This feature is available on the Pro Plan.
Why restrict volunteer opportunities?
Not every volunteer opportunity should be open to every volunteer. Some opportunities require additional training, certifications, experience, or approval before someone can volunteer.
In Timecounts, volunteers become eligible to view and sign up for opportunities linked to an Application once they have been Qualified. Unlike volunteer onboarding, which is typically used for all new volunteers, Applications let you add another level of screening or access for specific opportunities.
Qualify volunteers
Before you can restrict volunteer opportunities, you'll need to create an Application and decide which volunteers should be Qualified for it. Applications don't need to be Open to be linked to volunteer opportunities. An Application can be Open or Closed and still be used to Qualify volunteers. The only requirement is that it hasn't been Archived.
Articles → Creating a volunteer application and Qualifying volunteers for an Application
Restrict an Event or Repeating Event
For Events and Repeating Events, the Application is linked to the entire volunteer opportunity. Only volunteers who have been Qualified for that Application will be able to view and sign up for the event.
When creating a new Event or Repeating Event, select the appropriate Application from the Restriction dropdown. The dropdown lists all available Applications, with No Restriction selected by default.
If the Event has already been created, open the Event and navigate to the Details page. Under Restriction, choose the Application you'd like to use and save your changes.
Restrict positions in a Schedule or Event with Shifts
For Schedules and Events with Shifts, Applications are linked to individual positions rather than the volunteer opportunity itself. This allows you to restrict only the positions that require volunteers to be Qualified, while leaving other positions open to volunteers who are otherwise eligible to sign up.
When creating positions, select the appropriate Application from the Restriction dropdown for each position. The dropdown lists all available Applications, with No Application selected by default.
To update an existing position, open the Schedule or Event with Shifts and click Positions in the top-right corner. In the Manage Positions window, click the edit pencil beside the position you'd like to update. Under Restriction, select the appropriate Application and save your changes.
Only volunteers who have been Qualified for that Application will be able to view and sign up for shifts in that position. Positions left as No Application remain available to volunteers who are otherwise eligible to sign up.
What volunteers will see
Once a volunteer has been Qualified, they'll be able to view and sign up for any volunteer opportunities linked to it. By default, volunteers who haven't been Qualified can still discover restricted volunteer opportunities depending on your visibility settings.
If the linked Application is open, volunteers who click Sign Up will see an Apply button along with your custom signup restriction message, inviting them to apply.
If the linked Application is closed, volunteers who click Sign Up will instead see your custom message explaining that they must be qualified before they can volunteer.
Hide restricted volunteer opportunities
By default, volunteer opportunities linked to an Application remain visible to volunteers who haven't been Qualified. This helps with recruitment by allowing volunteers to discover opportunities they may be interested in and apply if the linked Application is open.
If you'd prefer to hide restricted volunteer opportunities entirely, open the volunteer opportunity and navigate to the Details page. Under Visibility, select Show to Qualified Only, then click Save.
When enabled, only volunteers who have been Qualified for the linked Application will be able to see the Event, Repeating Event, or qualifying positions within a Schedule or Event with Shifts.
Customize the signup restriction message
You can customize the messages volunteers see when they aren't Qualified for an Application.
Go to Settings > Rules and scroll to Signup Restrictions.
You can customize separate messages for:
Open Applications, where volunteers are invited to apply.
Closed Applications, where volunteers are informed that qualification is required before they can volunteer.
Common questions
Can I use the same Application for multiple volunteer opportunities?
Yes. You can use the same Application across multiple Events, Repeating Events, and Positions. For example, if volunteers need to be trained before volunteering at a particular location, you only need to Qualify them once. You can then link the same Application to any volunteer opportunities at that location.
Can I hide shifts until volunteers are Qualified?
Yes. Applications are linked to positions, which control access to the shifts within them. By default, restricted volunteer opportunities remain visible so volunteers can discover them and apply if the linked Application is open. If you'd prefer to hide restricted Events or positions entirely, open the volunteer opportunity and navigate to the Details page. Under Visibility, select Show to Qualified Only, then click Save.
Do I need to use volunteer onboarding first?
No. Many organizations use volunteer onboarding as the first step for all new volunteers and then use Applications to Qualify volunteers for specific opportunities.
Other organizations use Applications as their primary recruitment process. For example, annual festivals often recruit a new group of volunteers each year using an Application, including returning volunteers, before qualifying them for that year's volunteer opportunities.
Does the Application need to be open?
No. Applications can be Open or Closed and still be linked to volunteer opportunities. Volunteers can continue to be qualified even after an Application has closed. Only Archived Applications can't be selected.
What happens if I don't link an Application?
For Events and Repeating Events, leaving the Application field set to No Application means the event is available to all volunteers who are otherwise eligible to sign up. For Schedules and Events with Shifts, only positions linked to an Application are restricted. Positions left as No Application remain available to all volunteers who are otherwise eligible to sign up.