Stop chasing volunteers by text
The fastest way to stop chasing volunteers by text is one sign-up link where people pick their own shifts, plus reminders that go out automatically. Russ to the Rescue builds that around how your team already schedules, at a fixed price starting at $1,000, so your coordinator gets their Friday nights back.
Texts come straight to my phone.
Does this sound like your week?
- It's Thursday, and Saturday still has three open shifts.
- The schedule lives in one person's phone, a spreadsheet and a whiteboard, and they don't match.
- Someone always says "I never got the reminder."
- A volunteer cancels at 7 a.m., and you start texting down the list.
- You can't easily answer "how many volunteer hours did we have this year?" for a grant report.
What changes when scheduling runs itself?
Before: Texting people one by one to fill shifts
After: One sign-up link where volunteers choose their own shifts
Before: "I never got the reminder"
After: Reminders go out automatically before every shift
Before: Last-minute cancellations mean a scramble
After: Volunteers can drop a shift themselves, and the open spot is visible right away
Before: The schedule lives in someone's head
After: One schedule everyone can see, that stays up to date
Before: Counting hours by hand for a grant report
After: Hours and attendance are already recorded
The time that used to go to chasing goes back to the people: welcoming new volunteers, thanking regulars and running the day itself.
How does it work?
We talk about how you schedule today. Which roles, which shifts, who signs people up, what goes wrong. Every organization's version is different. A food pantry, a youth league and a historical society docent schedule all need different things.
I map it and simplify it. Automating a messy process just gives you a faster mess, so we fix the process first.
I build it around your process. If you already use a sign-up tool or a shared spreadsheet that works, I'll set it up properly and connect it rather than start over. If you need something new, I build it to fit.
Reminders and confirmations go out on their own. They use set wording you approve, so nobody has to send them by hand. Anything more personal, like a thank-you note, still gets read by a person first.
I train your team and hand it over. Your coordinator and your volunteers learn it, and you get a plain-English guide for whoever runs it next.
What does it cost?
Volunteer scheduling is often a good first system, and builds start at a fixed price of $1,000. Your one-page plan gives you the exact price and timeline before any work starts. The first chat is free, and optional support is $500 a month only if you want ongoing upgrades. See pricing for everything that's included.
Will our volunteers be able to use it?
Yes. That's the whole point. In most setups, volunteers just tap a link on their phone. No app to download.
I train whoever runs the schedule, and the handover guide is written for a person who's never seen it before, because sooner or later someone new will take over.
What if we already use a sign-up tool?
Then we start there. Plenty of small nonprofits already have a free sign-up site, a shared calendar or a spreadsheet that mostly works. Often the fix is setting it up properly and connecting it to the rest of your week, so sign-ups land in one place, reminders go out on time and hours get counted. I'll only suggest something new if what you have can't do the job.
Questions people ask
Can volunteers swap or drop shifts themselves?
Usually, yes. We'll decide together how much volunteers can change on their own and when the coordinator should hear about it.
Can it track volunteer hours for grant reports?
Yes. If hours matter for your funders, we'll set it up so attendance and hours are recorded as you go, not rebuilt at the end of the year.
Does it work for one-off events as well as weekly shifts?
Yes. Your plan will cover the mix you actually have, whether that's a weekly schedule, a big annual event or both.
Who owns the volunteer list?
You do. Your volunteers' information stays in accounts your organization controls.
Who you'll work with
I'm Russ, a neighbor in Mendham. I answer my own phone, and I'm happy to meet at your office or by phone or video. More about me.
Next step
Tell me how Saturday's schedule comes together today. Text me, and we'll find 30 minutes to talk.