# Apply2Volunteer

> Upload the volunteer application you already use and get a short, mobile-friendly online form. Host it or embed it on your site.

Apply2Volunteer turns the PDF or Word volunteer application you already use into a short online form that works on a phone. Volunteers answer a few questions first. You ask for references, emergency contacts and consents only after you decide to move them forward.

A free volunteer application form template: the fields most nonprofits use, which to ask first, and which to save until you say yes. See a live sample.

The grader and converter are free. Paid plans haven't been announced yet.

Start a free trial at https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms. Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter. The first sign-in creates a free organization named My organization.

## Your volunteer application, online, in the form you already use

https://applytovolunteer.com/

Apply2Volunteer turns the PDF or Word volunteer application you already use into a short online form that works on a phone. Volunteers answer a few questions first. You ask for references, emergency contacts and consents only after you decide to move them forward.

[Convert your form](https://applytovolunteer.com/#convert)

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

No account needed to see your form online. Sign in when you want to publish it.

### The paperwork part of volunteering

You know the routine. A stack of paper applications on the kitchen table, a few of them missing a phone number. A clipboard from registration night that came home with coffee on it. Sunday night spent emailing the parents whose forms never came back, then retyping everyone's handwriting into a spreadsheet so you can see who signed up for the concession stand.

Apply2Volunteer takes the form you already have, with the wording your board signed off on, and puts it online. Volunteers fill in a few lines from their phone. The rest of the paperwork waits until you've decided you want them.

### How it works

1

#### Upload

Upload the volunteer application you already hand out: a PDF, a Word file or a link. Use a blank copy, not one somebody filled in.

2

#### Keep your wording

Your questions stay as they are, so nothing has to go back to the board. You pick the few that belong on the short first step.

3

#### Host or embed

Host the form at /your-org or embed it on your own site with a script tag. Volunteers can fill it in on a phone.

### Try it on your own form

Dig out the blank application, the one you photocopy every season. Upload it here and you'll see it as an online form before you make an account.

Scanned or handwritten pages won't convert yet. We need a PDF with real text in it, a Word file, or a link. You can also paste the questions straight into the box.

Blank PDF or Word file

Or paste a public URL

Or paste the form text

Max 15 MB · 20 pages · blank form only. Anonymous use is rate-limited.

Upload your application

[Start from a template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)

[Try a sample volunteer form](https://applytovolunteer.com/cedar-creek-friends)

[Grade a form (free)](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader)

### Why a short first step?

Picture the parent filling in your form in the pickup line, one thumb free, a kid asking questions from the back seat. Long forms lose people, especially on a phone. We haven't measured the effect on Apply2Volunteer forms yet.

So the first step asks for a name, a way to reach them, and what they'd like to help with. References, emergency contacts and consents come later, from the people you've said yes to.

### What you get

**Short first step**: Name, email, phone, interests. References, emergency contacts and consents wait until you decide to move someone forward.

**Form Grader**: A score out of 100, a letter grade, and the specific cuts that would help most, with a source where one applies.

**Templates**: Use the [volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form), the [volunteer interest form](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form), or [download the Word or PDF version](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf). You can also [convert a PDF volunteer application to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form).

### From an AI assistant

An assistant that can call a remote MCP server can preview or grade a blank volunteer form before you create an account. [Connect an assistant](https://applytovolunteer.com/ai).

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Volunteer application form template

https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form

By Apply2Volunteer, a Tall Timbers Group product. Updated 8 Oct 2026.

This volunteer application form template has the fields most nonprofits need: contact details, interests, availability, references, emergency contact and consents. Open the live sample form. We split it into a short first step and a later step, so volunteers aren't asked for their date of birth before you've said yes.

[See a live sample form](https://applytovolunteer.com/cedar-creek-friends) [Have a PDF already? Convert it](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)

### Shorter first step, paper, or interview

Need a shorter first step? Use the [volunteer interest form](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form).

Prefer paper? [Download the Word or PDF version](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf).

After the form: [volunteer interview questions](https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions).

### Try the live sample

Open [/cedar-creek-friends](https://applytovolunteer.com/cedar-creek-friends), or convert your own PDF. Hosted forms use /your-org.

