Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc.

What Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc. does

Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc., doing business as Volunteer Network OC, is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating a volunteer-matching digital platform focused exclusively on Orange County, California. The organization received its IRS tax-exempt determination on October 20, 2015, is headquartered at a P.O. Box in Irvine, California, and maintains a physical office at 1901 E. 4th Street, Suite 100, Santa Ana, California. It is governed by an unpaid Board of Directors led by Founder & CEO Bill Cates and Director of Operations Maria Galasso, with both executives and board members serving without compensation. The entity is independently funded, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or M&A activity.

The product surface consists of three integrated components: a public-facing website (volunteernetworkoc.org), a mobile application available on Apple's App Store (ID 1469980624) and Google Play (package org.volutneernetworkoc.app), and an administrative volunteer management platform hosted at app.volunteernetworkoc.org. Volunteers use the website and apps to self-register, browse a directory of nonprofits serving disadvantaged populations, and sign up for events with one click. Nonprofits use the administrative platform to create events, schedule volunteers, manage venues, and handle credentials. As of the most recent disclosure, more than 90 Orange County nonprofit organizations are listed on the platform, with no AI, machine learning, or API-based integrations disclosed in the technology stack.

The business model is donation-based. Both volunteers and nonprofit organizations access the platform free of charge; the organization is sustained by individual one-time and recurring monthly donations, with optional sponsorship placements and product-donation partnerships (e.g., Bombas socks). No revenue figures, grants, or corporate sponsor amounts are publicly disclosed, and the most recent Form 990 is hosted on the website (FY2023) but its contents were not extracted in the available data. Go-to-market is community-led and self-serve: users discover the platform through organic channels (web search, app store search, social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube), word-of-mouth, and direct partnerships with faith-based coalitions and individual nonprofits in Orange County. The organization has earned a GuideStar (Candid) four-star rating for operational transparency.

Name

Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc.

Legal name

Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc.

Website

https://volunteernetworkoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc. (Volunteer Network OC) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a web and mobile platform that connects individual volunteers with nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged populations in Orange County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Management Software

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community/Group Chat Platforms (BPAMACAH), Civic Engagement, Volunteering & Leadership Education for Seniors (EDAAAMAK)

Keywords

• Volunteer matching platform
• Nonprofit volunteer coordination
• Community engagement software
• Volunteer management software
• Nonprofit directory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations (One-time and Recurring): The organization accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals. Donations can be made as one-time contributions or set up as recurring monthly donations to support operations. Donations help maintain the social media platform and mobile app.
2. Donations and Grants: Relies on donations and likely grants to maintain operations and serve the community

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc. (doing business as Volunteer Network OC) operates a digital social-media-style platform that connects individual volunteers with nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged individuals and families in Orange County, California. The offering consists of a public website, native mobile apps for iOS and Android, and an administrative volunteer management platform used by nonprofits to post events, schedule volunteers, and manage organizational credentials. The platform is provided free of charge to both volunteers and nonprofits and is sustained by tax-deductible donations and grants.

Product overview

Volunteer Network OC operates as a unified volunteer engagement platform consisting of a public-facing website, a mobile app available on iOS and Android, and an administrative volunteer management platform. The ecosystem connects volunteers with nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged individuals and families in Orange County, enabling volunteer registration, event discovery, and nonprofit organization management through web and mobile interfaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteer Network OC Website

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 90 nonprofit organizations served
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Family HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Family Housing provides low income and permanent housing for homeless and special needs veterans in Orange County. VNOC features them on their platform and has conducted joint tours and coverage. AFH partnered with County of Orange and CalOptima for healthcare services.
• Power of OnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured nonprofit on VNOC platform. In their first full year of operation, Power of One distributed more than 2.5 million meals to families in need and was named the 2020 California nonprofit of the year.
• Bracken's KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured nonprofit needing volunteers on a daily basis. Provides meals to those in need in Orange County.
• Delivering With DignitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured nonprofit needing volunteers on a daily basis. Food delivery services for those in need.
• Trellis (Love Costa Mesa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based organization of 40+ churches helping improve lives of homeless neighbors. VNOC partners with Trellis for events at The Crossing Church.
• The Crossing ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides facilities weekly for Trellis to serve hot meals, distribute essentials, offer showers and haircuts. VNOC partners with them for volunteer events.
• Clothing the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistributes clothing to individuals and families in need. CEO Mitchell Raff participates in VNOC-organized events. Regular volunteer events posted on VNOC platform.
• Qoheleth MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts monthly drive-thru events (Feeding The Hungry) distributing groceries to families in need. Regular volunteer opportunities posted on VNOC platform.
• Isaiah HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelter for women in need. Multiple volunteer groups have used VNOC platform to volunteer at Isaiah House events.
• Grandma's House Of HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServices for families and individuals in need. Featured on VNOC platform with volunteer opportunities.
• BombasminorOthersSock donations for distribution to homeless individuals. VNOC organizes sock giveaways and distributions using Bombas socks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Catchafire: Catchafire is a skills-based volunteer matching platform connecting professionals with nonprofits for pro bono projects. Adjacent volunteer-matching model with a more specialized (skills-based) focus than VNOC's general volunteer-events model.
• GivePulse: GivePulse is a volunteer management and community engagement platform used by universities and nonprofits to track hours, events, and impact. Comparable on the volunteer-management-product side of VNOC's platform offering.
• Taproot Foundation: Taproot Foundation is a nonprofit that connects skilled volunteers with other nonprofits for pro bono engagements. Comparable nonprofit-led volunteer matching model, though focused on skilled/professional services rather than general volunteer events.
• VolunteerHub: VolunteerHub provides SaaS volunteer management software for nonprofits, including event scheduling and volunteer registration. Comparable as a software-led platform serving the same nonprofit customer base that VNOC serves via its free platform.

Direct peers

• VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch is the largest U.S. national volunteer-matching platform connecting individuals with nonprofit opportunities. It is the most direct peer to Volunteer Network OC's core product, differing primarily in national scale versus VNOC's Orange County hyper-local focus.
• JustServe: JustServe is a volunteer-matching platform run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, listing local service opportunities from many nonprofit partners. Directly comparable product with a free, community-led model similar to VNOC's approach in Orange County.
• Idealist: Idealist operates a global nonprofit and volunteer-matching platform with action listings, nonprofit directories, and job boards. Directly comparable on volunteer-opportunity search and nonprofit discovery, though broader in mission scope than VNOC.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: Points of Light is a major nonprofit operating globally on volunteer mobilization, corporate engagement, and civic service programs. A broader incumbent in the same civic-volunteerism space with national infrastructure and corporate partnerships VNOC currently lacks.
• Bonterra (Volunteer Management): Bonterra (formerly Network for Good/VolunteerMatch parent) provides broader social-good software including CRM, fundraising, and volunteer management. A broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities, especially to the nonprofit customers VNOC serves.

Regional players

• 211 Orange County / 211 LA: 211 is a regional information and referral service for health and human services, often partnering with the same nonprofits VNOC serves in Orange County. Comparable as a regional resource-and-referral layer for people seeking services, complementing rather than competing with VNOC's volunteer-supply focus.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VolunteerNetOC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtmLXbVt4sgDvfAJAOaSB_w/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Volunteer-Network-OC-153115785046382
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volunteer-network-oc
• Instagraminstagram.com/volunteernetworkoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Volunteer Organizations Network, Inc.