Background Checks For Nonprofits And Volunteers

Your volunteers may serve alongside minors, elderly adults or medically vulnerable individuals. That means your organization can be held legally liable for what happens under their watch. A robust volunteer background check gives you a chance to evaluate past behavior, confirm identity and prevent foreseeable harm. A notable case from September 2024 involved a midwestern youth outreach nonprofit fined over $85,000 after a volunteer with a prior abuse conviction assaulted a participant. The nonprofit failed to run any form of volunteer screening.

In an environment of limited resources and high trust, background checks are one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce risk. They help you make informed decisions during volunteer recruitment and onboarding and protect your service population long after day one.
Unlike corporate environments, a volunteer organization often operates with fewer layers of oversight, making initial vetting even more essential. Global Verification Network’s nonprofit background check services include identity validation, criminal record searches and education verification—a key safeguard when volunteers serve in mentoring, tutoring or leadership roles.

We ensure your screening process aligns with federal and state requirements, including the FCRA and child-safety laws. With GVN, you can onboard with confidence, knowing your mission is backed by comprehensive, ethical and legally sound vetting practices.

• Physical Harm – Assault, abuse or negligence committed by a volunteer during service.
• Data or Identity Theft – Misuse of sensitive donor, volunteer or client information.
• Financial Fraud – Embezzlement, theft of donations or improper use of funds.

Incorporating screening into your volunteer onboarding doesn’t just safeguard people—it also protects grant funding and insurance eligibility.

We also understand how to navigate nonprofit legal services. This way, your organization is conducting professional volunteer background screenings that comply with state and federal regulations.

Global Verification Network offers background checks for nonprofit organizations. Our volunteer background screenings help nonprofits avoid financial fraud, cybersecurity threats, physical abuse, drug use, theft and workplace violence.

Here is how we can help your nonprofit:

• We provide national background searches including Social Security address and alias tracing services to look for identity theft.
• We offer employment history and educational background verification to provide total transparency in the job history of potential employees and volunteers.
• We conduct criminal history and sex offender searches to cross-check applicant information.

Other reports we can access include credit reports and motor vehicle records. Each of these screening methods is beneficial in helping you obtain a well-rounded account of potential employees and volunteers for your nonprofit. We also offer professional drug testing services for nonprofits that include pre-employment or volunteering drug screening, as well as drug testing for insurance purposes such as accidents in the workplace.

At Global Verification Network, we provide volunteer background screenings that meet the needs of nonprofit legal services. Our company serves nonprofits of all shapes and sizes across the country. Along with comprehensive nonprofit background screening, we conduct license, reference and international verifications, as well as due diligence services. Our vetting and investigative services are conducted by licensed and certified investigators.

To learn more about why background checks should be part of your process, explore these five reasons why nonprofits should conduct background verification. By choosing Global Verification Network for your nonprofit background screening, you are able to focus on the more important tasks at hand — operating your nonprofit to the best of your ability. Our team supports your mission with USA-based investigative services.