### What fields should a volunteer application include?

These defaults follow the staged design. A coordinator can move any field. This is a design recommendation, not a required legal form.

| Field | Stage | Why you ask it | Required? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First name | First step | Identify the person | Yes |
| Last name | First step | Identify the person | Yes |
| Email | First step | Contact and a continue link | Yes |
| Mobile | First step | A way to reach them about a shift | Yes |
| Interests / roles | First step | Match people to openings | Yes |
| Availability | First step | Scheduling | Optional |
| Anything we should know? | First step | One textarea at most | Optional |
| Address | Later | Matching and logistics | After they submit |
| Date of birth | Later | Age check; three text boxes, not dropdowns | After they submit |
| Skills, languages, T-shirt size | Later | Matching | After they submit |
| References | Later | Only after you decide to proceed; emails only | After you proceed |
| Emergency contact | Later | Safety on a shift | After you proceed |
| Role-specific documents | Later | Only when the role needs them | When the role needs them |
| Waivers and consents | Later | Before the first shift, not as a gate to interest | When relevant |
| SSN, driver's license, criminal history | Not on this form | The screening vendor collects these, not the application | Never here |

### Which questions should come first?

Name, email, phone, interests, and availability. Long forms lose people, especially on a phone. We haven't measured the effect on Apply2Volunteer forms yet.

### What should you not ask on a volunteer application?

SSN, driver's license number, and criminal history belong in the background-check provider's flow, not the application. That is a design recommendation, not legal advice.

### Already have a PDF application?

Upload it and get a mobile-friendly online form you can host or embed.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)

### FAQ

**Can I use this template?**

Yes. Open the live sample or convert your own PDF. Hosted forms use /your-org.

**Can I put it on my own website?**

Published forms can be hosted at /your-org or embedded with a script tag.

**Can I add a background check step?**

Not today. Apply2Volunteer doesn't run background checks. If you screen volunteers, keep using your current provider, and leave SSN and criminal-history questions to their process.

**Do volunteers need an account to apply?**

Volunteers fill the public form without creating an account.

### Related

- [Volunteer interest form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form)
- [Volunteer application template for Word and PDF](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf)
- [Volunteer interview questions, sorted by stage](https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Volunteer interest form template

https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form

By Apply2Volunteer, a Tall Timbers Group product. Updated 8 Oct 2026.

A volunteer interest form asks only what you need to follow up: name, email, phone, what they want to help with, and when they're free. Keep it to about five questions. Save references, date of birth and background-check consent for the people you decide to move forward.

[Use this interest form](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms) [Turn your long PDF into interest form + later steps](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)

### What questions go on a volunteer interest form?

These defaults follow the short first-step design. A coordinator can add or move fields. This is a design recommendation, not a required legal form.

| Field | Why | Required? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First name | Identify the person | Yes |
| Last name | Identify the person | Yes |
| Email | A way to follow up | Yes |
| Mobile | A way to reach them about volunteering | Yes |
| Interests / roles | Match people to openings (chips, not a long list) | Yes |
| Availability | When they can help | Optional |
| Anything we should know? | One optional box, not a second application | Optional |

### Interest form vs application: what's the difference?

An interest form is the first step: who they are, how to reach them, and what they want to help with. A [volunteer application](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form) is what you collect after you decide to move someone forward: references, emergency contact, role documents, and later consents. Do not put both on the same first page.

### What happens after someone submits?

You get their contact details and interests so you can follow up. Save the longer application for people you want. You follow up by email or phone yourself.

### Where to put it

Published forms can be hosted at /your-org or embedded with a script tag. For shift sign-ups, use WhoCanBeThere, a sister product.

### FAQ

**Should an interest form ask for date of birth?**

No. Date of birth is personal information. Ask it after someone has shown interest, not on the first form.

**Does this form schedule volunteer shifts?**

No. An interest form collects contact details and interests so you can follow up. Shift sign-ups are a different job. WhoCanBeThere is the sister product for that.

### Related

- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)
- [Convert your PDF volunteer application to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)
- [Volunteer interview questions, sorted by stage](https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Volunteer application template for Word and PDF

https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf

Download a volunteer application template as an editable Word file or a printable PDF. It covers contact details, interests, availability, references, emergency contact and a signature block. If most of your volunteers apply from a phone, you can turn the same template into an online form instead.

