Sterling Volunteers

What Sterling Volunteers does

Sterling Volunteers is a US-based volunteer background screening platform operating as a division of SterlingBackcheck (now part of First Advantage following the 2024 acquisition of Sterling Check Corp for approximately $2.2 billion). The company runs a two-sided marketplace connecting individual volunteers with nonprofit and service organizations, providing background checks that include Social Security Trace, Nationwide Criminal History Search, Department of Justice Sex Offender Search, and optional ID.me-based identity verification. Its distinctive architectural feature is a volunteer-owned check model: volunteers pay once and share results across multiple accepting organizations at no incremental cost, mediated through a Good Deed Code system that organizations issue to link a screened volunteer to their program.

The platform supports screening workflows for organizations of all sizes, ranging from self-service individual volunteer onboarding (under 5 minutes, results in as little as 12 hours) to enterprise master services agreements for large K-12 districts, healthcare systems, and national nonprofits. Add-on modules include monthly criminal-record monitoring alerts, identity verification via an exclusive ID.me partnership, and COVID-19 health testing. Revenue is generated through per-check fees paid by volunteers, organizations, or both, plus organization-level subscriptions and MSA arrangements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Sterling Volunteers markets through content-led channels (annual Industry Insights report with VolunteerMatch, Sterling Live webinars, blog) and a partner referral network exceeding 100 national and regional organizations including Meals on Wheels America, Points of Light, Girl Scouts, CASA, Catholic Charities USA, Pop Warner, and Positive Coaching Alliance.

Name

Sterling Volunteers

Legal name

Sterling Volunteers, a division of SterlingBackcheck

Website

https://sterlingvolunteers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sterling Volunteers is a US volunteer background screening platform that runs a two-sided marketplace connecting individual volunteers with nonprofit organizations, letting volunteers pay once for a check and share it across multiple accepting organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Background Screening Services

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Volunteer background screening
• Nonprofit screening services
• Criminal history checks
• Identity verification services
• Volunteer onboarding platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Volunteer Background Check Fees: Volunteers or organizations pay for background check packages. The screening fee can be covered by the volunteer, the organization, or split between them. Organizations can order packages on behalf of volunteers or volunteers can self-order through the platform.
2. Organization/Enterprise Subscriptions: Organizations register as clients to manage volunteer screening programs, access compliance tools, and manage volunteer onboarding workflows. Registered Clients may enter into a master services agreement (MSA) for additional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sterling Volunteers operates a volunteer background screening platform and online volunteer community that enables nonprofits and service organizations to screen volunteers through criminal history searches, Social Security Traces, and sex offender registry checks. Volunteers can pay once and share their completed background check results with multiple partner organizations at no additional cost, while organizations can also order screening packages directly on behalf of volunteers and access ongoing monthly monitoring alerts.

Product overview

Sterling Volunteers is a volunteer background screening platform that operates as a two-sided marketplace connecting nonprofits with vetted volunteers. The core offering consists of the Volunteer Background Screening Platform (for organizations to order and manage checks) and the Volunteer Community (where verified volunteers can share their completed checks with multiple organizations). Individual volunteers can purchase and own their own background check through a separate ordering portal, then share results across the Sterling network without re-screening. Screening packages include Social Security Trace, Nationwide Criminal History Search, and Department of Justice Sex Offender Search. Add-on modules include identity verification via ID.me partnership, monthly criminal record monitoring alerts, and COVID-19 health testing services. The platform serves sectors including education, healthcare, faith-based organizations, social/human services, sports, and youth development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Background Screening Platform The primary platform enabling nonprofit volunteer managers and service organizations to conduct background checks on volunteers to avoid onboarding risky individuals. Supports screening of volunteers for roles working with vulnerable populations across education, healthcare, faith-based, social services, sports, and youth development sectors.
• Volunteer Community An online community where screened and vetted volunteers can connect with multiple nonprofit service organizations. Once a volunteer completes a background check, they can share their results via email or print with any participating organization, eliminating the need to re-screen for each new organization.
• Individual Volunteer Background Check Allows individual volunteers to order and own their own background check through a dedicated portal. Once completed, the report can be securely shared with multiple organizations via the Sterling Volunteers system, eliminating the need to re-screen for each new organization.
• Identity Verification (ID.me partnership) Exclusive partnership with ID.me providing identity verification overlaid on Sterling's standard background check. Addresses virtual volunteering scenarios by confirming volunteers are who they claim to be when face-to-face identity confirmation is not possible.
• Monthly Updates and Alerts Continuous monitoring service providing ongoing alerts when a volunteer's criminal record is updated after the initial background check is completed, supporting organizations' ongoing risk management.
• COVID-19 Health Testing Health testing services offered in partnership with nonprofits to support pandemic response efforts, including in-home testing capabilities for volunteer engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Background checks can be completed in under 5 minutes with results delivered in as little as 12 hours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and flagship.

