Three Essential Background Check Tips for Nonprofits

Nonprofits exist to create good in their communities, and volunteers are the perfect vehicle for that good. They’re the face of many nonprofits—they interact with the public most and are what people remember about nonprofits. The roles of volunteers within nonprofits can vary widely too. Some can take long-term administrative roles, and some may work just a single event.

Regardless of how involved any given volunteer is in your nonprofit, they will make an impact on your audience. You need to be certain that volunteers will represent your nonprofit in the best light, so it’s a good idea to screen them.

Protect the people you advocate for and get excellent volunteers with these three essential background check tips for nonprofits.

Use more than one check

A simple criminal background check will clarify some aspects of a volunteer’s past, but it won’t uncover everything you’ll want to know. Identify the qualifications and traits you expect from your volunteers and choose screenings that will tell you exactly what you need. If your volunteers will operate vehicles, run a driving record screening on them. If your volunteers will work with children, check child abuse records or education credentials.

Make your application process streamlined

Those who apply to volunteer for your nonprofit are driven by a desire to make a difference. They want to help you as soon as they can, so a seamless application process will make it easy for them to start helping you and make the screening process faster. If you can send your applicants’ information off to your background check agency quickly, you’ll be able to get the best volunteers to work right when you need them.

Be aware of your risks

Budgeting is extremely important for organizations that don’t work for profit. While screening every single person who wants to volunteer may seem out of budget, there are background check agencies such as One Source that are happy to work with you and offer special nonprofit pricing. Build your budget to include room to screen the number of applicants you expect. Carefully spending on background checks will always be less costly than managing the fallout of a bad volunteer. It may take a budget adjustment, but it’s worth it in the long run.

That’s three essential background check tips for nonprofits, but it’s jus . To learn more about how One Source can help you get the best volunteers, contact our Client Relations Team.