Updated 26 Sep 2026

[Download Word (.docx)](https://applytovolunteer.com/assets/templates/volunteer-application-form.docx) [Download PDF](https://applytovolunteer.com/assets/templates/volunteer-application-form.pdf)

No email gate. The PDF is printable, not a fillable form. Add your organization's own release or waiver. This template does not include consent or waiver language.

Page 1 fields: organization name, applicant name, email, phone, interests, availability, address, emergency contact, two references, and a signature block.

### What's in the template?

| Field | Keep on paper? | Ask later? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name, email, phone | Yes, first | No |
| Interests / roles | Yes, first | No |
| Availability | Optional on paper | Optional later if you skip it |
| Address | Optional | Better after they show interest |
| Emergency contact | Only if you need it before the first shift | Usually after you proceed |
| References (name, email, phone) | Only if you screen on paper | Usually after you proceed |
| Signature and date | Yes, if you collect a paper copy | When you add your own release |
| Waiver / consent text | Not in this file | Add your organization's own release |

### How do I edit it in Word or Google Docs?

1. Download the Word file.
2. Open it in Microsoft Word, or upload it to Google Docs. Google Docs opens .docx files.
3. Fill in your organization name and any extra fields you need. Add your own release. Do not paste a waiver from another organization's form unless you have the right to use it.

### Paper vs online: when does each make sense?

Paper works for in-person events and volunteers who prefer a clipboard. The limitation: someone has to type the answers later. Online works when people apply from a phone. The limitation: they need a link and a device. Neither is "outdated." Use the one your volunteers will actually finish.

### Turn this template into an online form

Upload the Word file or PDF to the converter and get a web form you can host or embed. Or start from the [online volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form).

[Put this form online](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)

### Related

- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)
- [Convert your PDF volunteer application to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)
- [Volunteer interview questions, sorted by stage](https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Volunteer interview questions, sorted by stage

https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions

By Apply2Volunteer, a Tall Timbers Group product. Updated 8 Oct 2026.

The best volunteer interview questions test fit for the role: why this cause, what hours they can really give, how they'd handle a specific situation, and what they want to learn. Ask contact details and availability on the application, not in the interview. Leave identity details like SSN to the background-check provider.

Practical questions for coordinators. This is not legal advice.

### What should you ask on the application vs in the interview?

| Application (first step) | Interview | Background check / agreements |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name, email, phone | Why this cause, and why now | SSN and other identifiers: the screening provider collects these |
| Interests / roles | Hours they can really give | Criminal-history questions: leave to the provider |
| Availability | How they'd handle a specific situation | Your organization's own release, when you need it |
| One optional "anything we should know?" box | What they want to learn | Do not ask for SSN on the form or in the interview |

### What should you ask to check motivation?

| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| --- | --- |
| Why this organization, and why now? | A good answer names a concrete reason, not only "I like helping." |
| What would a good month of volunteering look like for you? | They can describe a realistic pace, not an ideal week. |
| What do you want to learn or get better at here? | They have a goal you can actually support. |
| How did you hear about this role? | Useful for your own outreach notes. |
| What would make you stop after a few weeks? | They can name a real constraint (travel, school, a job change). |

### What should you ask to check reliability?

| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| --- | --- |
| What days and times can you actually show up, not the ideal week? | They give specific windows, and they say what is shaky. |
| How much notice can you usually give if you have to cancel? | They have a habit, not a hope. |
| Tell me about a time you kept a commitment when it was inconvenient. | A short story beats a promise. |
| How long do you expect to stay in this role? | A season, a school year, or "I don't know yet" are all usable answers. |
| What else is on your plate this season that might compete with this? | They are honest about sports, caregiving, or work. |

### What should you ask to check role fit?

| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| --- | --- |
| Walk me through how you'd handle a specific situation in this role. | They talk through steps, not slogans. |
| What parts of this role sound energizing, and which sound like a stretch? | They have looked at the actual work. |
| Have you done similar work as a volunteer or at a job? What transferred? | Transferable habits matter more than a matching title. |
| What support do you need from us in the first month? | They can name training, a buddy, or a written checklist. |
| How do you like to get feedback? | You learn how to coach them before a problem shows up. |

