Most nonprofits rely on volunteers at a scale that rivals their donor programs. We’re talking about dozens of programs, hundreds of shifts, and sometimes thousands of active participants across regions. 

Yet volunteer data is often scattered: hours logged in a spreadsheet, sign-ups in an event tool, maybe unanswered inquiries in an inbox. Meanwhile, staff and donors sit in the CRM with full histories. 

That disconnect means one of the most important engagement channels is effectively invisible. Because while a few volunteers might show up just as “extra hands” for an event or two, most are here with you for the long term. Ambassadors, if you will, who hold the power to carry your mission into their communities. Others still are advocates who influence decision-makers or long-term allies who often become your most committed donors.

So what’s the challenge most nonprofits face with volunteer management? It’s giving volunteers the same visibility and stewardship that you already apply to donors and members. And that’s exactly where HubSpot shines. By centralizing volunteer activity with every other supporter interaction, it turns service into part of the larger story instead of leaving it in a silo.

Where Most Nonprofits Plateau in Volunteer Management

Even when new tools or features are introduced, most volunteer management programs stop at tracking hours. That’s better than nothing, but it falls short of the larger opportunity: connecting service to stewardship.

To grow beyond the plateau, volunteer management needs to shift from counting hours to building relationships. That means:

• Linking service history with giving history
• Matching volunteer skills to future program needs
• Reporting hours and impact alongside revenue metrics
• Using personalized recognition instead of generic thanks

So How Do You Actually Manage Volunteers in HubSpot?

“Really? Volunteer management in HubSpot?” 

We get this all the time. It’s not surprising, either. Most nonprofits don’t even think of HubSpot when they’re trying to streamline volunteer management. The platform is best known in the nonprofit world as a CRM for development and marketing teams, not as a home for service programs.

But that perception is outdated. Today, HubSpot partners with more than 4,000 nonprofits worldwide to scale meaningful change. The same CRM and automation tools that power donor engagement can also centralize volunteer activity, personalize recognition, and surface impact for boards and funders.

Here’s a practical breakdown of how it works in HubSpot:

How do you keep volunteer information organized?

✅ Build Centralized Volunteer Profiles

• Store all contact details, skills, and availability in HubSpot CRM.
  
  
• Add custom properties for hours served, program interests, background checks, or specialized skills.
  
  
• Keep service history, donations, and event attendance tied to one contact record so volunteers don’t get duplicated.
  
  

Why it matters: Coordinators spend less time digging through spreadsheets, and volunteers feel valued when staff remember their history and preferences.

Q2: How can you send the right messages to the right people?

✅ Segment and Group Volunteers

• Create active lists by location, role, program, or participation history.
  
  
• Tailor outreach: onboarding resources for new volunteers, leadership opportunities for high-engagers, “we miss you” nudges for inactive ones.
  
  
• Use segmentation to prevent email fatigue and keep communications relevant.
  
  

Why it matters: Targeted messages increase open/click rates, which means more volunteers actually show up and stay connected.

Q3: What’s the easiest way to cut down on manual emails?

✅ Automate Volunteer Communications

• Use workflows to welcome new volunteers, send shift reminders, or deliver onboarding resources automatically.
  
  
• Personalize messages with tokens (“Hi Maria, thanks for giving 12 hours this month at our food pantry”).
  
  
• Create branching workflows so follow-up differs if someone attends vs. skips an event.
  
  

Why it matters: Staff reclaim hours every week, while volunteers get consistent, timely communication without anything slipping through the cracks.

Q4: How do you know if your volunteers are engaged?

✅ Track Engagement and Participation

• Log activity like event attendance, shift participation, and email interactions directly in the contact timeline.
  
  
• Build custom reports that show volunteer hours, frequency of service, and overlap with donations.
  
  
• Create dashboards so staff and leadership can instantly see top contributors or at-risk volunteers.
  
  

Why it matters: You’ll spot who’s ready for deeper involvement (like leadership or fundraising) and prevent burn-out or drop-off before it happens.

Q5: Can HubSpot help with event coordination?

✅ Streamline Event Management

• Sync platforms like Eventbrite, SignupGenius, or volunteer scheduling tools with HubSpot.
  
  
• Use the Conversations inbox or ticketing system for volunteer inquiries and logistics.
  
  
• Automate confirmation, reminder, and thank-you emails tied to the event.
  
  

Why it matters: Volunteers show up more reliably, staff spend less time chasing RSVPs, and attendance data flows right back into HubSpot for long-term engagement tracking.

Q6: What’s the big-picture benefit?

✅ When volunteer activity lives in HubSpot:

• Coordinators, fundraisers, and leaders finally work from the same data source.
  
  
• Recognition gets personal instead of generic (“Thanks for 3 years with our tutoring program!”).
  
  
• Volunteer impact shows up in reports alongside donations and memberships making it easier to prove value to boards and funders.
  
  

Why it matters: Volunteers feel seen and appreciated, staff reduce admin headaches, and leadership has concrete data for storytelling and fundraising.

How HubSpot Stacks Up Against Other Volunteer Tools

It’s fair to ask: “Can’t other systems do what HubSpot can do too?” The truth is, most volunteer management platforms focus on scheduling shifts or logging hours. That’s useful, but it keeps service siloed from the rest of your engagement strategy. When volunteer data isn’t tied to giving, your board and funders see only half the picture and undervalue the role volunteers play in driving mission impact.

Here’s how HubSpot compares:

Takeaway: If you only need a shift calendar, dedicated tools work fine. But if you want to connect volunteerism with fundraising, communications, and long-term stewardship, HubSpot gives you the bigger picture.