How Support Serve works
Our mission
Support Serve connects nonprofits with skilled volunteers who want to make a difference. Everyone has skills that can help a nonprofit meet its mission (web development, marketing, grant writing, accounting and more), and many professionals want to volunteer but can't find a role that uses what they're good at.
We make that connection simple, and we keep it free, so more skills reach more causes.
Two sides, one goal: put the right skills in front of the right cause.
For volunteers
- Create a volunteer profile with your skills and availability.
- Browse and filter open projects.
- Apply with a short note.
- Log hours once accepted and get them confirmed.
For nonprofits
- Create an organization profile and get approved.
- Post a project: what you need, when and how many people.
- Review applicants and accept the best fits.
- Confirm volunteer hours to track your impact.
Jack Lilley
Jack started Support Serve because he saw how many skilled people want to help a good cause but never find a role that fits what they're good at, and how many small nonprofits can't afford the tools to find them.
He grew up in East Texas, lives in Fort Worth, and has worked in technology for over a decade as an engineer and solutions architect in cloud and security. Outside of work he volunteers with local nonprofits and helps older neighbors spot online and phone scams.
His promise for the platform is simple: it stays free for every volunteer and every approved nonprofit.
What we believe
Community impact
Skilled volunteering creates real change. Every project here is meant to move a nonprofit's mission forward.
Accessibility
Volunteering should be open to everyone who wants to contribute. No fees, no barriers, and a site built to work for all.
Mutual benefit
Nonprofits get valuable help, and volunteers gain experience, satisfaction and a record of hours their nonprofits confirmed.
Quality
A person reviews every nonprofit before it can post, and we encourage clear projects, so volunteers know what they're signing up for.
Who runs Support Serve
Support Serve is a small, independent, mission-driven project.
The founder
Support Serve was started by a single founder who saw skilled people wanting to volunteer and small nonprofits that could not afford to find them. The goal is simple: make the match free, honest and easy. You can reach the founder directly at hello@supportserve.org.
How we are funded
Support Serve is paid for by gifts from supporters. We commit to charging no fees to volunteers or nonprofits.
If funding runs low, we will say so on this page and ask for help first. We would rather slow down new features than add fees. In the worst case we would give notice and let you export your data before closing.
FAQ
Is Support Serve really free?
Yes. There are no membership fees, listing fees or paid tiers for volunteers or nonprofits. We are funded by supporter gifts.
What is the catch?
There isn’t one. We do not sell data, show ads or charge fees. The service runs on supporter gifts, and it stays small and simple so it stays cheap to run.
Who can join?
Anyone can sign up to volunteer. Any nonprofit can join once we have confirmed who they are.
Can several people manage one nonprofit?
Yes. The person who registered the nonprofit can invite teammates from the Team page as admins or members. It’s free for everyone.
Can nonprofits find volunteers?
Volunteers can choose to be discoverable. Approved nonprofits can search those volunteers and invite them to a project; volunteers’ emails stay private.
How are nonprofits approved?
New organizations tell us about their mission and give a website and/or registration number (such as a US EIN). A person reviews each one, aiming to respond within 3 business days, before the nonprofit can post projects. If we need more information, we say so in the notification.
How do I stay safe?
Never send money or sensitive documents to a project. Meet new organizations in public or virtual settings first, and use the “Report” button (it needs a free account) on any project that looks wrong. Projects that need a background check say so up front. Support Serve does not vet volunteers, and nonprofits do not vet each other for you, so use your own judgment.
Can a nonprofit remove a volunteer?
Yes. A nonprofit can decline or change the status of any applicant from its project page, and can report a volunteer to us if there is a safety concern.
What makes a good project?
A clear title, what the volunteer will actually do, the hours and period involved, whether it is remote or onsite, and any screening such as a background check. Vague listings, or paid work presented as volunteering, may be removed.
Can I volunteer remotely? What about minors?
Many projects are remote, and you can filter for them. Volunteers must be 18 or older unless a nonprofit explicitly accepts younger volunteers and has guardian consent. Each nonprofit decides and says so on its project.
How do nonprofits get listed?
Create a nonprofit account, complete your organization profile and wait for approval. Once approved, post a project and volunteers can apply immediately.
How many projects can a nonprofit post?
There is no fixed limit while a nonprofit is approved. We may ask a nonprofit to close projects that are inactive, duplicated or unclear.
What does a volunteer share when applying?
Your name, contact email, bio, skills, availability and your application note, visible only to the nonprofit you apply to.
When can I see a nonprofit’s contact details?
Once the nonprofit accepts your application.
How are hours confirmed?
Volunteers log hours against projects they were accepted to. The nonprofit confirms or rejects each entry, and only confirmed hours count toward impact totals.
Where can I get a record of my hours?
On your dashboard, open “Service record” to print or save a PDF of the hours your nonprofits confirmed.
Can I export my data or leave?
You can delete your account any time with “Delete account” on your profile page, which removes your profile, applications and logged hours. To get a copy of your data first, choose “Download my data” on the same page.
About our numbers
Counts are live and come straight from the database. Volunteers are accounts with a volunteer profile. Approved nonprofits are organizations a person on our team has reviewed. Hours count only after a nonprofit confirms them. We hide totals while they are too small to mean anything.