### What should you ask about working with kids or vulnerable adults?

| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| --- | --- |
| Describe a time you set a boundary with someone you were helping. | They can say no without vanishing. |
| What would you do if a participant asked you to keep a secret that worried you? | They would not keep a safety concern private. |
| How would you include someone who is hanging back from the group? | They have one or two concrete moves. |
| Tell me about a time a plan fell apart with people present. What did you do? | They stayed with the group and asked for help. |
| Who would you tell first if you saw something that didn't look safe? | They name a staff person or the written path, not "I'd handle it." |

### What should you ask about boundaries?

| Question | What a good answer sounds like |
| --- | --- |
| How do you decide what is your job and what should go to staff? | They know the edge of the role. |
| What would you do if a volunteer or participant asked for your personal phone number? | They have a default (share the org channel, ask a coordinator). |
| How do you recharge after a hard shift? | They have a recovery habit. |
| Have you ever had to say no to a request that felt outside the role? | A specific no is better than "I go with the flow." |
| What does a respectful disagreement with a coordinator look like to you? | They can disagree without walking out. |

### Role-specific add-ons

#### Youth sports coach

- How do you split playing time when the score is close?
- What do you do when a parent disagrees with a call you made?
- How would you handle a player who is being left out in drills?

#### Children's ministry

- How do you greet a child you haven't met and their parent on the first day?
- What would you do if a child wanted to leave the room with you alone?
- How do you include a child who is new and doesn't know the routine?

#### Animal shelter

- How do you read stress in a dog or cat you don't know yet?
- What would you do if a visitor asked to take an animal into an unsupervised area?
- How do you handle a visitor who wants a pet that isn't a good match?

#### Hospice

- How do you sit with someone who doesn't want to talk?
- What would you do if a family member asked you for a medical opinion?
- How do you take care of yourself after a visit that was heavy?

### Scoring the interview

A simple 1 to 3 sheet you can copy. 1 = weak or vague. 2 = workable. 3 = clear and specific.

| Goal | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Motivation | Unclear why here | Some fit | Concrete reason and a goal |
| Reliability | Vague availability | Workable windows | Honest, specific, names conflicts |
| Role fit | Mismatch | Trainable | Ready, with examples |
| Boundaries | Blurs the role | Aware | Names what they'd do |
| Safety (when the role needs it) | Would go it alone | Would tell someone | Follows the organization's path |

[Put your application questions online. Interview only the people you want.](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)

### Related

- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)
- [Volunteer interest form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Free volunteer application tools

https://applytovolunteer.com/tools

Grade a volunteer application or convert a PDF to an online form. You do not need an account to see a score or a preview.

Updated 8 Oct 2026

Blank PDF or Word file

Or paste a public URL

Or paste the form text

Max 15 MB · 20 pages · blank form only. Anonymous use is rate-limited.

Grade

### Live tools

- [Form Grader](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader): upload a blank PDF, Word file or link. Get a score out of 100, an estimated time on a phone, and the cuts that matter first.
- [PDF to online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form): convert the application you already use into a web form you can host or embed. You see a preview before you sign in.

### From an AI assistant

The grader and the converter are also MCP tools. A preview or a grade needs no API key. [Connect an assistant](https://applytovolunteer.com/ai).

### Templates and a short guide

- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form): field list and a live sample.
- [Volunteer interest form](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form): a short first step (name, email, phone, interests, availability).
- [Word and PDF template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf): download a blank file, or put it online.
- [Volunteer interview questions](https://applytovolunteer.com/guide/volunteer-interview-questions): what to ask on the form vs in the interview.

### Related

- [Convert your PDF volunteer application to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)
- [Grade your volunteer application](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader)
- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Grade your volunteer application

https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader

Upload your volunteer application (PDF, Word file or link) and the grader scores it out of 100. It counts the fields, estimates how long it takes on a phone, flags sensitive questions asked before you've approved anyone, and lists the fixes that matter most.

Updated 8 Oct 2026

Blank PDF or Word file

Or paste a public URL

Or paste the form text

Max 15 MB · 20 pages · blank form only. Anonymous use is rate-limited.

