Redmond to launch citywide volunteer portal and a volunteer fair on April 4

Lauren Hamilton, parks director, and Maya Clem, Green Redmond and volunteer coordinator, updated the council on efforts to centralize volunteer management and increase volunteer access across departments.

Clem said the city selected new volunteer management software, Volunteer Matters, which will be integrated into redmond.gov/volunteer and launched in time for Derby Days. The platform will serve multiple departments and is intended to simplify scheduling, calendar access and documentation of service hours for students. "It will really streamline that opportunity and make it much easier both for volunteers and for city staff," Clem said.

Staff also announced a volunteer fair set for April 4 at the Redmond Senior and Community Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with more than 25 organizations and city programs signed up to table. Clem said departments currently run their own volunteer celebrations and that the new system will help centralize some documentation and reduce overhead.

Councilmembers asked whether the software will replace the current page or be linked; Clem said the new product will be integrated and appear under redmond.gov/volunteer as a city‑branded experience. Council members raised outreach questions and suggested tracking how community members heard about events; Clem said a large share of attendees had come through the citywide email list.

The update was informational; staff said no immediate council action was required. Next steps include launching the new platform, continuing outreach for the April fair and coordinating with other departments to onboard volunteer opportunities.