If you have not obtained your JWT access_token, please refer to the Authorization section to obtain your access_token.

# Search for Volunteer Opportunities

Featuring Volunteer Opportunities makes it easy for your people to find and sign up for events that promote your company's cause (charity) partners.

Search for Volunteer Opportunities by Topic
- Results Data
- Response Attribute Clarification
Search for Volunteer Opportunities near you
Search for Volunteer Opportunities happening next month
- Search with autocorrect
- Filters
Signup for a Volunteer Opportunity

# Search for Volunteer Opportunities by Topic

Search for a volunteer opportunity by topic by passing the topic as the value of the q parameter after the resource /search/volunteeropportunities, authenticating the request with the authorized JWT access_token.

$ curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer test_token_eyJraWQi..." \
https://api.benevity.org/search/volunteeropportunities?q=Holidays

The search term is compared against the volunteer opportunity's name, description and tags (interests, skills, etc.). If there is a cause associated with the volunteer opportunity, the search term is also compared against the cause's name, description, tags and address.

# Results Data

    {
    "volunteer_opportunities": [
        {
            "id": 180,
            "prop_currency_id": "2302LX8Q8C",
            "status": "approved",
            "featured": true,
            "start_timestamp": "2023-12-07T00:00:00.000+0000",
            "end_timestamp": "2023-12-07T02:00:00.000+0000",
            "time_zone": "America/Edmonton",
            "title": "Share a Shoebox for the Holidays",
            "description": "Benevity-ites will create and put together Shoeboxes filled with Goodness",
            "location_notes": "Please connect with reception for direction or passcode for alarm if required.",
            "cause_id": "124-833095045RR0001",
            "cause_name": "THE SHOEBOX PROJECT FOR SHELTERS/OPERATION BOITE A CHASSURES POUR REFUGES",
            "project_name": null,
            "image_url": "https://d34hg1j2eosgyo.cloudfront.net/client_data/mygoodness.benevity-staging.org/files/userfile-638666cb335031.93521216.png",
            "hero_image_url": "https://d34hg1j2eosgyo.cloudfront.net/client_data/mygoodness.benevity-staging.org/files/userfile-65400593450bf1.28556062.png",
            "cause_logo_url": "https://logos.benevity.org/400x400/public/clogos/124-833095045RR0001.png",
            "score": 8.040666,
            "address": {
                "address_name": "Benevity Calgary Office",
                "address_street": "611 Meredith Rd NE",
                "address_city": "Calgary",
                "address_state": "AB",
                "address_postcode": "T2E 2W5",
                "address_country": "Canada"
            },
            "characteristics": [
                "Good for Kids",
                "Team Event"
            ],
            "interests": [
                "Civil Rights",
                "Human Services"
            ],
            "skills": [
                "Strategy Development & Business Planning",
                "Administrative & Clerical"
            ],
            "shifts": [
                {
                    "shift_name": "General Volunteers",
                    "allow_guests": false,
                    "accept_waitlist": true,
                    "signups_max": 20,
                    "signups_remaining": 18,
                    "start_timestamp": "2022-12-09T00:00:00.000+0000",
                    "end_timestamp": "2022-12-09T02:00:00.000+0000"
                },
                {
                    "shift_name": "Drivers",
                    "allow_guests": false,
                    "accept_waitlist": true,
                    "signups_max": 2,
                    "signups_remaining": 2,
                    "start_timestamp": "2022-12-09T02:00:00.000+0000",
                    "end_timestamp": "2022-12-09T02:30:00.000+0000"
                }
            ],
            "snippets": {
                "cause": null,
                "location": null,
                "tag": null,
                "title": [
                    "Share a Shoebox for the <em>Holidays</em>"
                ],
                "body": [
                    "... to children experiencing homelessness during the <em>holiday</em> season, but there were no such gift drives for their mothers. Wanting to make the <em>holiday</em> season a little brighter for some local ..."
                ]
            },
            "geo_coordinates": {
                "latitude": "51.051612000000",
                "longitude": "-114.051030000000"
            }
        }
    ]
}

# Response Attribute Clarification

id — The associated Volunteer Opportunity ID in Spark

Type: int
Example: 180

image_url — The Volunteer Opportunity image uploaded within the Volunteer Opportunity

Type: string
Example: https://d34hg1j2eosgyo.cloudfront.net/client_data/spark.benevity.org/files/userfile-638666cb335031.93521216.png

hero_image_url — The Volunteer Opportunity Hero banner uploaded within the Volunteer Opportunity

Type: string
Example: https://d34hg1j2eosgyo.cloudfront.net/client_data/spark.benevity.org/files/userfile-65400593450bf1.28556062.png

# Search for Volunteer Opportunities near you

Newly created volunteer opportunities and volunteer opportunities happening soon will appear at the top of the list. You can further increase the relevance of your top search results by passing your location using the search_location=<latitude>,<longitude> parameter.

$ curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer test_token_eyJraWQi..." \
https://api.benevity.org/search/volunteeropportunities?q=Holidays&search_location=48.423466%2C-123.36325

# Search for Volunteer Opportunities happening next month

If you don't want to volunteer right now, you can filter for a date range in the future. To filter for volunteer opportunities happening next month, we'll pass the filter[ends_after] and filter[starts_before] filters. We'll set ends_after to the first day of the next month and the starts_before filter to be the last day of the month.

$ curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer test_token_eyJraWQi..." \
https://api.benevity.org/search/volunteeropportunities?q=Holidays \
&search_location=48.423466%2C-123.36325 \
&filter%5Bends_after%5D=2023-12-01T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00 \
&filter%5Bstarts_before%5D=2023-12-31T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00

For bonus points:
Let's make sure that there is space for both you and your friend by passing the filter parameter filter[minimum_open_spots].

$ curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer test_token_eyJraWQi..." \
https://api.benevity.org/search/volunteeropportunities?q=Holidays\
&search_location=48.423466%2C-123.36325 \
&filter%5Bends_after%5D=2023-12-01T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00 \
&filter%5Bstarts_before%5D=2023-12-31T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00 \
&filter%5Bminimum_open_spots%5D=2

# Search with autocorrect

You're also able to search with autocorrect enabled, by passing the autocorrect parameter as true in your request.

$ curl -X GET -H "Authorization: Bearer test_token_eyJraWQi..." \
https://api.benevity.org/search/volunteeropportunities?q=Hlidays \
&autocorrect=true

# Filters

Here is the exhaustive list of all possible filters for searching volunteer opportunities:

ends_after — only return opportunities ending on or after this time that are available for sign up.

Type: String
Example: filter%5Bends_after%5D=2020-10-01T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00

Format for the date-time notation is as defined by RFC 3339, section 5.6.

Unencoded: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:00:00+00:00
URL Encoded: YYYY-MM-DDTHH%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00

has_location — only returns opportunities that have, or do not have, a physical location set.

Type: Boolean
Example: filter%5Bhas_location%5D=true

interests — only returns opportunities with at least one of the volunteering interests specified.

Possible values for interests can be found in the response, under facets. This parameter can be used multiple times for different values.

Type: String
Example: filter%5Binterests%5D=cancer&filter%5Binterests%5D=hospitals

Full list of interests:

Interest Type	Value
Animals	Shelters/Rescue/Rights
Animals	Wildlife Preservation
Arts and Culture	Ballet
Arts and Culture	Dance
Arts and Culture	Film
Arts and Culture	Historical Societies
Arts and Culture	Museums
Arts and Culture	Music
Arts and Culture	Performing Arts Centers
Arts and Culture	Performing Arts Schools
Arts and Culture	Print
Arts and Culture	Radio
Arts and Culture	Television
Arts and Culture	Theater
Arts and Culture	Visual Arts
Civil Rights	Aboriginal/Indigenous Rights
Civil Rights	Advocacy
Civil Rights	LGBT Rights
Civil Rights	Newcomer Rights
Civil Rights	Race Relations
Civil Rights	Reproductive Rights
Civil Rights	Right to Die
Civil Rights	Right to Life
Civil Rights	Rights for Older Adults
Civil Rights	Rights for People w/Disabilities
Civil Rights	Visible Minority Rights
Civil Rights	Women's Rights
Community Support	Community Coalitions
Community Support	Economic Development
Community Support	Entrepreneurship
Community Support	Neighbourhood Associations
Community Support	Rural Development
Crime and Legal	Child Abuse Prevention
Crime and Legal	Correctional Facilities
Crime and Legal	Delinquency Prevention
Crime and Legal	Impaired Driving Related
Crime and Legal	Prison Alternatives
Crime and Legal	Sexual Abuse Prevention
Crime and Legal	Spouse Abuse Prevention
Crime and Legal	Survivor Rights, Protections & Support
Diseases and Disorders	Allergy
Diseases and Disorders	Alzheimer's
Diseases and Disorders	Arthritis
Diseases and Disorders	Asthma
Diseases and Disorders	Autism
Diseases and Disorders	Brain Disorders
Diseases and Disorders	Cancer
Diseases and Disorders	Digestive Diseases
Diseases and Disorders	Down Syndrome
Diseases and Disorders	Ear and Throat
Diseases and Disorders	Epilepsy
Diseases and Disorders	Genetic
Diseases and Disorders	Geriatrics
Diseases and Disorders	Hearing Impairment/Deafness
Diseases and Disorders	Heart and Circulatory
Diseases and Disorders	HIV/AIDS
Diseases and Disorders	Kidney Disease
Diseases and Disorders	Lung Disease
Diseases and Disorders	Nerve, Muscle and Bone
Diseases and Disorders	Pediatrics
Diseases and Disorders	Vision Impairment/Blindness
Education	Adult, Continuing Education
Education	Alumni Associations
Education	Books / Reading
Education	Fundraising
Education	Higher Education Institutions
Education	Libraries
Education	Primary Schools
Education	Secondary Schools
Education	Specialized Education Institutions
Employment	Goodwill Industries
Employment	Vocational Training
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Buddhist
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Christian
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Hindu
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Interfaith Issues
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Islamic
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Jewish
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Protestant
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Religious Media
Faith/Religion/Spirituality	Roman Catholic
Food and Agriculture	Agricultural Programs
Food and Agriculture	Farmland Preservation
Food and Agriculture	Food Banks
Food and Agriculture	Home Economics
Food and Agriculture	Meals on Wheels
Food and Agriculture	Nutrition Programs
General Health	Blood Services
General Health	Community Clinics
General Health	Community Health
General Health	Emergency Medical Transport
General Health	Family Planning
General Health	Home Health Care
General Health	Hospitals
General Health	Patient Services
General Health	Reproductive Health
Housing	Affordable Housing
Housing	Housing Support Services
Housing	Shelters
Human Services	Adoption
Human Services	Children's Services
Human Services	Emergency Assistance
Human Services	Equality
Human Services	Family Services
Human Services	Homeless Services
Human Services	Hospice
Human Services	Immigrant, Refugee & Newcomer Services
Human Services	Mentoring
Human Services	Services for Older Adults
Human Services	Services for People with Disabilities
Human Services	Victims' Services
Human Services	YMCA / YWCA
International	Agricultural Development
International	Arms Control
International	Economic Development
International	Human Rights
International	Peace and Security
International	Relief
International	United Nations
Medical Research	AIDS
Medical Research	Allergy Related
Medical Research	Alzheimer's
Medical Research	Arthritis
Medical Research	Asthma
Medical Research	Autism
Medical Research	Birth Defects
Medical Research	Brain Disorders
Medical Research	Cancer
Medical Research	Digestive Disorder
Medical Research	Down Syndrome
Medical Research	Ear and Throat
Medical Research	Epilepsy
Medical Research	Eye
Medical Research	Geriatrics
Medical Research	Heart, Circulatory
Medical Research	Kidney
Medical Research	Lung
Medical Research	Nerve, Muscle, Bone
Medical Research	Pediatrics
Mental Health	Crisis Intervention
Mental Health	Eating Disorders
Mental Health	Group Homes
Mental Health	Rape Victim Services
Mental Health	Substance Abuse
Mental Health	Support Groups
Public Safety and Disaster Relief	Fire Prevention
Public Safety and Disaster Relief	First Aid/CPR
Public Safety and Disaster Relief	Relief and Preparedness
Public Safety and Disaster Relief	Safety Education
Public Safety and Disaster Relief	Search and Rescue
Public Works	Citizen Participation
Public Works	Consumer Protection
Public Works	Public Transportation Services
Public Works	Veterans' Organizations
Sports and Recreation	American Football
Sports and Recreation	Baseball
Sports and Recreation	Basketball
Sports and Recreation	Coaching
Sports and Recreation	Community Recreation Centers
Sports and Recreation	Cycling
Sports and Recreation	Equestrian
Sports and Recreation	Fishing & Hunting
Sports and Recreation	Golf
Sports and Recreation	Hockey
Sports and Recreation	Parks and Playgrounds
Sports and Recreation	Running
Sports and Recreation	Skiing / Snowboarding
Sports and Recreation	Soccer/Football
Sports and Recreation	Softball
Sports and Recreation	Special Olympics
Sports and Recreation	Sports and Recreation Camps
Sports and Recreation	Swimming
Sports and Recreation	Tennis
Sports and Recreation	Volleyball
Youth	4H
Youth	Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Youth	Boys & Girls Clubs
Youth	Scouting Organizations
Youth	Youth Centers

minimum_open_spots — only returns opportunities that have at least one shift that have open spots that are equal to or greater than the given minimum.