Grade

### What does the grader check? (v1, weights will change)

| Dimension | Max | v1 rule |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Length | 25 | Full points at ≤6 inputs in step 1; −2 per extra; −1 per 5 total inputs beyond 25 |
| Sensitive too early | 20 | −4 per Sensitive and −8 per Restricted field in step 1 |
| Field types | 10 | −3 per extra textarea; −2 per dropdown with fewer than 5 options |
| Required burden | 10 | Full points at ≤60% required |
| Mobile | 15 | Flat PDF 0; fillable PDF 5; responsive form 10–15 |
| Reading level | 10 | Full points at grade 8 or below |
| Completion time | 10 | Full points if step 1 is about 3 minutes or less |

### Where do the numbers come from?

Field times we cite: name 3.5 s, email 6.5 s, phone 5.0 s, address 7.4 s ([Zuko](https://www.zuko.io/blog/which-form-fields-cause-the-biggest-ux-problems)). Textarea 45 s and file upload 60 s are estimates. We also cite [Baymard](https://baymard.com/research-articles/checkout-flow-average-form-fields) on field count and [HubSpot / Zarrella](https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6746/which-types-of-form-fields-lower-landing-page-conversions.aspx) on field types. We do not promise a specific uplift for your organization.

### Sample report

The sample we use in tests is a synthetic community food-pantry form, not a named real organization.

### Privacy

Pasted structure can be scored without storing a file. An uploaded file is deleted in the next daily cleanup after the report expires, 30 days after it was created, including reports created while signed in and reports that are not shared. The report, parsed form, field labels, and file hash are deleted then too. The file stays if another unexpired preview or grader report still stores that file. An in-app conversion keeps the imported file, the parsed form, the field labels, and the file hash, with no expiry. Those records stay until you ask us to delete them, except that an unclaimed demo's imported file is removed from storage in the next daily cleanup after that demo expires. That cleanup does not delete the conversion grade. Filled-in PDFs, Word files or links with applicant data are rejected and deleted immediately.

To ask us to delete records we keep until you ask, see [How to request deletion](https://applytovolunteer.com/privacy#request-deletion).

### What to do with your score

1. Fix the top items yourself: move sensitive questions off the first step, cut extra fields, replace tiny dropdowns.
2. Or convert the same file into a short online first step. Start from a [volunteer interest form](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form) if you want the smallest public form.

[Fix it automatically: convert this form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)

Legal flags are not legal advice. See [FTC guidance on consumer reports](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/using-consumer-reports-what-employers-need-know) and [EEOC guidance on arrest and conviction records](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-consideration-arrest-and-conviction-records-employment-decisions).

### Related

- [Convert your PDF volunteer application to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form)
- [Volunteer interest form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-interest-form)
- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Convert a PDF to an online form](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form?utm_source=llms)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Convert your PDF volunteer application to an online form

https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form

Upload your volunteer application as a PDF, Word file or link and we convert it to an online form you can host or embed on your site. You see a preview before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are, so your board doesn't have to approve a new form.

Updated 8 Oct 2026

Blank PDF or Word file

Or paste a public URL

Or paste the form text

Max 15 MB · 20 pages · blank form only. Anonymous use is rate-limited.

Convert preview

### What happens to your PDF?

1. Upload a blank PDF, Word file or link.
2. We read fillable PDF fields first, then the text layer. If the file has no readable text, we stop and ask for a PDF, Word file or link.
3. Edit the preview and publish when you are ready.

### What does the online version do that the PDF can't?

- Works on a phone as a web form.
- Short first step; later questions wait until a coordinator decides to proceed.
- Applications land in a dashboard instead of an inbox.
- You can embed the published form on your site.

### What does it get wrong?

PDFs with no text layer (scans, handwriting) are rejected; image-heavy PDFs with some text may convert less accurately. We will publish measured recall after the parsing eval has results. We don't quote an accuracy figure yet.

### Is my data private?

Anonymous previews expire after 24 hours. If you sign up and claim a preview, it expires 30 days after the claim. The preview is deleted in the next daily cleanup after it expires. On the public converter, converting also saves a grader report with the parsed form for 30 days; that report is deleted in the next daily cleanup after it expires. The uploaded file is deleted in that cleanup once no preview or grader report still stores that file. An in-app conversion keeps the imported file, the parsed form, the field labels, and the file hash, with no expiry. Those records stay until you ask us to delete them, except that an unclaimed demo's imported file is removed from storage in the next daily cleanup after that demo expires. That cleanup does not delete the conversion grade. If you upload a filled-in PDF, Word file or link, we reject it and delete the file.