• Points of LightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoints of Light promotes and advances volunteer engagement through an affiliate network of about 250 organizations in major metro areas in the United States and about 30 other countries. They support products and platforms connecting people interested in helping with organizations that need their help. Sterling Volunteers partners with Points of Light to build vetted volunteer pools and support the volunteer community.
• Meals on Wheels AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeals on Wheels America works to improve the health and quality of life of seniors through a nationwide network of local programs. Partnership with Sterling Volunteers provides trusted volunteer background screening for member organizations, emphasizing risk management and trust for volunteers serving vulnerable senior populations.
• Girl ScoutsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGirl Scouts uses Sterling Volunteers to screen volunteers supporting youth leadership and development programs. Partnership enables trusted volunteer screening across the organization's nationwide volunteer base.
• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCASA partners with Sterling Volunteers for volunteer screening of court-appointed special advocates who advocate for abused and neglected children.
• Catholic Charities USAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatholic Charities USA leverages Sterling Volunteers for background screening of volunteers serving in faith-based charitable programs across the country.
• Pop WarnerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPop Warner uses Sterling Volunteers for screening youth sports coaches and volunteers in amateur athletic programs.
• Positive Coaching AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPositive Coaching Alliance partners with Sterling Volunteers for volunteer screening supporting youth sports development and coaching programs.
• National Human Services AssemblyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Human Services Assembly partners with Sterling Volunteers for volunteer screening resources for member human services organizations.
• Girls IncminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGirls Inc. partners with Sterling Volunteers for screening volunteers supporting girls' programming and development initiatives.
• VolunteerMatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSterling Volunteers and VolunteerMatch have partnered for three consecutive years on the annual Industry Insights report, surveying thousands of nonprofits and volunteers. VolunteerMatch also serves as a referral source for organizations seeking volunteer management solutions and Sterling Volunteers provides screening services to VolunteerMatch users.
• ID.mecoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive partnership where ID.me provides identity verification overlaid on Sterling's standard background check. This is particularly important in virtual volunteer environments where organizations cannot meet volunteers face-to-face to verify identity documents.
• VQ Volunteer StrategiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVQ Volunteer Strategies, led by President Beth Steinhorn, collaborates with Sterling Volunteers on thought leadership content including webinars on volunteer engagement, program planning, virtual volunteering, and skills-based volunteering. Beth Steinhorn is a regular contributor and co-presenter on Sterling Live episodes.
• First AdvantageflagshipOthersSterling Volunteers is now a division of Sterling and is part of First Advantage following First Advantage's acquisition of Sterling Check for $2.2 billion. Sterling Volunteers operates under the Sterling/First Advantage umbrella.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Checkr: Checkr is a leading technology-forward background check platform serving employers and gig economy companies. Sterling Volunteers operates in the same underlying screening technology category — FCRA-compliant criminal and identity background reporting — but targets nonprofit volunteer screening rather than employment screening.
• HireRight: HireRight is an established global provider of employment background screening and workforce solutions. While Sterling Volunteers targets volunteer screening and HireRight focuses on employment screening, both deliver the same core service — FCRA-compliant criminal and identity background checks — through similar technology platforms.
• Accurate Background: Accurate Background is a background screening provider offering criminal, identity, and compliance checks to employers. Like Sterling Volunteers, it delivers FCRA-compliant screening packages and identity verification, though focused on employment use cases rather than nonprofit volunteer programs.
• GoodHire: GoodHire is a background check platform focused on small and medium businesses with a self-service, modern UX similar to Sterling Volunteers' product-led approach. Both offer consumer-facing background check ordering with FCRA-compliant workflows, though GoodHire targets SMB employers rather than nonprofit volunteer programs.
• InfoMart: InfoMart is an established background screening company offering criminal, identity, and compliance checks with a focus on mid-market employers. Like Sterling Volunteers, it provides FCRA-compliant screening packages and identity verification services, though focused on employment use cases.

Broad incumbents

• First Advantage: First Advantage is Sterling Volunteers' parent company and a global background screening and identity services provider serving enterprise employers across multiple industries. Sterling Volunteers operates as a niche nonprofit-focused division within First Advantage's broader commercial screening portfolio.

Emerging players

• Veremark: Veremark is a global background screening platform offering digital, reusable candidate reports — directly analogous to Sterling Volunteers' volunteer-owned reusable check concept. Both platforms differentiate from legacy screening through candidate-controlled, shareable report delivery, though Veremark targets employment rather than volunteer use cases.

Others

• VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch is a nonprofit volunteer engagement platform and Sterling Volunteers' strategic partner for the annual Industry Insights report. While not a screening competitor, VolunteerMatch serves the same volunteer programs and operates in the same nonprofit volunteer ecosystem, making it a complementary rather than competitive peer.
• Points of Light: Points of Light is a major volunteer engagement nonprofit with a network of ~250 affiliate organizations across major U.S. metros and ~30 countries. As a Sterling Volunteers strategic partner, Points of Light refers its member organizations to Sterling for screening — making it a complementary ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.
• ID.me: ID.me is Sterling Volunteers' exclusive identity verification partner, providing digital identity verification overlaid on Sterling's standard background checks. While not a direct screening competitor, ID.me is a critical technology infrastructure partner for Sterling Volunteers' virtual volunteer use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SterlingVols
• Facebookfacebook.com/SterlingVolunteers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterling-volunteers

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sterling Volunteers