Volunteer Odyssey
Volunteer Odyssey is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a GivePulse-powered volunteer matching platform connecting 30,000+ volunteers with 70+ local nonprofits and corporate partners, monetizing through the Compass corporate engagement program, signature fundraising events, and individual donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Volunteer Odyssey does
Volunteer Odyssey is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, that operates a volunteer matching and management platform connecting individual volunteers with local nonprofit organizations. Its core product is the GivePulse-powered web platform at serve.volunteerodyssey.com, which aggregates volunteer opportunities from 70+ community partners — including MIFA, Shelby Farms Park, Memphis Botanic Garden, Room in the Inn Memphis, Wolf River Conservancy, and Clean Memphis — and matches volunteer schedules and skills to nonprofit needs. The platform has organized more than 30,000 volunteers and reports an average engagement of 11 service hours across four different nonprofits per active volunteer.
The organization's revenue model is non-traditional for a software platform: the volunteer matching service is provided free of charge to individual volunteers and nonprofit partners, with monetization occurring through three primary streams. First, the Compass employee engagement program offers tailored corporate volunteer coordination to enterprises such as AutoZone, FedEx, First Horizon, ServiceMaster, and International Paper, structured as a professional services engagement. Second, fundraising events — notably Mix-Odyssey (a now-annual mixology competition with tiered ticketing from $50 to $250) and Global Volunteer Month — generate revenue through ticket sales and corporate sponsorship. Third, individual donations supplement operations, with messaging framed around a stated $329 average economic impact per engaged volunteer at a $60 acquisition cost (a 5x return on investment claim).
Volunteer Odyssey maintains a small operational team (1-10 employees) under President & CEO Caroline Norris, who assumed leadership in 2024 following founder Dr. Sarah Petschonek's transition to national disaster relief work. Signature programs include MLK Days of Service, Global Volunteer Month, VolunCHEERS! quarterly social-volunteering events, and Pathways — a monthly peer-learning forum for volunteer managers. The organization holds exclusive volunteer partnerships with the University of Memphis and cityCURRENT, operates without disclosed funding rounds or parent-company affiliation, and derives its brand from a decade of community trust in the Memphis metropolitan area.
Volunteer Odyssey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Volunteer Odyssey
- Legal name
- Volunteer Odyssey
- Website
- https://volunteerodyssey.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Volunteer Odyssey is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a GivePulse-powered volunteer matching platform connecting 30,000+ volunteers with 70+ local nonprofits and corporate partners, monetizing through the Compass corporate engagement program, signature fundraising events, and individual donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Volunteer Odyssey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Volunteer Management and Community Engagement Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)
Keywords
Where Volunteer Odyssey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Volunteer Odyssey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Event Fundraising: Primary revenue generation through annual fundraising events like Mix-Odyssey, a mixology competition featuring local bartenders. Event generates revenue through ticket sales (General $75, VIP $100, Judges' Experience $250, Alcohol Free $50) and sponsorships.
- Corporate Partnerships: Compass employee engagement program provides customized corporate volunteer coordination services. Organizations pay for comprehensive volunteer program management including recruitment, matching, and event coordination.
- Individual Donations: Donations from individuals to support operations, with messaging emphasizing that $29.93 (value of one volunteer hour in Tennessee) doubled through donation impact.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mix-Odyssey General Admission |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mix-Odyssey VIP |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mix-Odyssey Judges' Experience |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mix-Odyssey Alcohol-Free |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Volunteer Odyssey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Volunteer Odyssey is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a GivePulse-powered online volunteer matching and management platform (serve.volunteerodyssey.com), connecting 70+ local nonprofit partners with more than 30,000 volunteers. The organization supplements the platform with the Compass corporate employee engagement program, peer-learning forums, and signature community service events such as MLK Days of Service, Global Volunteer Month, and the Mix-Odyssey fundraiser.
Product overview
Volunteer Odyssey operates as a volunteer center offering a unified platform for connecting volunteers with nonprofit organizations in Memphis. The core product is the Volunteer Odyssey Platform (serve.volunteerodyssey.com), which enables volunteer matching and management. This platform is supplemented by the Compass employee engagement program for corporate partners, along with signature events including Mix-Odyssey (annual mixology fundraiser), Global Volunteer Month (April celebration), and MLK Days of Service. Additional programs include the Job Seekers program, VolunCHEERS! quarterly events, and Pathways peer-learning forum for volunteer managers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Compass: An employee engagement program that helps organizations navigate connecting with employees and investing in community through meaningful volunteer experiences.
- VolunCHEERS!
- Pathways
- Mix-Odyssey
- Confessions of a Volunteer
Products and services
- Volunteer Odyssey Platform Web-based platform (serve.volunteerodyssey.com) that lets nonprofit organizations post volunteer opportunities and lets individuals browse, sign up for, and track service shifts in the Memphis area.
- Compass Employee Engagement Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 5x return on investment - $60 cost to engage one volunteer generates $329 economic impact
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Volunteer Odyssey
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Volunteer Odyssey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Volunteer Odyssey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered key, supporting, core and major.
- United Way of the Mid-SouthkeyCollaboration on MLK Days of Service 2026 (January 16-19, 2026). Partnership brings together thousands of volunteers to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through community service.
- Leadership MemphiskeyCollaboration on MLK Days of Service 2026. Partnership for citywide volunteer mobilization and community impact initiatives.