To ask us to delete records we keep until you ask, see [How to request deletion](https://applytovolunteer.com/privacy#request-deletion).

### FAQ

**What file types can I upload?**

PDF, Word file or link. Max 15 MB and 20 pages. Upload a blank form, not a filled-in application.

**What does it cost?**

The grader and converter are free. Paid plans haven't been announced yet.

**Can I embed the form on my site?**

Published forms can be hosted at your Apply2Volunteer hosted URL (/your-org) or embedded with a script tag. We have not verified WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix.

**Need a fillable PDF instead?**

This tool makes a web form, not a fillable PDF.

[Start from a template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form) [Score your current form first](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader)

Don't have a PDF yet? Start from our [Word template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf).

Legal flags are not legal advice. See [FTC guidance on consumer reports](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/using-consumer-reports-what-employers-need-know) and [EEOC guidance on arrest and conviction records](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-consideration-arrest-and-conviction-records-employment-decisions).

### Related

- [Volunteer application form template](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form)
- [Volunteer application template for Word and PDF](https://applytovolunteer.com/templates/volunteer-application-form-word-pdf)
- [Grade your volunteer application](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/volunteer-form-grader)

### Get the paper off the kitchen table

#### Convert the form you already use

Upload your blank PDF or Word application and see it as an online form before you sign up. Your questions and wording stay as they are.

[Upload your form above](https://applytovolunteer.com/tools/pdf-to-online-form#convert)

#### Start a free trial

Sign in with your email address to get your own workspace, where you publish forms and read the applications that come in. There's no card to enter.

[Start a free trial](https://applytovolunteer.com/login?utm_source=llms)

## Agents, MCP, A2A, and API

A Tall Timbers Group product.

See https://applytovolunteer.com/openapi.json, https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp, and POST https://applytovolunteer.com/a2a.
The OpenAPI document includes request body schemas and which routes accept Authorization: Bearer a2v_....
API docs: https://applytovolunteer.com/docs/api
API catalog: https://applytovolunteer.com/.well-known/api-catalog
Agent card: https://applytovolunteer.com/.well-known/agent-card.json
Anonymous use: MCP https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp or A2A https://applytovolunteer.com/a2a. No API key.
Official MCP Registry: com.applytovolunteer/apply2volunteer (https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0/servers?search=com.applytovolunteer).
Assistant setup (MCP URL, OpenAPI, A2A, API key format): https://applytovolunteer.com/ai
Add to your assistant: Connect in Claude uses https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp and OAuth sign-in. A new account gets a free organization, then a consent screen names the client and the scopes. No sign-in still reaches the anonymous tools. Request headers are in beta and only some organizations see them; the header name is authorization and the value is Bearer a2v_... including the word Bearer and the space. Connect in ChatGPT is ChatGPT Plugins, Add custom MCP server, https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp, then OAuth sign-in. Documented authentication there is OAuth, No authentication, or mixed. Choose No authentication only for the anonymous tools. GPT Actions import https://applytovolunteer.com/openapi.json and can send an API key as Bearer a2v_.... The REST API does not implement OAuth. Cursor uses .cursor/mcp.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json with mcpServers.apply2volunteer.url and an optional headers.Authorization of Bearer ${env:A2V_API_KEY}. The one-click install link is on https://applytovolunteer.com/ai and does not include a key. VS Code uses .vscode/mcp.json with servers.apply2volunteer, type http, url https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp, and an optional headers.Authorization of Bearer ${input:a2v-key}. Grok custom connector is grok.com/connectors, New Connector, then Custom, with server URL https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp. Those steps do not name a header for an org API key. Grok Business and Enterprise need a team admin to add it in the cloud console with + Add Connector, Other, and the same URL. The xAI API remote MCP tool sets server_url to https://applytovolunteer.com/mcp and server_label to apply2volunteer. authorization is the a2v_... key and is sent as Authorization: Bearer followed by that key, so the value does not include the word Bearer. headers are additional headers. The xAI SDK calls that parameter extra_headers. allowed_tools lists the tool names this key should call. Omit it and every tool the server exposes is injected. The keyed example sets allowed_tools to the read-only organization tools list_forms, get_form, list_applications, get_application. The xAI SDK calls that parameter allowed_tool_names. list_applications and get_application need the applications:read scope. A new key does not have applications:read. New keys default to forms:read and forms:write.

