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- Automating Volunteer Onboarding for Non-Profits: A Complete Workflow Breakdown
Automating Volunteer Onboarding for Non-Profits: A Complete Workflow Breakdown
— Issue #23 of The Artificial Newsletter
In today’s nonprofit landscape, timely follow-ups and efficient onboarding can determine whether a new volunteer stays engaged or drops off. To streamline this process, we’ve built a fully automated Volunteer Management Workflow using n8n, our preferred low-code automation platform.
Below is a detailed walkthrough of how this workflow operates, what tools it integrates with, and how it enhances our volunteer coordination efforts.

Step 1: Volunteer Registration via n8n Form
The process begins with a publicly shareable n8n form, built directly into our automation environment. This form captures critical details such as:
Full Name
Email Address
Phone Number
City or Location
Areas of Interest
Availability
Previous Experience
Consent to Contact
Upon submission, the form acts as the trigger to initiate the workflow.

Step 2: Append Data to Google Sheets
The volunteer's responses are automatically appended to a centralized Google Sheet. This sheet serves as our master database of all volunteer sign-ups.
Steps to Implement:
Add a “Google Sheets” node after the form trigger in n8n.
Set Operation to:
Append
Authenticate with your Google account using OAuth2.
Enter the Spreadsheet ID (copied from the Google Sheets URL).
Set the Sheet Name (e.g.,
Volunteers
).Map each field from the form to the correct column in the sheet using expressions like
{{$json["email"]}}
,{{$json["interests"]}}
, etc.
This ensures that each submission is recorded in a structured and timestamped format, ready for reporting or filtering.
Step 3: Send a Personalized Welcome Email (Gmail)
Immediately after submission, the volunteer receives a personalized welcome email using Gmail. The email includes:
A thank-you note
A recap of their selected interests
Information on next steps
This creates a professional first impression and sets expectations early.

Step 4: Internal Team Notification via Microsoft Teams
Steps to Implement:
Add a “Microsoft Teams” node after the email or Google Sheets step.
Set Operation to:
Create a Channel Message
Authenticate using your Microsoft Teams account.
Select the appropriate Team and Channel where the notification should be posted.
Compose the message body. Example:
New Volunteer Sign-Up: Name: Email: Interest Areas: Location:

Step 5: Create or Update Volunteer Record in HubSpot
Next, the volunteer’s data is pushed into HubSpot as a new contact or updates an existing one. This helps the team:
Track all interactions with the volunteer
Segment volunteers by skills or interests
Automate future outreach through HubSpot sequences
Step 6: Schedule Orientation Invite via Google Calendar
Finally, the system creates a Google Calendar event for an upcoming volunteer orientation session. The volunteer’s email is added as a guest, and the invite includes:
Event title and description
Location or video conference link
Reminder settings for follow-up
This ensures no manual calendar coordination is needed on the team’s end.
Results
With this n8n automation:
Every volunteer receives instant acknowledgment
Internal teams stay informed without email chains
Volunteer records are synced across systems
Orientation logistics are handled without intervention
What’s Next?
This workflow can be further extended to:
Assign volunteers to regional WhatsApp groups
Route high-skill volunteers to specific coordinators
Capture engagement data for reporting and improvement
If you’d like to replicate this workflow or explore tailored automation for your nonprofit, feel free to reach out.