6 free templates across nonprofit, hospital, faith-based, event, small-nonprofit, and director-level roles, with the FLSA paid-versus-volunteer guidance the template farms skip. Download as DOCX.
A volunteer coordinator job description has one fact the generic templates miss and one compliance area none of them cover. The fact: despite the title, the coordinator is almost always a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers, not a volunteer themselves. The compliance area: the line between that paid coordinator and the unpaid volunteers, which is where the real legal risk lives, and which the template farms skip entirely.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the small, lean nonprofits that often hire this role without a dedicated HR department, and we add the FLSA paid-versus-volunteer guidance, the Volunteer Protection Act context, and the background-check basics that no competitor explains. The six below cover nonprofit, hospital, faith-based, event, small-nonprofit, and director-level versions. The guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
A volunteer coordinator recruits, trains, schedules, and supports an organization's volunteers. The key fact: the coordinator is a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers, not a volunteer. The closest federal benchmark is social and community service managers (median $78,240, May 2024), but real coordinator pay runs lower (about $45k to $67k). Most coordinators are non-exempt and hourly; keep the volunteers genuinely unpaid, mind the Volunteer Protection Act, and run background checks for sensitive roles. Download six versions as DOCX.
What a Volunteer Coordinator Does
A volunteer coordinator builds and runs an organization's volunteer program: recruiting, screening, training, scheduling, and supporting volunteers, and keeping the records that hold it together. They are the bridge between a mission and the people who give their time to it.
There is no separate federal occupation code for the role; it sits closest to social and community service managers for the managerial versions, with line-level coordinators drawing on community and social-service skills. Coordinators work mainly at nonprofits, hospitals and hospices, faith-based organizations, and government agencies.
Paid Coordinator vs Unpaid Volunteers
Before writing anything, internalize the fact the title obscures: the coordinator is a paid employee, the volunteers are not, and keeping those two clearly separate is the central compliance task of running a volunteer program.
The coordinator is paid
W-2 employee
The volunteer coordinator is almost always a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers. The FLSA applies to this person: minimum wage, and overtime if non-exempt. Do not confuse the title with being a volunteer.
The volunteers are unpaid
Not employees
The volunteers the coordinator manages are not employees if they serve freely for charitable, religious, or humanitarian purposes without expecting pay. Keep them genuinely voluntary; do not let them displace paid staff.
Do not blur the line
The common mistake
Paid staff cannot volunteer the same work they are paid to do, and paying volunteers more than a nominal amount can turn them into employees. Keeping paid and unpaid clearly separate is the core compliance task.
The Coordinator Is a Hire, Not a Volunteer
Write an employment job description and an offer for the coordinator, who is a paid W-2 employee. The volunteers they manage are not employees as long as they serve freely without expecting pay. The exception is some small faith-based organizations, where the coordinator role itself may be a volunteer ministry role.
Volunteer Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
A volunteer coordinator's duties cluster into recruit and screen, train and onboard, schedule and support, and track and report. The setting shifts the emphasis (a hospital adds health screening, an event program adds day-of logistics), but these four areas hold across the role.
Recruit and screen
Recruit volunteers through outreach and partnerships
Screen applicants and run background checks
Match volunteers to program needs
Train and onboard
Onboard and orient new volunteers
Train on policies, safety, and conduct
Collect signed agreements and consents
Schedule and support
Schedule volunteers and coordinate rotations
Support volunteers during their service
Recognize and retain the volunteer community
Track and report
Maintain the volunteer database and records
Track volunteer hours and activity
Report volunteer impact to leadership
A hospital coordinator leans on background checks and patient-privacy training; an event coordinator on team logistics. For a structured way to scope the role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting: nonprofit for a standard social-service organization, hospital for a healthcare setting, faith-based for a church or ministry, event for event-driven programs, the small-nonprofit version for a lean first hire, and the director version for the senior management step. Use this guide to choose.