Anonymous MCP tools (no API key, no model call): preview_volunteer_form, get_preview, grade_form.
preview_volunteer_form converts a PDF or page URL, pasted form text, or template (volunteer-application-form or volunteer-interest-form) into previewUrl (/tools/p/{token}) and a sign-up link (/login?next=/tools/p/{token}&utm_source=mcp) to publish free. Send exactly one of url, text, or template. The parsed form is stored for 24 hours and deleted by the daily cleanup. The URL is fetched once. File contents are not logged.
get_preview reads that preview by previewId and returns the title, fields, stages, and expiresAt shown on the preview page.
grade_form grades pasted text or a document URL with the on-server grader. Workers AI stays off. It returns reportUrl (/tools/r/{id}) when a public report is stored. Restricted fields such as Social Security numbers are left out of parsed; the score still counts them. Anonymous grades share the Form Grader limit of 5 per network per day and the daily anonymous MCP cap.

A2A JSON-RPC 1.0 is POST https://applytovolunteer.com/a2a. The agent card is https://applytovolunteer.com/.well-known/agent-card.json. Streaming and push notifications are off. Anonymous skills are grade_form, preview_volunteer_form, and get_preview. No API key and no model call.

MCP organization tools accept OAuth sign-in or an org API key: convert_pdf_preview, list_forms, get_form, list_applications, get_application, update_application_status, create_form_from_pdf, create_form, update_form, discard_form, publish_form, claim_preview.
MCP prompts (prompts/list and prompts/get, no API key): convert_volunteer_form, grade_volunteer_form, review_new_applications. Do not call update_application_status, and do not change an application status, unless the user explicitly says yes to that change. convert_volunteer_form: Turn a blank volunteer form into a preview. Sign up free from the claim link, or claim and publish it when you are already signed in. grade_volunteer_form: Grade a blank volunteer form, show the top fixes, and offer to convert it. review_new_applications: List applications for a form and summarize the new ones. Does not change a status unless you explicitly say yes. Keyed steps say when OAuth sign-in or an org API key is needed. Workers AI stays off.
MCP resources (resources/list and resources/read, no API key): a2v://getting-started, a2v://templates/volunteer-application-form, a2v://templates/volunteer-interest-form, a2v://tool-map, ui://applytovolunteer/form-preview.html. getting-started: How to call preview_volunteer_form or grade_form with no API key, then open claimUrl or signUpUrl. volunteer-application-form: Blank volunteer application fields, with the public template URL. Contact details first. References and consents later. volunteer-interest-form: Blank volunteer interest fields, with the public template URL. Name, email, phone, interests, and availability. tool-map: Anonymous tool names and the claim and publish path. No secrets. form-preview: Read-only inline result for preview_volunteer_form, get_preview, grade_form, create_form, create_form_from_pdf, convert_pdf_preview, publish_form, and claim_preview. Open buttons use utm_source=mcp-app. Fixed public catalog. No applicant data and no API keys. Workers AI stays off.
A JSON-RPC batch that mixes an anonymous tool with an organization tool and sends no valid credentials (none, an invalid or expired token, or a key without Bearer) returns 401 with a WWW-Authenticate challenge for the whole batch.
Organization tools also accept OAuth sign-in (authorization code + PKCE). Protected resource metadata: https://applytovolunteer.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp. Authorization server metadata: https://applytovolunteer.com/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server. A new sign-in creates a free organization. Connect in ChatGPT and Connect in Claude are on https://applytovolunteer.com/ai.
Authenticated API (magic link or org API key). A new key defaults to forms:read and forms:write. applications:read and applications:write are opt-in: they let an assistant read applicant names, emails and notes, or change a status. forms:write does not imply forms:read (same rule as REST). Org owners and admins create keys at /app/settings/api-keys. The secret is shown once. Only a hash is stored.
- /api/v1/conversions, /forms, /applications
create_form_from_pdf saves a draft in the caller's organization and returns formId and editorUrl (/app/forms/{formId}). It uses the on-server parser. Workers AI stays off.
