When you create incredible Needs to share with your community of volunteers, you're able to establish their duration type. There are five duration types to choose from.

Duration types and when to use them

The five duration types include: 

• Is Ongoing: Use this duration type when you have tasks that require volunteers to complete on a regular basis with no set end date.  
  •  For example, maybe you have ongoing clerical duties around the office. 
  • These Needs usually require volunteers to contribute on a regular basis and either are ongoing with no end date until you decide to close it or the tasks are complete. 
• Runs Until: Use this duration type when you have Needs that are ongoing but do have a set end date.  
  • For example, maybe you require volunteers to help keep a local park's garden weeded through the summer months. 
  • These tasks are ongoing but you know when they end. 
• Happens On: This duration type is best for Needs that are scheduled for a specific date, or the day it "happens on".  
  • Use this one for special Needs that happen on a specific date. 
  • These Needs are usually one-time events that don't require special shifts. 
  • Example: We need 50 volunteers to help clean up the gardens around Chapel Hill on Saturday, October 8, 2022! 
• Multi-date: This duration type is best for Needs that happen on multiple dates. 
  • Use this duration type if you have a Need happening over several days. 
  • This is great for Needs close to the holidays or when you have a Need that isn't a recurring event but occurs on more than one day. 
  • Example: Our annual Spooky-Bash starts October 29th and lasts through Halloween! We need volunteers to help collect tickets, set up and breakdown, and more! 
• Custom Shifts: This duration type is great for Needs with scheduled shifts—especially if those shifts are at different times on the same day or different days. 
  • Use this duration type when you have a Need that requires special shifts that aren't recurring. 
  • Example: Are you ready to help the Farm? We need farmstand volunteers to hand out food on Friday, October 7th from 8 am - 5 pm. 
• Recurring Shifts: This duration type is best for Needs with scheduled shifts that are recurring—daily, weekly, or monthly. 
  • Use this duration type when you have a Need that requires special shifts that are recurring. 
  • Example: Our clinic is growing! We need volunteers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am - 2 pm to help distribute clean linens!