By the end of this article, you will be able to:

An initiative is a way to group related Opportunities within a project, including both public and private needs. Private Opportunities can be assigned to specific User Groups, such as employees or volunteers with particular skills, such as carpentry.

For large projects like new construction, initiatives help organize many volunteers with different skills, roles, and availability by keeping all related Opportunities in one place.

Key benefits include:

For example, you might create separate Opportunities for construction volunteers, meal providers, and site leaders, with shifts included so volunteers can quickly choose the role and time that fits them.

You can assign both public and private Opportunities to an initiative. Private Opportunities can be limited to specific User Groups, while public Opportunities remain open to all volunteers.

For example, you might create a private Opportunity for a Trader Joe’s employee User Group to participate in a “45 S French Broad” new build over a weekend, while keeping other Opportunities open to the public. Or, if you already have a User Group of skilled carpenters, you can create a private skilled labor Opportunity that only they can access.

Simply create the Opportunity and assign it to the appropriate User Group to control access.

Volunteers can filter Opportunities by Initiative on the Opportunities page, making it easy to find all Opportunities related to a specific build.

You can also use Spotlights to highlight an initiative. When featured, it appears on the Volunteer Dashboard, giving volunteers quick, one-click access to key project information and Opportunities.

Your goal is to make your Opportunities simple for volunteers to find and sign up for. Here are some tips for setting up a successful initiative for your next Habitat build:

Title your initiative as you would any build project. Many organizations use the site address, such as “45 S French Broad, 28801,” so volunteers can easily identify the location.

Name Opportunities based on the role, such as “Roofing Crew Leader,” and include relevant details so volunteers can quickly understand what each Opportunity involves and sign up for the one that best fits their skills and availability.

Use the description box to share key details about your build and help volunteers understand the purpose of the project. You can also upload a photo or logo to personalize your Initiative banner.

If applicable, include a brief statement about the home recipient to add context and connection, such as:

“Help us make this house a home for this family. They love soccer and spending time outside with their two dogs, George and Penelope.”

This helps volunteers understand the impact of the project and why their participation matters.

You can add initiative-specific messaging aimed at your volunteers. For example, you can add a message to your reminder for volunteers about an upcoming build, or thank your volunteers after they have signed up for an Opportunity. Customizing notifications helps you communicate additional information relevant to your new build Initiative and its volunteers.

Site Managers can create custom questions aimed at volunteers who respond to opportunities within an initiative. Use your custom questions to find out more about your volunteers, and to capture data for later reporting.

You may want to ask your volunteers about the kinds of construction experience they have so you can assign them the appropriate role on site. Or you may want to collect data about the number of volunteers who have participated in a Habitat build before.

Custom questions help you collect information (from your volunteers) specific to your use case!

Use your platform’s Spotlights to feature a new build Initiative on your site’s landing pages. Volunteers are more likely to find —and sign up for— a new build when it’s easy to access. Your spotlight should include a call to action like:

Ensure your build is equipped with the help you need to get the job done. You can use Initiatives to better organize your Opportunities and volunteers, and make it simpler for volunteers to find the roles that suit them!