Nonprofit
Social service, community
The baseline version for a nonprofit recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, with the paid-coordinator-versus-unpaid-volunteer classification note built in.
Hospital / Healthcare
Hospitals, hospice
For a healthcare setting: adds background checks, health screening, and patient-privacy training to the standard volunteer-coordination duties.
Faith-Based / Church
Congregations, ministries
For a church or faith-based organization, with the paid-staff-versus-volunteer-ministry decision and background checks for sensitive roles spelled out.
Event / Community
Festivals, programs
For event-driven volunteer programs: recruiting and leading teams around events, with the multi-event overtime note built in.
Small Nonprofit / No HR
Lean, first hire
The flagship version for a small, lean nonprofit hiring its first or only paid coordinator, with the first-hire and FLSA-coverage basics built in.
Director of Volunteer Services
Senior, management
The senior step above a coordinator: strategy, program oversight, and supervising staff, with the exempt-classification note built in.
Match the Template to Your Organization
Social-service nonprofit: Nonprofit. Hospital or hospice: Hospital / Healthcare. Church or ministry: Faith-Based. Festivals and programs: Event / Community. Lean nonprofit, first hire: Small Nonprofit / No HR. Senior strategy and staff oversight: Director of Volunteer Services. Whichever you pick, classify the paid coordinator correctly and keep the volunteers unpaid.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: organization overview, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance note, and how to apply. Fill in the brackets, set the reporting line, and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Nonprofit, hospital, faith-based, event, small nonprofit, and director of volunteer services. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator
The baseline version for a nonprofit recruiting, training, and managing volunteers, with the paid-coordinator-versus-unpaid-volunteer classification note built in.
Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator Job Description
NONPROFIT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Executive Director / Program Director]
Employment type: Full-time or part-time, W-2
FLSA status: [Non-exempt (hourly) for most coordinator roles; see note]
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
ABOUT [ORGANIZATION NAME]
[Organization Name] is a nonprofit in [City, State] serving [mission /
cause]. We are hiring a paid Volunteer Coordinator to recruit, train, and
support the volunteers who power our programs.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Volunteer Coordinator is a paid staff member who builds and runs our
volunteer program: recruiting volunteers, onboarding and training them,
scheduling, tracking hours, recognizing contributions, and keeping volunteer
records organized. You are the bridge between our mission and the people who
give their time to it.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Recruit volunteers through outreach, events, and partnerships
•Screen, onboard, and train new volunteers
•Schedule volunteers and match them to program needs
•Track volunteer hours and maintain the volunteer database
•Recognize and retain volunteers; build community
•Run background checks and collect signed agreements where required
•Coordinate with program staff on volunteer needs
•Report on volunteer activity and impact
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong organization, communication, and people skills
•Experience coordinating people, programs, or events
•Comfortable with databases and scheduling tools
•Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
•CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) a plus
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
The coordinator is a paid W-2 employee covered by the FLSA. Most coordinator
roles are non-exempt (hourly, overtime-eligible); a salaried manager who
supervises staff may be exempt, so classify by actual duties and salary, not
title. Keep the volunteers the coordinator manages genuinely unpaid; paid
staff cannot volunteer the same work they are paid to do. This is general
information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Organization Name] is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable
accommodations for the essential functions of this role.
Template 3: Faith-Based / Church Volunteer Coordinator
For a church or faith-based organization, with the paid-staff-versus-volunteer-ministry decision and background checks for sensitive roles spelled out.
