Volunteer Agreement

This Volunteer Agreement is an agreement by which a not-for-profit organization or a charitable foundation engages the services of a volunteer. A not-for-profit organization or a charitable foundation is an organization that is committed to providing humanitarian or community services for public benefit. For example, an organization that provides free meals, education, and shelter for children is a not-for-profit/ nonprofit or charitable organization.

A volunteer is a person who dedicates their time to providing any service to help the not-for-profit organization achieve their charitable purpose. The volunteer does not receive monetary compensation for their service but may receive housing or transportation benefits or meals.

Note that the volunteer is not an employee of the organization because, unlike an employee, the volunteer does not receive remuneration or other employment benefits, such as annual leave, pension or gratuity, or bonuses. Therefore, this document should not be used to hire employees; the Employment Agreement is more suitable for the employee. A volunteer job does not guarantee future employment with the organization. Some not-for-profit organizations rely on volunteers as their funding may be limited.

It is always best for not-for-profit organizations to have a Volunteer Agreement to regulate their relationship with volunteers. This document is simple as it requires basic information. A good volunteer agreement should have a release of liability and indemnity clauses, which allows the organization or the volunteer to pay for any potential loss or damage caused by the other party.

How to use this document

The document is usually used by a non-profit organization seeking to hire a volunteer and seeking a well-drafted legal document to regulate their relationship. This is a simple document that requires vital information such as the names and addresses of the organzation and the volunteer, the duration, and obligations of the volunteer. It also includes other general provisions, such as the confidentiality obligation, intellectual property ownership, indemnity, and termination. In this context, the indemnity clause typically works to hold the organization harmless for any act or omission of the volunteer during the period of the volunteer's work for the organization. The confidentiality clause prevents the volunteer from disclosing any confidential information belonging to the organization, including the mode of operation, clients, e.t.c, and the termination clause stipulates the timeframe within which the volunteer is expected to work for the organization and the conditions in which the volunteer or the organization may end the agreement.

After completing the document, it should be printed, and the organization and the volunteer should sign the document. Alternatively, the organization and the volunteer can sign the document electronically and exchange it via email.

After signing the document, the two parties should keep a signed copy of the document for their record.

Applicable law

There are no specific laws regulating the form and content of a Volunteer Agreement. However, the general rules of contract apply to this document.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.