create_form creates a blank draft in the caller's organization and returns formId and editorUrl (/app/forms/{formId}). The blank form is the same one POST /api/v1/forms writes when no conversion, report, or preview is sent: title Volunteer application unless a title is set, with First name and Email. Optional template volunteer-application-form or volunteer-interest-form seeds that template's fields instead. Title is at most 200 characters. MCP, an org API key, and OAuth share 60 creates per organization per hour. A website session is not counted. Workers AI stays off.
update_form edits a form that belongs to the caller's organization (title, settings, and fields) and returns the updated draft and editorUrl (/app/forms/{formId}). It uses the same checks as PATCH /api/v1/forms/{id}. A field entry with an id updates that field. A field entry with no id inserts a field. op add also inserts a field, and that row must not include an id. The server assigns the id. Required on an insert: label and type. Optional: helpText (at most 2000 characters), required, options, and stageId (default Interest, or the first stage). op remove, or removeFieldIds, deletes fields on the current draft. Answers and consents are matched by field key on every version of the form. A field that has answers or consents cannot be removed (409 'This field has answers or consents and cannot be removed.'). Changing a field key is refused when that field's current key, or the new key, already has answers or consents on this form (409 'A field key that already has answers or consents cannot be changed.'). At most 20 fields can be added and 20 removed in one call. A form can hold at most 140 fields. On an existing field, order is an integer greater than or equal to 0 and sets that field's position. An order already used by another field on this version is refused (409 'A field already occupies this order on the form version.'). order on an insert is ignored and the new field is appended. Title is at most 200 characters, a field label at most 500, and stored settings JSON at most 32 KB. A field id that is not on the current draft returns 409 'This field id is not on the current draft.' Re-read the form with get_form and retry with the current field ids. A malformed field id is rejected. Adding or removing fields uses the same limit as any other update. MCP, an org API key, and OAuth share 60 updates per organization per hour. A website session is not counted. A form from another organization is not found.
discard_form discards the open draft of a form that belongs to the caller's organization, the same way POST /api/v1/forms/{id}/discard does. An open draft is an unpublished version newer than the published snapshot. The published form stays. Returns { ok: true }. A form with no open draft returns 404 { error: "not found", message: "No open draft to discard." }. That includes a form that was never published. If the form changed since this discard was read, it writes nothing and returns 409 'This form changed. Reload and try again.' This does not delete the form. A form from another organization is not found.
claim_preview saves an unexpired anonymous preview into the caller's organization as a draft and returns formId and editorUrl (/app/forms/{formId}). An unknown or expired preview is an error.
publish_form publishes a draft that belongs to the caller's organization and returns the public form URL, the embed URL, and the embed snippet. Publish-time validation still runs. A form with no fields is rejected (400 'A form must have at least one field to publish.'). Publish returns 409 'Publish would remove a field that already has answers or consents.' when the draft would drop a field key that already has answers or consents.

Form Grader: POST /api/v1/tools/grade returns reportUrl (/tools/r/{id}) only for public grades. Org-internal formId grades omit reportUrl; owners use GET /api/v1/forms/{id}/grade. GET /api/v1/tools/grade/{id} and GET /tools/r/{id} serve public grades only (404 otherwise).

Public:
- GET /:org: hosted form when the org has one published form (or the primary form plus links)
- GET /:org/:form: hosted form (stage 1)
- GET /:org/:form.json: machine-readable public fields
- POST /public/forms/:org/:form/submit
- GET /tools: Form Grader, PDF converter, templates
- GET /d/:token: private claimable demo (noindex)

## Developers

- [API docs](https://applytovolunteer.com/docs/api.md): Human-readable docs are at /docs/api.

## Policies

- [Privacy](https://applytovolunteer.com/privacy.md): How Apply2Volunteer handles uploads, converter previews, and grader reports, and when each is deleted.
- [Terms](https://applytovolunteer.com/terms.md): The terms for using Apply2Volunteer's free form grader, PDF converter and hosted volunteer forms.