Faith-Based / Church Volunteer Coordinator Job Description
FAITH-BASED / CHURCH VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Pastor / Ministry Director / Administrator]
Employment type: [Paid W-2 if a staff role; volunteer if a ministry role]
FLSA status: [Non-exempt (hourly) for most paid coordinator roles; see note]
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A faith-based volunteer coordinator recruits, organizes, and supports the
volunteers who serve a congregation's ministries and programs. This role can
be a paid staff position or, in smaller congregations, a volunteer ministry
role; decide which before posting.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is seeking a Volunteer Coordinator to mobilize and
support our ministry volunteers. You will recruit volunteers, match them to
ministries, onboard and train them, schedule service, and keep the volunteer
community organized and appreciated.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Recruit volunteers across ministries and programs
•Onboard, train, and orient new volunteers
•Schedule volunteers and coordinate service rotations
•Run background checks for roles with children or vulnerable people
•Maintain volunteer records and signed agreements
•Recognize, retain, and build the volunteer community
•Coordinate with ministry leaders and staff
•Support events, services, and outreach
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong people, organization, and communication skills
•Experience coordinating volunteers or ministry teams
•Comfortable with scheduling and basic recordkeeping
•Alignment with the organization's mission and values
•Background-check clearance for sensitive roles
COMPLIANCE NOTE (paid vs volunteer)
Decide first whether this is a paid W-2 role or a volunteer ministry role.
If paid, FLSA applies (most coordinator roles non-exempt and hourly); if
volunteer, keep it genuinely voluntary. Roles involving children or
vulnerable people generally need background checks. This is general
information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year [or volunteer]
To apply, email __.
Template 4: Event / Community Volunteer Coordinator
For event-driven volunteer programs: recruiting and leading teams around events, with the multi-event overtime note built in.
Event / Community Volunteer Coordinator Job Description
EVENT / COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Events Manager / Program Director]
Employment type: Full-time, part-time, or seasonal, W-2
FLSA status: [Non-exempt (hourly) for most coordinator roles; see note]
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
An event or community volunteer coordinator recruits and manages the
volunteers who staff festivals, fundraisers, community programs, and events,
often ramping up volunteer teams around specific dates.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Volunteer Coordinator to build and lead the
volunteer teams behind our [events / programs]. You will recruit volunteers,
assign roles, train and brief teams, manage day-of logistics, and keep
volunteers engaged between events.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Recruit volunteers for events and community programs
•Assign roles and build event-day volunteer schedules
•Train and brief volunteer teams before events
•Manage day-of check-in, logistics, and supervision
•Track volunteer hours and maintain the database
•Recognize and retain volunteers between events
•Coordinate with event staff, vendors, and partners
•Report on volunteer turnout and impact
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Strong organization and on-the-ground coordination skills
•Experience with events, volunteers, or program logistics
•Calm and effective managing teams under event pressure
•Comfortable with scheduling tools and databases
•Available for events: evenings, weekends, peak seasons
COMPLIANCE NOTE
The coordinator is a paid W-2 employee under the FLSA; most coordinator roles
are non-exempt and overtime-eligible, and event work can push weekly hours
over 40. Keep event volunteers genuinely unpaid (a nominal thank-you is fine;
wage-like pay is not). This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 5: Volunteer Coordinator (Small Nonprofit / No HR)
The flagship version for a small, lean nonprofit hiring its first or only paid coordinator, with the first-hire and FLSA-coverage basics built in.
Volunteer Coordinator Job Description (Small Nonprofit / No HR)
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL NONPROFIT / NO HR)
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Executive Director / Founder]
Employment type: Full-time or part-time, W-2
FLSA status: [Non-exempt (hourly) for most coordinator roles; see note]
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
ABOUT [ORGANIZATION NAME]
[Organization Name] is a small nonprofit in [City, State] with [number] paid
staff and no dedicated HR department. We are hiring our first (or only) paid
Volunteer Coordinator to build and run the volunteer program that keeps our
mission going.
