How to Manage Volunteers - Opportunities, Applications & Check-In

Note: Ripluo's volunteer management tools are actively being expanded. Some features described here may roll out in upcoming updates.

Volunteers are the backbone of most events - from charity 5Ks to music festivals to community fundraisers. But managing them with group texts, email chains, and signup sheets is a recipe for no-shows, confusion, and last-minute scrambling. Ripluo gives you a complete volunteer management system built right into your event planning tools.

This tutorial walks you through the full workflow: creating volunteer opportunities, collecting applications, reviewing and assigning volunteers, managing shifts, and tracking check-ins on event day.

Step 1: Enable the Volunteers Tool

From your event dashboard, scroll to All Tools in the left sidebar and turn on Volunteers. Once enabled, click it to open the volunteer management area.

You will see an empty state prompting you to create your first volunteer opportunity. Think of opportunities as the roles you need filled - each one defines what volunteers will do, when they are needed, and how many you need.

Enabling the volunteers tool in the sidebar

Step 2: Create Volunteer Opportunities

Click "Create Opportunity" and fill in the details:

Title - What is the role? (e.g., "Water Station Volunteer," "Registration Desk," "Parking Crew")
Description - What will volunteers do? Be specific so applicants know what to expect
Date and Time - When is this shift? You can set start and end times
Spots Available - How many volunteers do you need for this role?
Location - Where should volunteers report?
Requirements - Any prerequisites like age restrictions, certifications, or physical requirements

Create as many opportunities as your event needs. A typical 5K might have opportunities for registration, water stations, course marshals, finish line, and teardown. A gala might need greeters, auction assistants, and coat check volunteers.

Creating a volunteer opportunity with details

Step 3: Publish the Application Form

Once your opportunities are set up, click "Application Form" to generate a public signup page. This form lists all your open opportunities and lets volunteers apply for the ones that interest them.

You can customize the form to collect additional information beyond the basics - things like t-shirt size, emergency contact, or relevant experience. Toggle fields on or off depending on what you need.

Share the form link on social media, in emails, on your event website, or anywhere you recruit volunteers. It is mobile-friendly so people can apply from their phones.

Publishing the volunteer application form

Step 4: Review and Approve Applications

As applications come in, they appear in your volunteer dashboard. Each application shows the volunteer's contact info, which opportunity they applied for, and any additional details they provided.

You can review applications and set their status:

Approved - The volunteer is confirmed for this opportunity
Waitlisted - Spots are full but you want them as a backup
Declined - Not a fit for this role

The opportunity view shows you how many spots are filled versus available, so you can see at a glance which roles still need volunteers.

Reviewing volunteer applications and approving

Step 5: Assign Shifts

For events with multiple time blocks, you can assign approved volunteers to specific shifts within their opportunity. This is especially useful for all-day events where water station volunteers rotate every two hours, or registration desk volunteers work in morning and afternoon blocks.

Open an approved volunteer's record and assign them to a shift time. They will see their specific shift details - not just the general opportunity information - so there is no confusion about when to show up.

Step 6: Track Check-Ins on Event Day

On event day, use the volunteer check-in feature to track who actually shows up. Open the Volunteers tool on your phone or tablet and mark volunteers as checked in when they arrive.

The check-in view shows you a real-time count of checked-in versus assigned volunteers for each opportunity. If a water station role has 4 assigned volunteers but only 2 have checked in 30 minutes before the event, you know immediately that you need to find backup coverage.

This real-time visibility is what separates professional volunteer management from hoping people show up.

Get Started for Free

Volunteer management is included in Ripluo's event planning tools. Create your free Ripluo account and start organizing your volunteer team today. No more group texts, no more signup sheet chaos - just a clean system that keeps everyone on the same page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can volunteers sign up for multiple opportunities?

Yes. Volunteers can apply for as many opportunities as they want through the application form. You review and approve each application individually, so you have full control over who is assigned where.

Can I send messages to my volunteers?

Yes. You can communicate with volunteers through Ripluo. Send updates, reminders, or last-minute changes to all volunteers or to specific groups based on their assigned opportunity.

Does check-in work on mobile?

Yes. The check-in feature works on any device with a browser - phone, tablet, or laptop. Most planners use a phone or tablet at the event entrance for quick check-ins.