Background Check for Nonprofit & Volunteers

Nonprofit organizations are a backbone of American society. Without them, many Americans would go without a lot of important services. From domestic violence shelters to youth sports groups and literacy campaigns, volunteer organizations fill a variety of needs.

Independent Sector reports that there are nearly 1.6 million registered nonprofits in the U.S., so they have a significant presence across the country and it takes millions of volunteers to support their initiatives.

Because nonprofits often help vulnerable populations, these organizations need to conduct background checks. You can minimize liabilities and keep your clients safe by obtaining background checks that screen volunteers.

Learn more about the unique challenges that nonprofits face when hiring volunteers and how Scout Logic can help.

Top Challenges for Nonprofit & Volunteer Orgs

Nonprofits and volunteer orgs aren’t run like ordinary businesses. Check out some of the unique challenges they experience when it comes to hiring the right staff:

Volunteers Work with Specific Populations

Volunteers often work with vulnerable populations. You need to ensure the right kind of staff with good intentions and clear backgrounds are on your team.

For example, nonprofits often work in the following fields:

•  Education: Adult volunteers at elementary, middle, and high schools need to undergo a background screening before working around children. Background checks should also be conducted for volunteers at private schools, colleges, and libraries.
•  Public Services: Public service is a major field for volunteers. Anyone who is working with homeless people, children, the elderly, or victims of violence needs to undergo a background check.
•  Religious Services: Volunteers for churches and ministries help spread their organizations’ messages to a variety of populations. They should undergo background checks to ensure no one is put in a compromising position.
•  Healthcare: You should screen volunteers that work at places like pregnancy support centers, clinics, nursing homes, and hospitals.
•  Youth Development: Troop leaders, coaches, and mentors should all go through a thorough background check.

The Temptation to Hire Anyone Who Wants to Help

If your nonprofit has big goals to achieve, it can be tempting to take on anyone who wants to help. While most volunteers will have good intentions, you should not take on just anyone who wants to offer their services. Volunteers could be lying about who they are – unless you perform background checks, you won’t know whether they are who they say they are. On a less serious note, they could be under-qualified. They may not have the relevant experience you’re looking for.

To ensure your nonprofit can operate at its prime, get a background check to screen volunteers for all potential hires. This way, you can best fill any open positions you have available.

Lack of Oversight

A good nonprofit will be wholly dedicated to its mission. With that in mind, you shouldn’t blindly allocate all of your funds to your mission. You need to set aside funds to fine-tune your hiring process.

Even though the upfront cost may seem wasteful or unnecessary, it will benefit volunteer organizations in the long run. You should screen volunteers, from board members to hands-on workers, to ensure they are suited for their jobs. You can do so by getting a background check for anyone who comes onto your team.

How ScoutLogic Can Help Your Org Move Forward Safely with Background Checks

In the best interest of the people you’re helping, you need to hire the right staff.

Our team at ScoutLogic performs thorough background checks so that your volunteer organizations are covered. Our background checks aren’t just limited to criminal history screenings and sex offender checks. We can verify education, employment, professional references, and other important factors of a volunteer background check.

Contact our experts at ScoutLogic so you can hire the appropriate team members for your nonprofit!