POSITION SUMMARY
As the volunteer coordinator at a small, lean nonprofit, you will own the
volunteer program end to end and pitch in across the organization. You will
recruit, train, schedule, and support volunteers, keep records, and handle
the basics of a one-person volunteer function.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Own the volunteer program: recruit, train, schedule, support
•Build and maintain the volunteer database and records
•Run background checks and collect signed volunteer agreements
•Recognize and retain volunteers on a small budget
•Coordinate volunteer needs with the rest of the small team
•Represent the organization to volunteers and the community
•Report volunteer activity to the executive director
•Pitch in wherever a small nonprofit needs
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Self-starter comfortable owning a function alone
•Strong organization, communication, and people skills
•Experience coordinating volunteers, programs, or events
•Comfortable with databases and scheduling tools
•Mission-driven and flexible
COMPLIANCE NOTE (small-nonprofit essentials)
For the hire: classify the coordinator by actual duties (most are non-exempt,
hourly, overtime-eligible), complete I-9 and tax forms. Keep the volunteers
genuinely unpaid; paid staff cannot volunteer the same work they are paid to
do, and a charitable nonprofit is generally not FLSA-covered unless it runs
commercial activity over $500,000. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $______ per hour or $_____ per year
To apply, email __ with your resume.
Template 6: Director of Volunteer Services
The senior step above a coordinator: strategy, program oversight, and supervising staff, with the exempt-classification note built in.
Director of Volunteer Services Job Description
DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES JOB DESCRIPTION
Organization: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Executive Director / COO]
Leads: [Volunteer coordinators / a volunteer department]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2
FLSA status: [Exempt if a genuine management role; see note]
Compensation: $_____ per year
ABOUT THIS ROLE
A director of volunteer services leads an organization's entire volunteer
function: setting strategy, building programs, and often supervising
volunteer coordinators. This is the senior, management-level step above a
coordinator.
POSITION SUMMARY
[Organization Name] is hiring a Director of Volunteer Services to lead our
volunteer strategy and team. You will design volunteer programs, set policy
and compliance standards, supervise coordinators, manage the budget, and
report volunteer impact to leadership.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Set volunteer strategy aligned with organizational goals
•Design and oversee volunteer programs across the organization
•Supervise volunteer coordinators and staff
•Set volunteer policy, screening, and compliance standards
•Manage the volunteer program budget
•Build community and institutional partnerships
•Report volunteer impact and metrics to leadership
•Ensure legal and risk standards are met
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Several years leading volunteer programs, ideally with staff
•Strategy, budgeting, and people-management experience
•Strong knowledge of volunteer compliance and risk
•Bachelor's degree; CVA strongly preferred
•Excellent communication and partnership skills
COMPLIANCE NOTE
A genuine director who supervises staff, exercises independent judgment, and
meets the salary basis can be classified exempt under the FLSA executive or
administrative exemption; confirm against the actual duties and salary level.
This is general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Compensation: $_____ per year
To apply, email __ with your resume.
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This is the part the template farms skip, and for this role it is the part that matters most, because the whole job is built around the line between paid staff and unpaid volunteers. Four compliance areas belong in the hiring decision.
FLSA: the coordinator is a paid employee
The volunteer coordinator is a paid W-2 employee, and the FLSA applies to that person: minimum wage and, if non-exempt, overtime. Most coordinator roles are non-exempt and hourly, because the work is coordination and administration rather than high-level management with independent judgment on significant matters; real postings commonly pay in the low-to-mid twenties per hour, below the exempt salary threshold. A salaried director who supervises staff may be exempt under the executive or administrative exemption. Classify by the actual duties and the salary basis, not the title. This is general information, not legal advice.
Volunteers are not employees, if kept genuinely voluntary
Per the DOL, individuals who volunteer freely for charitable, religious, or humanitarian objectives, without contemplation or receipt of compensation, are generally not employees under the FLSA. The classic traps: paid staff cannot volunteer to do the same work they are paid for, volunteers should not displace regular paid employees, and paying a volunteer more than a nominal amount can convert them into an employee owed wages. The DOL also treats a charitable nonprofit as not a covered enterprise unless it runs ordinary commercial activity of at least $500,000. Keep paid and unpaid clearly separate. This is general information, not legal advice.
