Template · People
Volunteer agreement
A friendly one-to-two page agreement that sets out a volunteer's role, what you both expect, confidentiality, safeguarding, and how the role ends.
The Word file opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice. Reviewed October 14, 2026.
A volunteer agreement is a short, plain document that you and a volunteer both sign at the start. It says what the volunteer will do, what they can expect from you, and the few rules that keep everyone safe, such as keeping private information private and how to report a worry about someone's safety.
It is not a job contract, and it should not read like one. Its purpose is to make expectations clear and to show that the person is a volunteer, not an employee. The US Department of Labor explains that people who give their time to a charity "for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives, not as employees and without contemplation of pay" are not treated as employees of that charity. Paying volunteers wages, or anything that looks like wages, can change that, so the agreement says clearly that the role is unpaid.
Use it for any regular volunteer role. For a one-off event, a shorter sign-up form may be enough.
How to adapt it
- Write the role in a sentence or two. Be specific about hours and who the volunteer reports to.
- Keep the safeguarding section if your volunteers will have any contact with children, older people, people with disabilities or anyone else who could be at risk. Add your background check process if you use one, and check what your state and your insurer require.
- Only reimburse real, documented expenses that you approve in advance. Don't pay flat amounts or "stipends" without advice, because that can make a volunteer look like an employee.
- Keep a signed copy, in line with your document retention policy.
Preview
Volunteer agreement
Between [ORGANIZATION NAME] (the "Organization") and [VOLUNTEER NAME] (the "Volunteer").
Start date: [DATE]
Welcome
Thank you for giving your time to [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Our mission is [MISSION IN ONE SENTENCE]. This agreement sets out what we both expect, so you can enjoy volunteering with us and feel supported. It is not an employment contract, and it is not meant to create a legal relationship of employment.
Your role
- Role title: [ROLE TITLE]
- What you will do: [TWO OR THREE SENTENCES DESCRIBING THE TASKS]
- Where: [LOCATION OR "REMOTE"]
- Usual time commitment: about [NUMBER] hours a [WEEK OR MONTH], on [DAYS OR TIMES], for [LENGTH OF COMMITMENT OR "AS LONG AS IT SUITS YOU BOTH"]
- Your contact person: [NAME AND ROLE], who you can reach at [HOW TO CONTACT]
What you can expect from us
- a clear introduction to the Organization and to your role
- any training you need to do the role safely and well
- a named person to ask for help and support
- a safe place to volunteer, and insurance cover for volunteers as described in our policy
- reimbursement of reasonable expenses that we agree in advance, when you give us receipts
- to be thanked, listened to and treated with respect
- a reference, if you ask for one, based on the volunteering you have done
What we ask of you
- to do your role in line with our mission, values and policies
- to let your contact person know as early as you can if you can't come or need to stop
- to treat the people we serve, other volunteers and staff with respect
- to follow the training and safety instructions you are given
- to speak for the Organization in public or on social media only if we have asked you to
- to tell us about anything that might be a conflict of interest
No pay
Your role is voluntary and unpaid. You will not receive wages, salary or any payment for your time. We may reimburse expenses you have agreed with us in advance and can show receipts for. You may stop volunteering at any time.
Confidentiality
- As a volunteer you may learn private information about the people we serve, our donors, other volunteers or the Organization.
- You agree to keep this information private, to use it only for your volunteer role, and not to share it with anyone outside the Organization unless the law requires it or someone is at risk of harm.
- You agree not to take photos of the people we serve, or post about them, without our permission and theirs.
- This promise continues after your role ends.
Safeguarding
- Everyone at [ORGANIZATION NAME] shares a duty to keep people safe, especially children and adults who may be at risk.
- You agree to follow our safeguarding policy and the training we give you.
- [IF APPLICABLE: Before you start, we will ask you to complete a background check through [PROVIDER OR PROCESS]. We will ask for your consent first.]
- You will not be alone with a child or an adult at risk unless your role allows it and you have been trained for it.
- If you see, hear or suspect that someone is being harmed or is at risk, you agree to tell [SAFEGUARDING CONTACT NAME AND ROLE] the same day. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first.
- You can also raise any concern under our whistleblower policy, and you will not be treated unfairly for doing so in good faith.
Health and safety
Please tell your contact person about any accident, injury or near miss straight away, and about anything that affects your ability to do your role safely.
Ending the role
- You can stop volunteering at any time. We would be grateful for as much notice as you can give.
- We may also end your volunteer role at any time. Where we can, we will talk with you first and explain why.
- We may end the role straight away if you break this agreement in a serious way, for example by putting someone at risk.
- When your role ends, please return any keys, equipment, documents or login details, and delete any of the Organization's information you hold.
Signatures
Volunteer: [VOLUNTEER NAME]
Signature: [SIGNATURE]
Date: [DATE]
For [ORGANIZATION NAME]: [NAME AND ROLE]
Signature: [SIGNATURE]
Date: [DATE]
Sources
Checked on October 14, 2026. Rules and fees change, so follow the links for the current version.