Type: int
Example: filter%5Bminimum_open_spots%5D=2

starts_before — only returns opportunities starting on or before this time that are available for signup.

Type: String
Example: filter%5Bstarts_before%5D=2020-10-31T21%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00

Format for the date-time notation is as defined by RFC 3339, section 5.6.

Unencoded: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:00:00+00:00
URL Encoded: YYYY-MM-DDTHH%3A00%3A00%2B00%3A00

skills — only returns opportunities with at least one of the volunteering skills specified.

Possible values for skills can be found in the response, under facets. This parameter can be used multiple times for different values.

Type: String
Example: filter%5Bskills%5D=farming&filter%5Bskills%5D=environmental%20policy

Full list of skills:

Skill Type	Value
Administrative & Clerical	Executive Admin
Administrative & Clerical	Office Management
Administrative & Clerical	Reception
Animals & the Environment	Animal Welfare
Animals & the Environment	Environmental Education
Animals & the Environment	Environmental Policy
Animals & the Environment	Farming
Animals & the Environment	Habitat Restoration
Animals & the Environment	Pollution Prevention
Animals & the Environment	Veterinary
Arts	Crafts
Arts	Dance
Arts	Design
Arts	Exhibition
Arts	Music
Arts	Photography
Arts	Theatre
Arts	Visual
Business Process Applications (CRM/ERP)	Database Development/Administration
Business Process Applications (CRM/ERP)	IT Strategy
Business Process Applications (CRM/ERP)	Project Management Business Analysis (QA/Data)
Children & Family	Child Welfare
Children & Family	Childcare
Children & Family	Crisis Intervention
Children & Family	Elder care
Children & Family	Family Therapy
Children & Family	Youth Services
Disaster Relief	Call Center
Disaster Relief	Care & Shelters
Disaster Relief	Disaster Clean-up
Disaster Relief	Safety & Disaster Education
Disaster Relief	Search & Rescue
Education & Sports	Computer Literacy Instruction
Education & Sports	ESL
Education & Sports	Financial Literacy Instruction
Education & Sports	FSL
Education & Sports	Library Sciences
Education & Sports	Literacy/Reading Instruction
Education & Sports	Math/Science Instruction
Education & Sports	Mentoring
Education & Sports	Sports Coaching
Education & Sports	Teaching/Instruction
Education & Sports	Tutoring
Education & Sports	Youth Activities Management
Engineering	Chemical Engineering
Engineering	Civil Engineering
Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Engineering	Systems Engineering
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Accounting
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Accounting & Reporting
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Cost Management & Accounting
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Financial Budgeting, Planning/Reporting
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Financial Planning
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Financial Policy Dev, Interpretation & Application
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Financial Systems, Processes & Technology
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Fraud Detection & Control
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Processing & Recording Financial Transactions
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Reporting & Dashboards
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Tax Prep
Finance, Accounting and Audit	Valuation
Food Service & Events	Cooking/Catering
Food Service & Events	Event Design & Planning
Food Service & Events	Event Management
Food Service & Events	Food & Beverage
Healthcare	Children’s Medical Services
Healthcare	Dental
Healthcare	Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)/Paramedic
Healthcare	First Aid/CPR
Healthcare	Massage Therapy
Healthcare	Mental Health
Healthcare	Nursing
Healthcare	Physician
Healthcare	Physician's Assistant (PA)
HR	Career Development Coaching & Planning
HR	Compensation/Benefits Administration
HR	Embracing Diversity & Inclusion
HR	Employee Engagement/Retention Mgmt
HR	Employee Relations
HR	HRIS
HR	Learning & Development
HR	Legal Compliance
HR	Occupational Health & Safety
HR	Organizational Design
HR	Policy & Standards Design & Development
HR	Recruitment and Selection
HR	Strategic Planning
HR	Succession Management
HR	Talent Management
HR	Workforce Planning
Information Technology	Application Development
Information Technology	Architecture
Information Technology	Business Analysis
Information Technology	Data Modelling
Information Technology	Database Design & Mgmt
Information Technology	Infrastructure/Platforms
Information Technology	IT Procurement/Asset Mgmt
Information Technology	IT Support
Information Technology	Mobile Applications & Systems