Volunteer Protection Act and liability
The federal Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 14501) generally shields a nonprofit or government volunteer from personal liability for harm caused by an act or omission within the scope of their duties, as long as the harm was not caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, or reckless misconduct. Two limits matter for the coordinator: the protection covers volunteers, not the paid coordinator or other paid staff, and it does not eliminate the organization's own liability. It is context the coordinator should understand when placing and supervising volunteers. This is general information, not legal advice.
Background checks for sensitive roles
Volunteers (and the coordinator) who work with children, healthcare patients, or other vulnerable people generally need background checks, and some states require them by law for sensitive settings. Healthcare volunteers commonly also need health screening such as TB testing and immunization verification. Build screening, signed agreements, and any required clearances into the volunteer onboarding the coordinator runs, and keep the documentation. This is part of the coordinator's job to administer, and a real risk area if skipped. This is general information, not legal advice.
The most common and costly mistake is blurring the line: letting paid staff volunteer the same work they are paid for, using volunteers to replace paid employees, or paying a volunteer more than a nominal amount. Any of these can convert a volunteer into an employee owed back wages and overtime. Keep paid roles paid and volunteer roles genuinely voluntary. This is general information, not legal advice.
Requirements and Qualifications
The role rewards strong people and organizational skills more than a specific degree, though many postings list a bachelor's. Match the requirements to the setting, and add screening for sensitive roles.
Requirement
What to know
Skills
Organization, communication, people management, scheduling
Experience
Coordinating volunteers, programs, or events
Education
Bachelor's common but often flexible with experience
Certification
CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) a plus, stronger for directors
Screening
Background checks for roles with children, patients, or vulnerable people
Classification
Usually non-exempt and hourly; director may be exempt
How to Write a Volunteer Coordinator Job Description
A strong volunteer coordinator posting starts by confirming the role is paid, then names the setting and handles the FLSA and screening the template farms skip. Here is the process the templates are built around.
1
Confirm it is a paid role
The coordinator is almost always a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers. Decide paid versus volunteer first, especially for faith-based roles.
2
Name the setting
Nonprofit, hospital, faith-based, event, small nonprofit, or director-level. Pick the matching template and describe the organization plainly.
3
List the real responsibilities
Recruit and screen, train and onboard, schedule and support, and track and report, calibrated to your setting.
4
Classify and protect the volunteers
Most coordinators are non-exempt and hourly; a director may be exempt. Keep the volunteers genuinely unpaid and do not let them displace paid staff.
5
Add screening and certification
Require background checks for roles with children, patients, or vulnerable people. List CVA as a plus, stronger at the director level.
Volunteer coordinator pay varies by setting and seniority, and benchmarking takes care because the closest federal occupation runs higher than the line-level role.
Benchmark Below the Management Figure
The nearest federal occupation, social and community service managers, had a median wage of about $78,240 a year in May 2024 (BLS), but that is a management-level figure. Real coordinator pay runs lower, commonly about $45,000 to $67,000 a year, with many part-time roles in the low-to-mid twenties per hour.
Pay runs higher in healthcare and education settings and lower at small nonprofits, where many roles are part-time. The senior step, a director of volunteer services, approaches the management benchmark. Because most coordinator roles are non-exempt, you typically pay an hourly wage plus overtime over 40 hours in a workweek. For a posting, benchmark to your sector and region rather than the federal management figure, and include a good-faith range where your state or city requires pay transparency. National compensation surveys are a useful reference for regional and sector detail.
Hiring a Volunteer Coordinator
The volunteer coordinator hire turns on three things the template farms get wrong: the coordinator is paid while the volunteers are not, most employers are large institutions while the real small-business fit is the lean nonprofit, and the right software depends on which job you mean. Here is what actually matters.
