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Sterling Volunteers
What Sterling Volunteers is
Sterling Volunteers provides web-based background screening for nonprofits and volunteer programs. Organizations can request checks, set renewal schedules by position, track expiration alerts, email volunteers about renewals, and upload renewals in bulk. Most searches are returned within 24 to 72 hours, and volunteer information is updated free each month during the first year. Volunteers can join an online community at no cost, find organizations, and share their background checks with multiple nonprofits. A shared check is available for 12 months when no criminal history is found, or 30 days when one is found. Advanced costs $19, paid once ($19 per check); Complete costs $39, paid once ($39 per check). Both plans have a one-time setup fee and exclude state, county, and motor vehicle repository fees. Complete adds Locator Select, which accesses more than 2,000 booking and incarceration sites covering 73% of the U.S. incarcerated population. Other checks include driving records, credit reports, OIG checks, abuse registries, federal and civil searches, and personal references. The service integrates with Salesforce and Samaritan. Sterling Volunteers says its checks comply with federal and state screening laws and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Who it suits
Sterling Volunteers is suited to nonprofits and volunteer programs that need to request screenings and manage renewals. Its volunteer community may also suit volunteers sharing checks with multiple organizations.
What it does well
- Renewal schedules can be set by position.
- Expiration alerts and bulk renewal uploads are available.
- Most searches return within 24 to 72 hours.
- Volunteer community membership costs nothing.
- Integrates with Salesforce and Samaritan.
What to know first
- Plans have a one-time setup fee.
- Repository fees are excluded from both listed plans.
- Shared-check availability depends on screening results.
Limits
Advanced costs $19 per check and Complete costs $39 per check; both exclude state, county, and motor vehicle repository fees and include a one-time setup fee. Shared checks last 12 months with no criminal history and 30 days when criminal history is found.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced | $19/ea · SSN trace · Nationwide Criminal History Search · DOJ Sex Offender Search · OFAC search · Current County or State of Residence Search · shared background checks · excludes state, county and motor vehicle repository fees · one-time setup fee | $19, paid once |
| Complete | $39/ea · Advanced package features · Locator Select · 7-year Address Criminal Search · 7-year Alias/Maiden Name Criminal Search · excludes state, county and motor vehicle repository fees · one-time setup fee | $39, paid once |
As sterlingvolunteers.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Sterling Volunteers website
- Choose the Advanced or Complete screening package
- Set position-based renewal timing and consent workflows
- Connect Salesforce or Samaritan if applicable
- Invite volunteers to join the online community and share checks
Verdict
Sterling Volunteers combines volunteer screening with renewal management and sharing tools. Organizations should account for the setup fee and excluded repository costs when reviewing the listed plans.
Questions
Is there a free plan?
The volunteer community has no joining cost, but volunteers pay for their background checks.
How much do the plans cost?
Advanced is $19, paid once, billed at $19 per check. Complete is $39, paid once, billed at $39 per check.
What platforms are supported?
Sterling Volunteers runs on the web and offers mobile access through the web.
Does it integrate with Salesforce?
Yes. The Salesforce app lets organizations request, review, and renew volunteer background checks.
What does Complete add?
Complete adds Locator Select, a 7-year address criminal search, and a 7-year alias or maiden-name criminal search.
Facts from Sterling Volunteers's own pages
- A la carte checks
- Additional products include driving records, credit reports, OIG checks, Locator Select, abuse registries, federal and civil searches, and personal references. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Community cost
- There is no cost to join the volunteer community; volunteers pay only for their background check. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Complete locator
- Locator Select accesses more than 2,000 booking and incarceration sites covering 73% of the U.S. incarcerated population. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Compliance
- Sterling Volunteers says its background checks comply with federal and state screening laws and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States · sterlingvolunteers.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Monthly monitoring
- Volunteer information is updated free of charge each month for the first year. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- Sterling Volunteers provides volunteer background screening services for nonprofits and volunteer programs across the country. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Renewals
- Organizations can set renewal times by position, receive expiration alerts, email volunteers to renew, and bulk upload renewals. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Salesforce integration
- The Sterling Volunteers Salesforce app lets organizations request, review, and renew volunteer background checks within Salesforce. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Samaritan integration
- Sterling Volunteers integrates background screening into Samaritan's volunteer-management software with automated reporting. · offers.sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Security
- The platform is hosted in ISO 27001-audited data centers and undergoes network, application penetration, and physical security assessments by external vendors. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Sharing limits
- A shared background check is available for 12 months when no criminal history is found and for 30 days when criminal history is found. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Support
- The site directs existing customers to contact the Sterling Volunteers customer service team by email at [email protected]. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Turnaround
- The majority of background-check searches are returned in 24 to 72 hours. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Volunteer community
- Its online community lets screened volunteers find organizations and share their background checks with multiple nonprofits. · sterlingvolunteers.com, 30 Sept 2026
Where Sterling Volunteers stands on Freedom251
- Church Background Check Software#14 of 35