Information Technology	Quality Control & Assurance
Information Technology	Security/Information & Application Protection
Information Technology	Support & Maintenance
Information Technology	Systems Design & Engineering
Information Technology	Testing
Information Technology	User Experience Design
Interactive, Web & Front Office	CMS Development and Customization
Interactive, Web & Front Office	Content Design and Strategy
Interactive, Web & Front Office	Design/Development
Interactive, Web & Front Office	Graphic Design: Banner, Email, Mobile
Interactive, Web & Front Office	Interactive Design & UI
Interactive, Web & Front Office	iPhone Application Development
Languages	Bahasa
Languages	Cantonese
Languages	Croatian
Languages	Czech
Languages	Danish
Languages	Dutch
Languages	English
Languages	Flemish
Languages	French
Languages	German
Languages	Greek
Languages	Hindi
Languages	Hungarian
Languages	Italian
Languages	Japanese
Languages	Korean
Languages	Language Translation
Languages	Mandarin
Languages	Polish
Languages	Portuguese
Languages	Russian
Languages	Spanish
Languages	Thai
Languages	Turkish
Languages	Vietnamese
Legal	Advocacy
Legal	Contract Drafting & Negotiation
Legal	Employment & Industrial Relations
Legal	Family Law
Legal	Intellectual Property
Legal	Legislation and Compliance
Legal	Litigation Mgmt
Legal	Mergers & Acquisitions
Legal	Paralegal
Legal	Tax Law
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Bus/van Driving
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Inventory Management
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Logistics
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Procurement
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Supplier Relationship Mgmt
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Supply Chain Mgmt
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Transportation Management
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Truck Driving
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Warehouse Equipment Operations
Logistics, Supply Chain & Transportation	Warehousing
Marketing	Brand Development & Messaging
Marketing	Channel Mgmt
Marketing	Competitive Knowledge
Marketing	Copywriting/Copyediting
Marketing	Graphic Design/Print
Marketing	Graphic Design/Visual Identity
Marketing	Interactive/Social Media/SEO
Marketing	Marketing Communications
Marketing	Marketing Research/Analysis
Marketing	Marketing Strategy and Planning
Marketing	Photography
Marketing	Pricing
Marketing	Product Development
Marketing	Public Relations
Marketing	Public/Media Relations
Marketing	Sales/Marketing
Marketing	Technical Writing
Nonprofit Board of Directors	Business Plan Preparation & Evaluation
Nonprofit Board of Directors	Donor Relations
Nonprofit Board of Directors	Finance
Nonprofit Board of Directors	Information Disclosure
Project Management	Communications Mgmt
Project Management	Project Planning
Project Management	Resource Mgmt
Project Management	Stakeholder Mgmt
Project Management	Stakeholder Mgmt
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Building Architecture
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Construction
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Facilities Management
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Interior Design
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Landscaping
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Real Estate & Leasing
Real Estate, Facilities & Construction	Renovation
Sales & Fundraising	Business Development & Sales
Sales & Fundraising	Customer Acquisition
Sales & Fundraising	Management
Sales & Fundraising	Sales Coaching and Training
Sales & Fundraising	Sales Process
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Analysis
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Business Planning
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Capacity Planning
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Environmental Policy
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Market Research
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Product Development
Strategy Development & Business Planning	Strategic Planning
Strategy Development & Business Planning	SWOT/GAP/PEST

temporal_type — only returns opportunities that are ongoing (continue indefinitely) or time bounded (have a set start/end time).

Type: String Enum

ongoing
time_bounded

Example: filter%5Btemporal_type%5D=ongoing

Once you've found a volunteer opportunity, you can signup to the opportunity by logging in to Spark and following a link to the opportunity.

https://<Program Name>.benevity.org/<Locale>/volunteer/signup/<Volunteer Opportunity ID>

For example:

https://mygoodness.benevity.org/en-ca/volunteer/signup/2782

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