The coordinator is paid; the volunteers are not. Do not blur the line
The single most important fact about this role, and the one the template farms skip, is that the volunteer coordinator is a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers. The title confuses people into thinking the coordinator is themselves a volunteer; in the hiring SERP they are almost always a paid hire, with real postings paying in the low-to-mid twenties per hour. That means the FLSA applies to the coordinator (minimum wage, and overtime if non-exempt), while the volunteers they manage are not employees as long as they serve freely for charitable purposes without expecting pay. The compliance work is keeping that line clean. Paid staff, including the coordinator, cannot volunteer to do the same work they are paid for. Volunteers should not displace regular paid employees. And paying a volunteer more than a nominal amount can quietly turn them into an employee who is owed wages and overtime. None of the competitor templates explain this, yet it is the central legal reality of running a volunteer program, and getting it wrong creates back-pay and penalty exposure. Name the coordinator as a paid role, classify it correctly, and keep the volunteers genuinely voluntary.
Most employers are large institutions, so the small-nonprofit version is the real fit
It is worth being honest that most paid volunteer coordinators work for large institutions, hospitals and health systems, universities, big national nonprofits, and government agencies, which already have HR departments and their own systems. The nonprofit sector looks enormous on paper, with around 1.5 million recognized 501(c)(3) organizations, but the vast majority are tiny and all-volunteer: most nonprofits operate on budgets under a million dollars a year and a large share under fifty thousand, with no paid staff at all. Only a few hundred thousand nonprofits have any paid employees, and employment is concentrated in the big institutions. So the genuine small-business fit is narrow but real: the mid-small nonprofit with a budget in the few-hundred-thousand-to-a-million range, a handful of paid staff, and no HR department, that is hiring its first paid coordinator to professionalize a volunteer program. That is exactly the organization the small-nonprofit template on this page is written for, where the executive director doing the hiring is also the one who has to get the classification and the compliance right.
Pick your tool honestly: volunteer software manages volunteers, HR software onboards the paid staff
An organization hiring a volunteer coordinator usually has two different software needs, and it helps to be clear about which is which. Managing the volunteers themselves, scheduling shifts, tracking hours, and running a volunteer database, is the job of dedicated volunteer-management software, and several of those tools rank for this very search because that is their buyer. That is not what an HR onboarding platform does, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. What an HR platform handles is the other need: hiring and onboarding the paid coordinator and the rest of the paid staff. That is where the offer gets signed, the I-9 and tax forms get completed, the policies and background-check consents get acknowledged, certifications like CVA get stored, and a simple staff record gets kept. For a small nonprofit with a few paid employees and no HR department, that paid-staff side is real work that often falls on the executive director, and it is complementary to, not a replacement for, volunteer-management tooling. Match each need to the right tool rather than expecting one product to do both.
After You Hire: Onboarding
The job description is step one, and there are really two onboarding jobs here: onboarding the paid coordinator, and then equipping them to onboard volunteers. Start with the coordinator's employment basics: get the offer signed with the classification (usually non-exempt and hourly) and pay clearly stated, complete Form I-9 within the first days along with the rest of the new hire paperwork, and gather tax forms. If the role involves children, healthcare, or vulnerable people, run the coordinator's background check.
Then orient them to the organization, the volunteer program, the database and tools, the policies, and who to coordinate with, the kind of structured start the employee onboarding guide describes. After that, the coordinator builds the volunteer onboarding they will run: applications, signed agreements and conduct policies, background-check consents, and orientation. Store the coordinator's signed forms with the rest of the onboarding documents centrally.
A clear distinction is worth holding onto: an HR platform handles onboarding the paid coordinator and other paid staff, while dedicated volunteer-management software handles scheduling and tracking the volunteers themselves. FirstHR supports the paid-staff side: an AI onboarding wizard and task workflows so each step is tracked, e-signature for the offer and policy acknowledgments, training modules, document management for signed forms and certifications like CVA, and a simple HRIS with an org chart as the organization grows. Because pricing is flat rather than per employee, a small nonprofit pays one rate. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, and does not manage volunteer scheduling, so pair it with a payroll provider and your volunteer software. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
The volunteer coordinator is almost always a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers, not a volunteer themselves.
