Cork Volunteer Centre
Cork Volunteer Centre is an Irish registered charity that matches individual volunteers with non-profit organisations across Cork City and County, operating Garda vetting administration, accredited training, and community programmes under Volunteer Ireland affiliation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersCork, Ireland
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Cork Volunteer Centre does
Cork Volunteer Centre (Ionad d'Obair Dheonach, Corcaigh) is an Irish Company Limited by Guarantee and registered charity (Number 20078195) that operates as the principal volunteer infrastructure node for Cork City and County. It matches individual volunteers seeking to give time and skills with non-profit organisations that need volunteer support, and serves as an authorised Garda vetting signatory for organisations without their own signatory. The organisation is staffed by 14 employees and governed by a seven-member board, and is formally affiliated with Volunteer Ireland — the national body that coordinates the network of Volunteer Centres in receipt of funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Government of Ireland.
The centre's service portfolio spans a core volunteer placement service delivered through the I-Vol national Salesforce-based database, QQI Level 6 accredited volunteer management training (including a Volunteer Leadership Training course at €100 per participant), Garda vetting administration (€7.50 per volunteer application, €15 per staff form), paid meeting room hire, and recurring programmes such as the annual Cork Volunteer Awards (7th edition in 2025), the Volunteer Expo, the Community Volunteers Programme for flexible event and emergency response support, and the Community Engagement Programme launched in 2022 to support Ukrainian refugee and migrant integration. Distribution runs through the volunteercork.ie website, I-Vol, social channels, monthly newsletters, and direct engagement at its 13 North Main Street, Cork office.
The revenue model is anchored to recurring public funding from the Irish government, supplemented by fee-based services (training, Garda vetting, meeting room rental), occasional corporate sponsorship of events such as the Cork Volunteer Awards and National Volunteering Week, and a Volunteer Discount Card scheme with 25+ local Cork business partners. Core placement, information, and consultation services are provided free to volunteers and non-profits, while paid services cover administrative and facilities costs.
Cork Volunteer Centre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cork Volunteer Centre
- Legal name
- Cork Volunteer Centre CLG
- Website
- https://volunteercork.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cork Volunteer Centre is an Irish registered charity that matches individual volunteers with non-profit organisations across Cork City and County, operating Garda vetting administration, accredited training, and community programmes under Volunteer Ireland affiliation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Cork Volunteer Centre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cork
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cork Volunteer Centre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Cork Volunteer Centre is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Government of Ireland as an affiliate of Volunteer Ireland.
- Training Fees: Fees charged for Volunteer Leadership Training (€100 per individual) and other training programmes.
- Garda Vetting Administration Fees: Fees of €7.50 per volunteer application and €15 for staff Garda Vetting forms processed.
- Meeting Room Rental: Room rental fees: €60 full day / €30 half day for non-profits; €100 full day / €50 half day for other groups.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Occasional sponsorship from local businesses for specific events or projects such as National Volunteering Week or schools engagement projects. Cork Volunteer Centre CLG is approved for Scheme of Tax Relief for Donations to Eligible Charities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Volunteer Leadership Training (VLT) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Bespoke Training |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Garda Vetting Administration |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meeting Room - Non-profit |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meeting Room - Other Groups |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Board Room |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Training Room |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Meeting Room (2nd floor) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Cork Volunteer Centre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cork Volunteer Centre matches individuals who want to volunteer with non-profit organisations in Cork City and County. It provides volunteer placement, Garda vetting administration, volunteer management training, meeting room hire, recognition programmes (such as the Cork Volunteer Awards), Community Volunteers and Community Engagement programmes, a Volunteer Discount Card, and corporate employee volunteering services.
Product overview
Cork Volunteer Centre operates a volunteer placement service as its core offering, connecting individuals with non-profit organisations through the I-Vol national database built on Salesforce. The centre provides a suite of complementary services including Garda Vetting administration, volunteer management training (QQI Level 6 accredited), meeting room facilities, and the Cork Volunteer Awards programme. Specialised programmes include the Community Volunteers Programme for flexible event and emergency response support, and the Community Engagement Programme supporting refugee integration. The Volunteer Discount Card programme provides recognition through local business partnerships. The centre also facilitates corporate volunteering through its Employee Supported Volunteering and Corporate Sponsorship programmes. The I-Vol platform serves as the primary digital infrastructure for volunteer matching and opportunity posting.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Volunteer Placement Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Cork Volunteer Awards recognised over 6 years with 10+ award categories annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cork Volunteer Centre
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cork Volunteer Centre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Cork Volunteer Centre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Volunteer IrelandcoreCork Volunteer Centre is an affiliate of Volunteer Ireland, part of a national network of Volunteer Centres. Funded by Department of Rural and Community Development and coordinated by Volunteer Ireland for programmes like Community Volunteers.
