VolunteerMatters was born from a passion to help nonprofits access better technology for managing their volunteers. What started as a modular software solution evolved into a purpose-built platform focused on empowering organizations to create extraordinary volunteer programs through best practices and smart automation.
From humble beginnings as a custom software development shop to becoming a leader in volunteer management technology, this is the story of how one small pro bono project sparked a movement that would impact thousands of nonprofits and millions of volunteers.
Long before VolunteerMatters was a volunteer management platform, Mark and his brother were building custom software solutions for Fortune 1000 companies. But everything changed when they took on a pro bono project for Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) in New York City.
At the time, GMHC needed a way to share critical health information online — something we take for granted today but was groundbreaking over 20 years ago. The lack of affordable tools for nonprofits left a lasting impression on Mark and Bob Hopwood, co-founders.
“I was flabbergasted at how little there was on the market for nonprofits.” — Mark Hopwood
This project opened their eyes to a glaring need: nonprofits deserved access to powerful, affordable technology too.
When VolunteerMatters first started, it wasn’t even called VolunteerMatters. The original company was Closerware — a modular software solution designed specifically for nonprofits. Organizations could pick and choose from different modules like website management, event registration, membership tracking, scheduling, attendance, and more. It was a “build-your-own” toolkit for nonprofit operations.
But over time, Mark and his team realized something critical: trying to be everything to everyone was holding them back from making a truly extraordinary impact.
The turning point came when they decided to narrow their focus — zeroing in on volunteer management as the area where they could make the biggest difference. It wasn’t just about managing websites or memberships anymore. It was about empowering nonprofits to recruit, engage, and retain volunteers in smarter, more efficient ways.
That shift required a new approach: deep listening, collaboration, and a commitment to learning directly from their customers.
“We had to figure out what made the best volunteer programs stand out." — Mark Hopwood
Every nonprofit did things a little differently — but Mark and his team set out to identify the universal best practices that high-performing volunteer programs had in common. They looked beyond surface-level requests and dug deep into what really worked. They began to see patterns emerge — strategies, workflows, and tools that consistently led to better volunteer engagement and better results.
Armed with that knowledge, VolunteerMatters evolved from a modular software platform into a purpose-built solution designed specifically to help nonprofits elevate their volunteer programs — regardless of their size or sector. Instead of just giving nonprofits tools, they were now giving them proven guidance — based on decades of research, customer feedback, and real-world success stories — to help them build extraordinary volunteer programs from the ground up.
Starting VolunteerMatters wasn’t without its struggles. Moving from large one-time projects to a subscription model with smaller monthly fees meant they lost money for years.
“We lost a ton of money in the first decade...we didn't pay ourselves anything.” — Mark Hopwood
Bootstrapping the company without outside funding required grit, sacrifice, and a passion for helping nonprofits succeed.
Keep talking to us. We have sincere gratitude for all of our customers and the conversations we have with them. With their feedback and insight, they are the true drivers of the platform’s evolution.
“We completely rip off our customers on a daily basis — in the best way! They’re the source of our best ideas.” — Mark Hopwood
VolunteerMatters exists because nonprofit organizations deserve tools that match their passion and dedication. Behind every software product is a story — and this one is about drive to make volunteerism extraordinary.
Listen to our latest podcast episode on the origin of the company. Tune into the episode on your favorite platform:
Download the overview on the origin story of VolunteerMatters:
Practical tips and expert insights to help your organization recruit, onboard, and retain dedicated volunteers.
Nonprofits have to face a lot of difficulties, but their volunteer program shouldn’t be one of them. Volunteers should be one of the biggest assets every nonprofit organization has, but for many, it’s a consistent struggle and they’re not sure how to fix it.