The coordinator is covered by the FLSA (minimum wage and, if non-exempt, overtime); most coordinator roles are non-exempt and hourly, while a director may be exempt.
Keep volunteers genuinely unpaid: paid staff cannot volunteer the same work they are paid for, volunteers should not displace paid employees, and more than nominal pay can make a volunteer an employee.
The Volunteer Protection Act (42 U.S.C. 14501) shields volunteers, not the paid coordinator, and does not eliminate the organization's own liability.
Run background checks for roles with children, patients, or vulnerable people; CVA certification is a plus, not a requirement.
Most employers are large institutions, but the real small-business fit is the lean nonprofit hiring its first paid coordinator; benchmark pay below the $78,240 management figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a volunteer coordinator do?
A volunteer coordinator builds and runs an organization's volunteer program. The duties cluster into a few areas: recruit and screen (finding volunteers through outreach and partnerships, screening applicants, running background checks), train and onboard (orienting new volunteers and training them on policies, safety, and conduct), schedule and support (matching volunteers to needs, building schedules, supporting and recognizing them), and track and report (maintaining the volunteer database, tracking hours, and reporting impact to leadership). They are the bridge between an organization's mission and the people who give their time to it. Volunteer coordinators work mainly at nonprofits, hospitals and hospices, faith-based organizations, schools, and government agencies. Importantly, the coordinator is almost always a paid employee who manages unpaid volunteers, not a volunteer themselves. This page includes nonprofit, hospital, faith-based, event, small-nonprofit, and director-level templates so you can pick the one that matches your organization.
Is a volunteer coordinator a paid position or a volunteer?
In almost all hiring contexts, the volunteer coordinator is a paid W-2 employee who manages unpaid volunteers, not a volunteer themselves. The title causes constant confusion, but real job postings consistently pay the role, commonly in the low-to-mid twenties per hour. That distinction matters legally: because the coordinator is an employee, the FLSA applies to them (minimum wage and, if non-exempt, overtime), while the volunteers they manage are generally not employees as long as they serve freely for charitable, religious, or humanitarian purposes without expecting pay. The one exception is smaller faith-based or all-volunteer organizations, where the coordinator role itself may be filled by a volunteer; in that case it is a volunteer ministry or service role, not employment. For any paid coordinator hire, treat the role as an employee: classify it under the FLSA, run the standard onboarding, and keep the volunteers they manage genuinely voluntary. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a volunteer coordinator exempt or non-exempt from overtime?
Most volunteer coordinator roles are non-exempt, meaning hourly and entitled to overtime for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The work is coordination and administration, recruiting, scheduling, training, and recordkeeping, rather than high-level management involving independent judgment on significant matters, so it generally does not meet the FLSA executive or administrative exemption tests, and the typical pay (often in the low-to-mid twenties per hour) sits below the salary threshold for exemption anyway. The senior step up, a director of volunteer services who sets strategy, supervises coordinators, and meets the salary basis, can be classified exempt under the executive or administrative exemption. The key rule is that classification depends on the actual duties and the salary level, not the job title: calling someone a coordinator or a manager does not by itself decide it. The safe default for a line-level coordinator is non-exempt and hourly, with hours tracked and overtime paid; confirm any exempt classification against the real duties. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a paid coordinator and the volunteers under the FLSA?
Under the FLSA, the paid coordinator is an employee and the volunteers generally are not, and keeping that line clean is the core compliance task. Per the Department of Labor, individuals who volunteer freely for charitable, religious, or humanitarian objectives, without contemplation or receipt of compensation, are not considered employees, and they typically serve part-time and do not displace regular paid workers. The coordinator, by contrast, is paid and therefore covered by the FLSA's minimum-wage and overtime rules. Three traps catch organizations: paid staff cannot volunteer to do the same work they are paid for; volunteers should not be used to replace paid employees; and paying a volunteer more than a nominal amount (the DOL looks at whether a fee exceeds roughly 20 percent of what an employee would earn for the work) can convert them into an employee owed wages. The DOL also treats a charitable nonprofit as not a covered enterprise unless it runs ordinary commercial activity of at least $500,000, though individual employees may still be covered. When in doubt, treat the worker as an employee and confirm with a professional. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the Volunteer Protection Act, and does it cover the coordinator?