- Wilson Public RelationssupportingPR sponsor for Mix-Odyssey 2025 event. Event sponsorship supporting fundraising and community engagement.
- SylvamosupportingSponsor for MLK Days of Service 2026. Corporate sponsorship for volunteer mobilization events.
- Higginbotham InsurancekeyPresenting sponsor for Global Volunteer Month 2025 and 2026. Board member Johnny Pitts serves as Managing Partner at Higginbotham Insurance.
- GivePulsecoreTechnology partnership providing the volunteer matching and management platform. GivePulse technology powers the Volunteer Odyssey platform, easily organizing information and communication for nonprofits while matching volunteer schedules and skills.
- I Love Memphis BlogsupportingMedia partnership providing coverage of volunteer opportunities and community impact stories.
- Daily MemphiansupportingMedia partnership providing news coverage and visibility for volunteer programs and events.
- High Ground NewssupportingMedia partnership covering nonprofit sector and volunteer opportunities in Memphis.
- University of MemphiskeyExclusive volunteer partner for the university. Coordinates student volunteering and service learning opportunities.
- cityCURRENTkeyExclusive volunteer partner for cityCURRENT. Collaboration on community engagement initiatives and corporate volunteer programs.
- AutoZonemajorCorporate partner for organizing individual and citywide service events. Major corporate engagement through Compass program.
- FedExmajorCorporate partner for volunteer program coordination and community service events.
- First HorizonmajorCorporate partner for organizing volunteer activities and service events.
- ServiceMastermajorCorporate partner for employee volunteer program coordination.
- International PapermajorCorporate partner for citywide service events and volunteer initiatives.
- National Civil Rights MuseumkeyMLK Day collaboration partner. Host for annual King Day celebration and volunteer mobilization events on January 20th.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Volunteer Odyssey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Catchafire: Catchafire is a skills-based volunteering platform that matches professionals with nonprofits needing specific expertise. Comparable volunteer-matching concept focused on skills-based engagement, overlapping with Volunteer Odyssey's skill-matching capabilities.
- Big Door: Big Door provides corporate volunteer and employee engagement software, including volunteer time tracking and impact reporting. Competes with Volunteer Odyssey's Compass program in the corporate market.
- DoSomething.org: DoSomething.org is a national nonprofit mobilizing young people around volunteer campaigns. Comparable volunteer-engagement mission with a different demographic focus (youth) and broader geographic reach.
Direct peers
- VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch is a national online volunteer matching platform connecting individuals with nonprofit opportunities. Directly comparable core functionality (volunteer-opportunity matching), though at national rather than single-city scale.
- Idealist: Idealist is an online platform connecting volunteers with nonprofit and social-impact opportunities. Comparable volunteer-matching functionality and target audience of mission-driven individuals.
- Hands On Nashville: Hands On Nashville is a volunteer center operating the same playbook as Volunteer Odyssey in a different metro: aggregating nonprofit opportunities, mobilizing corporate volunteer programs, and running signature service events. Closest comparable in business model and target audience.
Broad incumbents
- Benevity: Benevity is a corporate CSR and employee engagement platform used by large enterprises for volunteer programs, donation matching, and impact reporting. Comparable Compass-style corporate offering but at enterprise SaaS scale.
- Points of Light: Points of Light is a large, established nonprofit focused on volunteer service and civic engagement globally. Operates in the same category as Volunteer Odyssey but at much greater scale and with broader programs including HandsOn Network affiliates.
Regional players
- United Way of the Mid-South: United Way of the Mid-South is a regional community impact organization in the same Memphis geography that mobilizes volunteers and coordinates with nonprofits. Direct local peer and existing MLK Days of Service partner.
Others
- CityYear: CityYear is a national AmeriCorps youth service organization that mobilizes near-peer volunteers in schools and communities. Related volunteer-engagement mission, particularly relevant to the Job Seekers and education segments of Volunteer Odyssey.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Volunteer Odyssey social profiles
Digital presenceVolunteer Odyssey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Volunteer Odyssey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Volunteer Odyssey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Volunteer Odyssey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Volunteer Odyssey
What does Volunteer Odyssey do?
Volunteer Odyssey is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a GivePulse-powered online volunteer matching and management platform (serve.volunteerodyssey.com), connecting 70+ local nonprofit partners with more than 30,000 volunteers. The organization supplements the platform with the Compass corporate employee engagement program, peer-learning forums, and signature community service events such as MLK Days of Service, Global Volunteer Month, and the Mix-Odyssey fundraiser.
Is Volunteer Odyssey a public or private company?
Volunteer Odyssey is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Volunteer Odyssey founded?
Volunteer Odyssey was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Volunteer Odyssey based?
Volunteer Odyssey is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Volunteer Odyssey make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Event Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and individual Donations.
Who are Volunteer Odyssey's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Catchafire, Big Door and DoSomething.org. Direct peers are VolunteerMatch, Idealist and Hands On Nashville. Broad incumbents are Benevity and Points of Light. United Way of the Mid-South is listed as a regional player. CityYear is listed as an others.
Does Volunteer Odyssey have an API?
No public API is recorded for Volunteer Odyssey.
What industry is Volunteer Odyssey in?
Volunteer Odyssey's product category is Volunteer Management and Community Engagement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAHAG, Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8300.