
• Roles or time slots with capacity limits

Best practice:
If a role needs two people, limit it to two spots. This prevents over- or under-signing.

Step 4: Add Only the Questions You Need

Collect essential information only, such as:

• Name and email
• Phone number (if needed)
• Any role-specific notes

Best practice:
The fewer required questions, the more likely volunteers are to complete the sign up.

Step 5: Turn On Reminders and Deadlines

Automatic reminders help volunteers remember when and where to show up.

Set:

• A sign up deadline
• Reminder emails before the event or shift

Best practice:
One reminder 24–48 hours before the event is usually enough.

Step 6: Share the Sign Up

Share your volunteer sign up where your community already is:

• Email
• Newsletters
• Group chats
• Social media

Best practice:
Highlight what’s still needed instead of listing every role again.

Step 7: Monitor and Adjust

Once volunteers start signing up:

• Watch for gaps
• Add backup roles if needed
• Reuse the sign up for future events or shifts

Common Settings Nonprofits Miss

• Capacity limits per role or shift
• Clear role descriptions
• Automatic reminders
• Backup or waitlist coverage
• Reusing sign ups for recurring needs

These small details make a big difference in how smoothly volunteer coordination runs.

Volunteer Sign Up Best Practices

Once your sign up is live, a few best practices help it perform better over time.

• Keep roles specific
• Limit choices
• Use reminders
• Plan backups
• Reuse sign ups

Make it happen!

FAQ: Creating Volunteer Sign Ups

How do I make a volunteer sign up sheet?

A volunteer sign up sheet lists roles or time slots and allows volunteers to claim a spot online. Online sign ups update automatically and reduce manual tracking.

What information should I collect from volunteers?

Collect only what you need to run the event or program. Name and email are usually enough.

How do I reduce volunteer no-shows?

Clear role descriptions, capacity limits, and reminder emails significantly reduce no-shows.

Can I reuse a volunteer sign up?

Yes. Reusing sign ups saves time for recurring events or ongoing volunteer needs.