The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 14501) is a federal law that generally shields volunteers of nonprofit organizations and government entities from personal liability for harm caused by an act or omission within the scope of their volunteer duties, as long as the harm was not caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, or reckless misconduct, and certain other conditions are met. Two limits matter for a volunteer coordinator. First, the protection covers the volunteers, not the paid coordinator or other paid staff, who are employees rather than volunteers. Second, the Act does not eliminate the organization's own liability for harm; it protects the individual volunteer, not the nonprofit itself. For a coordinator, the VPA is useful context when recruiting, placing, and supervising volunteers, and many organizations pair it with their own volunteer policies, training, background checks, and insurance. It is worth understanding but is not a substitute for good risk management. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a volunteer coordinator need certification like CVA?
No, certification is not required to work as a volunteer coordinator, but the recognized credential is worth knowing. The CVA, or Certified in Volunteer Administration, is the only internationally recognized professional certification in volunteer management, administered by the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA). It is competency-based, requires roughly three years of experience leading volunteers, and is earned through an exam offered twice a year rather than a course. The CVA exam treats titles like volunteer coordinator, manager of volunteers, and director of volunteer resources as interchangeable, reflecting how varied the titles are in this field. Listing CVA as preferred rather than required is appropriate for most coordinator postings, with stronger preference at the director level. Some healthcare settings also recognize the CAVS credential for directors of volunteer services. Treat certification as a plus that signals competence and commitment, not a barrier to hiring an otherwise strong candidate. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a volunteer coordinator make?
Volunteer coordinator pay varies by setting and seniority, and benchmarking requires care because the closest federal occupation overstates it. There is no separate federal wage code for volunteer coordinator; the nearest match is social and community service managers (SOC 11-9151), which had a median wage of about $78,240 a year in May 2024, but that is a management-level benchmark that runs higher than a line-level coordinator. Real coordinator pay is lower: aggregator estimates and actual postings commonly land in the roughly $45,000 to $67,000 a year range, with many part-time and hourly roles in the low-to-mid twenties per hour, and healthcare and education settings often paying more than small nonprofits. The senior step, a director of volunteer services, runs higher and approaches the management benchmark. Because most coordinator roles are non-exempt, you typically pay an hourly wage plus overtime. For a posting, benchmark to your sector and region rather than the federal management figure, and include a good-faith range where your state or city requires pay transparency. National compensation surveys are a useful reference for regional and sector detail.
What happens after I hire a volunteer coordinator?
Run a structured onboarding for the new paid coordinator, then equip them to onboard volunteers. Start with the employment basics for the coordinator: get the offer signed with the classification (usually non-exempt and hourly) and pay clearly stated, complete Form I-9 within the first days, and gather tax forms. If the role involves children, healthcare, or vulnerable people, run the coordinator's background check and any required screening. Then orient them to the organization, the volunteer program, the database and tools, the policies, and who to coordinate with. After that, the coordinator builds the volunteer onboarding they will run: volunteer applications, signed agreements and conduct policies, background-check consents, and orientation training. A clear distinction to hold onto: an HR platform handles onboarding the paid coordinator and other paid staff, while dedicated volunteer-management software handles scheduling and tracking the volunteers themselves. FirstHR supports the paid-staff side: an AI onboarding wizard and task workflows for a consistent checklist, e-signature for the offer and policy acknowledgments, training modules, document management for signed forms and certifications like CVA, and a simple HRIS. Because pricing is flat rather than per employee, a small nonprofit pays one rate. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, and does not manage volunteer scheduling; applicant tracking is coming soon.