- Alex McKeever FitnessminorParticipating business in Volunteer Discount Card scheme offering 10% off in-person personal training and 20% off online coaching for volunteers in Cork City and County.
- Badger & DodominorParticipating business in Volunteer Discount Card scheme offering 10% off any hot beverage at their cafes and farmer market stalls in Barrack St & South Mall, Cork City.
- Cobh Heritage CentreminorParticipating business in Volunteer Discount Card scheme offering 20% discount to volunteers at Deepwater Quay, Ringmeen, Cobh, Co. Cork.
- SketchersminorParticipating business in Volunteer Discount Card scheme offering 10% discount (full price items only, cannot be combined with other offers) at Opera Lane, Wilton & Mahon Point, Cork City.
- Mix CoworkingminorParticipating business in Volunteer Discount Card scheme offering 15% discount at 8 Wolfe Tone St, Scartagh, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.
- I-Vol (National Volunteer Database)coreSalesforce-based national platform for volunteer registration and opportunity posting, used by Cork Volunteer Centre and other Volunteer Centres across Ireland.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cork Volunteer Centre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Volunteer Ireland: The national umbrella body for volunteering in Ireland, of which Cork Volunteer Centre is an affiliate. Operates the I-Vol database that the centre uses, coordinates Community Volunteers Programme roll-out, and channels Department of Rural and Community Development funding to Volunteer Centres across the country.
- Dublin Volunteer Centre: A Volunteer Ireland-affiliated volunteer centre serving Dublin, offering the same mix of volunteer placement, Garda vetting administration, training, and corporate engagement programmes to non-profits and individual volunteers in another major Irish urban catchment.
- Galway Volunteer Centre: Another Volunteer Ireland-affiliated volunteer centre operating in the west of Ireland, providing placement services, training, and community engagement programming analogous to Cork Volunteer Centre's mission and revenue model.
- VolunteerMatch: The largest US online volunteer matching platform, connecting individuals with non-profit opportunities. Comparable core offering to Cork Volunteer Centre's I-Vol-based placement service, scaled to a national US audience with a digital-first model.
- Reach Volunteering: UK-based charity specialising in skilled volunteering placements and board-matching for non-profits. Comparable in mission (matching skilled volunteers with non-profits) and in operating as a registered charity funded by grants and corporate partners.
- Do-it.org: UK-wide online volunteer database operated by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Directly comparable to Cork Volunteer Centre's use of the I-Vol database for volunteer registration and opportunity posting at a national scale.
Broad incumbents
- NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): The UK membership body for the voluntary sector, providing infrastructure, training, advocacy, and resources to non-profits. Comparable as a large, established national non-profit infrastructure organisation that supports a network of smaller charities and volunteer-involving organisations.
- Points of Light: US non-profit focused on volunteer mobilisation and corporate volunteer engagement, including the HandsOn Network affiliate structure. Comparable as a large volunteer infrastructure organisation with corporate partnerships, awards programmes, and community service activations.
Emerging players
- Catchafire: US-based digital platform matching skilled professionals with non-profits for pro-bono projects. Comparable as a skills-based volunteer matching service, though operating as a digital-native platform rather than a place-based volunteer centre.
- Idealist: Global non-profit job and volunteer opportunity listing platform. Comparable to Cork Volunteer Centre's placement service in matching individuals with non-profit opportunities, with broader international scope and digital-first delivery.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cork Volunteer Centre social profiles
Digital presenceCork Volunteer Centre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cork Volunteer Centre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cork Volunteer Centre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cork Volunteer Centre 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 Cork Volunteer Centre
What does Cork Volunteer Centre do?
Cork Volunteer Centre matches individuals who want to volunteer with non-profit organisations in Cork City and County. It provides volunteer placement, Garda vetting administration, volunteer management training, meeting room hire, recognition programmes (such as the Cork Volunteer Awards), Community Volunteers and Community Engagement programmes, a Volunteer Discount Card, and corporate employee volunteering services.
Is Cork Volunteer Centre a public or private company?
Cork Volunteer Centre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cork Volunteer Centre founded?
Cork Volunteer Centre was founded in -1.
Where is Cork Volunteer Centre based?
Cork Volunteer Centre is headquartered in Cork, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Cork Volunteer Centre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are training Fees, garda Vetting Administration Fees, meeting Room Rental and corporate Sponsorship.
Who are Cork Volunteer Centre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Volunteer Ireland, Dublin Volunteer Centre, Galway Volunteer Centre, VolunteerMatch, Reach Volunteering and Do-it.org. Broad incumbents are NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) and Points of Light. Emerging players are Catchafire and Idealist.
Does Cork Volunteer Centre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cork Volunteer Centre.