VolunteerMatch (now Idealist)
VolunteerMatch merged into Idealist in 2025, and volunteermatch.org now redirects there. Nonprofits post volunteer opportunities on Idealist for free, with an optional $149-a-year membership.
- Type
- Directory
- Cost model
- Free listings, optional membership
- Nonprofit terms
- Profile review required
- Last reviewed
- October 7, 2026
What is VolunteerMatch (now Idealist)?
VolunteerMatch is now part of Idealist. The two merged in January 2025 and became one platform on September 8, 2025, and volunteermatch.org now redirects to Idealist. If your organization posted on VolunteerMatch, you post volunteer opportunities on Idealist instead.
Idealist is a volunteer and social-impact job board. Organizations create a profile, Idealist reviews it (within two business days, it says), and approved organizations post volunteer listings for free. Volunteers search those listings by cause, location and type of work. VolunteerMatch’s learning materials for volunteer managers moved into Idealist’s Volunteer Engagement Resources.
An optional Idealist Annual Membership costs $149 a year for nonprofits, government agencies and hospices. It lets members renew listings every 7 days instead of every 45 and gives 15% off promoted listings. Job postings are paid separately.
If you used VolunteerMatch
Idealist says organizations that posted on VolunteerMatch in 2017 or later were moved over. Log in to Idealist with your VolunteerMatch email, set a new password, then check that your profile and listings came across correctly. Former VolunteerMatch Pro memberships became Idealist memberships that do not renew automatically.
Best For
Best for nonprofits recruiting general or skilled volunteers from the public, including former VolunteerMatch users moving their listings. Free listings suit most organizations; the membership suits teams that post often and want listings renewed more frequently.
How It Fits
- Learning curve
- Posting is straightforward. Former VolunteerMatch users should check that migrated listings and contact details are current.
- Setup timeShort
- Create an account, verify your email, submit your profile and wait up to two business days for approval.
- Organization sizeAny size
- Idealist describes users from the largest nonprofits to volunteer-run community groups.
- Technical skillLow
- Listings are written in a web form. The work is writing a clear role description and responding to applicants.
Before You Sign Up
Cost and access
Volunteer listings on Idealist are free. The optional Annual Membership is $149 a year for nonprofits, government agencies and hospices, checked October 7, 2026; it adds faster listing renewal and 15% off promoted listings.
Eligibility and availability
Any organization can create a profile, which Idealist reviews before you can post. The paid membership is available to nonprofits, government agencies and hospices. Idealist's pages do not state rules for organizations outside the U.S.