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Tools & Platforms for Helpers

Apps, websites, and resources to amplify your impact


Finding Volunteer Opportunities

Tool Description Link
VolunteerMatch Largest volunteer opportunity database volunteermatch.org
Idealist Jobs, internships, and volunteer positions idealist.org
All for Good Aggregates opportunities from multiple sources allforgood.org
JustServe Community service projects justserve.org
Points of Light Corporate and individual volunteering pointsoflight.org
211 Local human services resource (dial 211) 211.org
HandsOn Network Local volunteer centers handsonnetwork.org

Charity Research & Evaluation

Tool Description Link
GiveWell Deep research on cost-effective charities givewell.org
Charity Navigator Financial health and accountability ratings charitynavigator.org
GuideStar (Candid) Nonprofit database and financials candid.org
Animal Charity Evaluators Research on animal welfare organizations animalcharityevaluators.org
BBB Wise Giving Alliance Charity accountability standards give.org
The Life You Can Save Curated list of effective charities thelifeyoucansave.org
ImpactMatters (now part of Charity Navigator) charitynavigator.org

Donation Management

Tool Description Link
Fidelity Charitable Donor-advised fund fidelitycharitable.org
Schwab Charitable Donor-advised fund schwabcharitable.org
Daffy Modern donor-advised fund (app-based) daffy.org
Every.org Simplified giving platform every.org
Benevity Corporate giving platform benevity.com
Giving What We Can Giving pledge tracking givingwhatwecan.org

Micro-Volunteering Apps

Tool Description Link
Be My Eyes Video calls to assist blind/low-vision users bemyeyes.com
Zooniverse Citizen science projects zooniverse.org
Missing Maps Humanitarian mapping missingmaps.org
Charity Miles Earn donations while exercising charitymiles.org
ShareTheMeal Micro-donations for hunger sharethemeal.org
FreeRice Answer questions, donate rice freerice.com
Folding@home Donate computing power for research foldingathome.org

Skills-Based Volunteering

Tool Description Link
Catchafire Professional skills matching catchafire.org
Taproot Foundation Pro bono consulting projects taprootfoundation.org
DataKind Data science for social good datakind.org
Code for America Civic tech codeforamerica.org
ADPList Design/product/tech mentoring adplist.org
SCORE Small business mentoring score.org

Crisis Support Training & Platforms

Tool Description Link
Crisis Text Line Text-based crisis support crisistextline.org
7 Cups Online emotional support 7cups.com
Trevor Project LGBTQ+ youth crisis support thetrevorproject.org
RAINN Sexual assault survivor support rainn.org
Koko Peer support platform koko.ai

Mutual Aid & Community

Tool Description Link
Buy Nothing Project Hyperlocal gift economy buynothingproject.org
MutualAid.wiki Mutual aid directory mutualaid.wiki
Nextdoor Neighborhood social network nextdoor.com
Little Free Library Community book sharing littlefreelibrary.org
Lasagna Love Meal sharing for families lasagnalove.org
Meal Train Coordinate meals for those in need mealtrain.com

Advocacy & Civic Engagement

Tool Description Link
Resistbot Text to contact representatives Text RESIST to 50409
5 Calls Calling scripts for advocacy 5calls.org
Countable / Causes Track bills, contact officials causes.com
Vote.org Voter registration and information vote.org
Ballotpedia Election and candidate information ballotpedia.org
OpenSecrets Money in politics tracking opensecrets.org
Change.org Petition platform change.org

Translation & Language

Tool Description Link
Tarjimly Translation for refugees tarjimly.org
Translators Without Borders Humanitarian translation clearglobal.org
Kiva Translate microloan profiles kiva.org/volunteer

Tracking Your Impact

Tool Description Link
Golden Volunteer Volunteer hour tracking goldenvolunteer.com
Helper Helper Volunteer management helperhelper.com
Track It Forward Hour tracking for organizations trackitforward.com
Spreadsheet templates DIY tracking See our templates

Learning & Training

Tool Description Link
+Acumen Social impact courses plusacumen.org
Coursera Nonprofit management courses coursera.org
Nonprofit Ready Free nonprofit training nonprofitready.org
Stanford Social Innovation Review Research and articles ssir.org
Beautiful Trouble Activism tactics beautifultrouble.org

Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation

Tool Description Link
Red Cross Blood Donor App Find blood drives, track donations redcrossblood.org
AABB Blood Bank Locator Find donation centers aabb.org
Be The Match Bone marrow registry bethematch.org
Donate Life Organ donor registration donatelife.net

Mobile Apps Summary

Quick download list for helpers:

  1. Be My Eyes — Help blind users with video calls
  2. Charity Miles — Turn exercise into donations
  3. ShareTheMeal — Micro-donations for hunger
  4. Red Cross Blood Donor — Find and track blood donations
  5. Buy Nothing — Local giving and sharing
  6. Crisis Text Line (volunteer) — Text-based crisis support
  7. Resistbot — Easy advocacy via text

See also: Templates for tracking your volunteering and donations