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Home > Guides > Faxing a volunteer application
Yes, many nonprofits still accept a volunteer application by fax, especially hospitals, food banks, and community groups that keep paper volunteer files. Confirm the coordinator publishes a fax number for volunteers, complete the background-check consent page, and follow up so your application reaches the right desk.
Hospitals, hospices, animal shelters, and school districts are the most likely to keep a fax route, because their volunteer files often sit alongside staff paperwork that already moves by fax. Small nonprofits with one part-time coordinator are another good bet: a fax machine in the office may be simpler for them than a new online form. Large national charities, by contrast, usually route volunteers through an online portal tied to their background-check vendor, and a fax sent there may be ignored. Check the volunteer page on the organization own site. If it names a fax number for applications, use it. If it only shows an online form, use the form.
Volunteer roles that involve children, patients, or home visits almost always require a background check, and the consent page for that check is picky. It typically needs your full legal name, any former names, date of birth, and a signature that matches the name given. A middle initial left off, a maiden name missing, or a signature dated differently from the rest of the form can send the whole packet back for correction. Some checks also need a separate disclosure page, so count the pages before you fax: a packet missing its last page reads as incomplete, and staff may not chase you for it. Sign every page that asks for a signature, not just the final one.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Verify the number | Take it from the volunteer page or the coordinator email |
| Complete all pages | Fill every line, or write "none" where nothing applies |
| Add a cover note | Name, role of interest, phone number, page count |
| Send in daytime hours | Staff are near the machine and can confirm receipt |
| Follow up | Call or email within a couple of business days |
Do not fax a full Social Security number or a credit card number on a volunteer application unless the background-check form specifically requires it and you have confirmed the fax number by phone with the coordinator. Many background checks use a secure online link for the sensitive identifiers, while the paper application carries only the signed consent. If a form asks for more identifiers than you are comfortable faxing, call the coordinator and ask whether you can provide those details through their secure system instead. A cautious question here is normal, and coordinators hear it often.
LetterAgent fax is available in testing for US and Canadian fax numbers only. You describe the fax to your AI assistant, get a per-fax quote with the page count verified, approve the exact total, and pay once through Stripe. Because fax is still in testing, check availability before you rely on it for a volunteer start date or a training session. Keep the fax confirmation with your copy of the application, and expect the coordinator to follow up with next steps such as an interview, orientation, or a background-check link.
Ready to fax it? Fax with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is sent.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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