Background Checks and Volunteer Screening: What You Should Verify and Why

The right background check depends on what a volunteer will actually do. A volunteer who sorts donated goods in a back room carries a different risk profile than one who transports seniors to medical appointments or mentors children one-on-one. Treating every volunteer the same way — with either no screening at all or identical checks regardless of role — leaves gaps that thoughtful risk management should close. Nonprofit volunteer insurance is one layer of that protection, and screening is another. The two work best together, as part of a consistent, documented approach to managing volunteer risk before it becomes a claim.

Why Is Volunteer Screening More Important Than Ever?

Volunteers often work in situations that carry real exposure: direct contact with vulnerable populations, access to financial records or sensitive client information, and driving on behalf of the organization, to name just three. Each of those responsibilities creates a distinct category of risk that screening helps address.

Screening also demonstrates due diligence. When an incident occurs and an organization faces a negligence allegation, documented screening policies show that the organization took reasonable steps before placing a volunteer in a role. 

Maggie Benson, president of VIS partner Sure Check Background Screening, says, “Screening is about trust. When you hire staff or volunteers, all parties involved are counting on you to do your due diligence. Unfortunately, countless examples exist of trusted organizations that failed to screen properly. A single missed background check can expose your organization to liability, damage your reputation, and most importantly, put the people you serve at risk.”

One important note: Screening should support volunteer recruitment, not obstruct it. A well-designed process communicates professionalism and builds trust with volunteers who want to work alongside a vetted, safety-conscious team.

What Should You Verify Before Assigning Volunteer Responsibilities?

Screening requirements should match the volunteer’s actual responsibilities. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) advises that organizations assess how a person’s background relates to the specific risks and responsibilities of the role — and cautions against blanket exclusion policies that don’t account for the nature of the job, the time elapsed since any offense, or the gravity of the conduct involved.

A practical role-based approach looks something like this:

• Volunteers working with vulnerable populations (children, older persons, people with disabilities): Sex offender registry search, criminal history review, and potentially state-level searches
• Volunteer drivers: Motor vehicle record (MVR) check.
• Volunteers handling finances or sensitive data: Credit history review, where applicable, and stricter reference verification. This can also be supplemented or replaced by bankruptcies, liens, and judgment searches. Those are public records and require less credentialing, pre-pull disclosures, and adverse-action notices than do credit reports. Additionally, eleven states strictly ban using credit history in most hiring decisions. Document your screening process and keep records current. A clean check from three years ago does not reflect a volunteer’s record today, particularly for those in ongoing sensitive roles.
• Screening Policy & Offense Standards: Every nonprofit should establish a clear screening policy that defines which offenses are automatic disqualifiers and which warrant individualized review. Common non-negotiable disqualifiers include: violent felonies (assault, battery, homicide), sexual offenses (any conviction or registry status), financial crimes involving theft or fraud, and drug manufacturing or distribution. Secondary concerns often include DUIs, minor theft, or older misdemeanors; these require case-by-case review based on the role, time elapsed, and relevance to the duties. The key is consistency: apply the same standard to all candidates, document your decisions, and communicate your policy transparently.

Screening Is Only the Beginning of Risk Management

Background checks identify history. They cannot predict future behavior, and they do not substitute for orientation, training, supervision, and written policies that establish expectations from day one.

Think of volunteer screening as the first step in an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Periodic or continuous re-screening for volunteers in sensitive or long-term roles, combined with active supervision and documented policies, builds an organizational culture of accountability that screening alone cannot create.

How VIS Membership Helps Organizations Screen Volunteers More Effectively

VIS members receive exclusive access to Sure Check Background screening services at rates 10% lower than those available to non-VIS organizations. Sure Check’s volunteer background check includes SSN trace, nationwide criminal search, and county criminal history going back seven years, and can be customized for each client’s needs.

Sure Check helps organizations screen staff and volunteers quickly and affordably, so you can protect the people you serve and achieve peace of mind knowing your community is safe. Sure Check reports come back within eight hours on average nationwide, so organizations are not left waiting to onboard their volunteers.

Beyond criminal checks, Sure Check offers reference checks, drug testing, sex offender registry searches, state and federal criminal searches, and continuous monthly monitoring for longer-term volunteers — giving organizations the flexibility to match screening depth to role requirements.

VIS members also have 24/7 access to the VIS Vault, a library of risk-management resources that includes guidance on volunteer supervision, documentation practices, and risk-reduction tools that complement a strong screening program. For example, VIS’s Motor Vehicle Record Checklist provides an objective way to evaluate an MVR, to determine whether a volunteer should be allowed to drive on behalf of the organization. If you would like a complimentary copy, please email volunteers@visvolunteers.com. 

For details about the specialized volunteer insurance VIS offers, click the “VIS Is…” tab at the top of the page and scroll down to the FAQ section.

Build a Safer Volunteer Program From the Start

Thoughtful screening protects your volunteers, your clients, and your organization. It also strengthens the overall risk-management framework that nonprofit volunteer insurance supports. Neither screening nor insurance stands alone — both are components of a broader strategy that includes training, supervision, written policies, and consistent documentation.

Review your current screening policies against the roles your volunteers actually fill. If your process applies the same check to every volunteer regardless of responsibility, it’s worth building a more targeted approach.

Explore the Member Benefits page to learn more about VIS membership, including exclusive access to Sure Check background screening and other partner discounts, or call 800-222-8920 to discuss nonprofit volunteer insurance options for your organization.

FAQ on Background Checks

What background checks should nonprofits run before accepting volunteers?

It depends on the role. All volunteers should go through identity verification. Volunteers working with children, older persons, or people with disabilities warrant a sex offender registry search and a more thorough criminal history review. Volunteer drivers need a Motor Vehicle Record check. Volunteers handling finances may need a credit history review.

Do EEOC guidelines apply to volunteer screening?

Yes. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission advises that organizations assess criminal history in relation to the specific responsibilities of the role rather than applying blanket exclusion policies. Screening practices that disproportionately affect protected groups without a demonstrable connection to job-related risk can raise discrimination concerns.

How often should nonprofits re-screen volunteers?

For volunteers in ongoing sensitive roles, continuous, real-time screening is a sound practice. A background check reflects a person’s record at the time it was conducted — not necessarily what happened yesterday or today. Continuous monitoring services, like those available through Sure Check, offer an alternative for organizations that need ongoing oversight of certain volunteers.

What records should nonprofits keep from the screening process?

Document that screening was conducted, what checks were included, when they were completed, and the outcome. Keep records consistent across all volunteers in similar roles. That documentation supports organizational decision-making and provides a defensible record if a placement decision is ever questioned.

About the Author

William R. Henry, Jr. is Vice President and Director of Member Benefits at Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS), where he leads membership development and delivers risk management solutions tailored to volunteer-based organizations nationwide. A recognized authority on volunteer risk management, he is a frequent speaker and author on best practices for safe and effective volunteer engagement. He is accredited by the International Association of Business Communicators. With a background in communications, journalism, and public affairs, Henry brings a strategic perspective to supporting nonprofit organizations across the United States.

About VIS

Volunteers Insurance Service Association, Inc. (VIS) is a membership organization serving more than 3,500 volunteer-based nonprofit organizations and public entities nationwide. VIS is the only association that offers these three insurance programs designed specifically for volunteers: volunteer accident, volunteer liability, and volunteer excess automobile liability.

If you are interested in protecting your volunteers through the unique VIS insurance program, please click on the “Get volunteer insurance now” link on the home page, or call 800.222.8920. For more information on VIS’s risk-management resources for members and our vendor partners, click on the “Member Benefits” tab.