Category Content: External

What types of needs can be posted?

External, Need Types

There are two types of needs that can be posted in Meet The Need 1) volunteers and 2) goods(items).

Volunteer needs have different types based on the frequency of the need.

Volunteer Needs

There are many categories and subcategories to choose from when you post a volunteer need
1) One Time – only happening on one day
2) Recurring – happening over a series of days (consecutive days, weekly, monthly, etc).
3) Open Ended – no particular day is required for the need to be completed (you are flexible to the volunteer’s availability)

Goods(Items) Needs

Any item needed as part of your outreach activity can be posted (except for money). Choose from the list of categories and subcategories when you post a need.

As the full quantity of your need is met (either one at a time or as as a group of items) the need will no longer be visible on any website. Once the date of the need passes, the need will expire and no longer show on any website. If a commitment is cancelled for a volunteer/item, the quantity of the need will increase for someone else to meet that need.

Can I restrict the view of needs to only be seen by certain people?

External, Need Types

All the types of needs (volunteer and goods) have the same option when you post the need to choose WHERE you want the needs to show (on which websites).

Public – visible on the websites of other organizations that are a part of MTN (if they have not hidden your organization from their template)

Semi-Private – only visible on your website (anyone visiting your website can see the needs and log-in when they are ready to commit to a need)

Members Only – only visible on your website but approved members must log-in first to see the need (this status is meant for highly confidential needs/teams – i.e. letting a group of Deacons know that someone is in the hospital)

How does MTN work from a technical standpoint?

External, Technology Platform

With MTN, there is no software to load.  MTN operates within a church’s or charity’s web site via links that are simply attached to buttons (e.g. saying “Volunteer Now” or “Most Needed Items”). Each link is customized to display only the needs that the organization wants to show on that particular button (e.g. the needs of a particular internal or external organization).  You can create a template to match your web site so that all pages showing needs will look like you, not MTN. The organization can set up its web site however it would like – showing whatever needs it wants to wherever it wants to.  Users simply click on the buttons to see details about each need and register to sign up. MTN powers those buttons and provides administrator with all of our management and communication software. We provide training videos for every module of our software so you can quickly learn how to use each system at your convenience.

Do we need to get our IT staff involved in implementing MTN?

External, Technology Platform

No, MTN is an Application Service Provider (ASP) so we host and manage the system.   In keeping with the idea of taking work off the church staff, the set-up of MTN is almost entirely done by MTN and involves no IT work on your part.  The implementation process entails very little work for the organization’s staff.  Within 10 minutes, your organization can be registered and have access to the full suite of MTN’s software for managing and communication all of your charitable activities.

Can groups sign up to meet needs?

External, Teams

Many people would rather serve in teams than individually so we allow volunteers to sign up as groups. Group leaders have a number of options for forming their groups:

  • Enter in the names and email addresses of each individual
  • Invite each individual to sign up themselves as part of the group
  • Register the entire group under their name

Group leaders are asked to indicate whether they are signing up a Family, Church, School, or Company group. The system automatically remembers each leader’s prior groups so that the next time they sign up to meet a need consisting of more than one person, they will be asked whether they are bringing one of their previous groups. They can then edit the group members.

 

How are internal department “teams” set up?

External, Teams

Teams are set up by an administrator on the Team section of the Dashboard. Team leaders are asked to “join” that team and the administrator designates that individual as the team’s Key Contact.  The next time the team leader logs in to MTN on the organization’s web site, they will see that they now have access to the team’s Dashboard to post needs, see who’s meeting each need, etc.

How does MTN empower leaders within the organization with tools to manage their areas of responsibility?

External, Teams

Leaders of departments/divisions within charities (e.g. thrift store, warehouse) and churches (e.g. Bible Studies, Sunday School, Women’s, Men’s, Ushers, Greeters) can be empowered with the ability to manage the needs of their group. Doing so takes work off the organization’s staff.  Therefore, MTN allows teams to be set up under an organization’s account (administrators can see all giving activities and needs posted by those teams).  Individuals may join those teams so that they will receive automated notifications when that team posts new needs. The “Click Here” link in those e-mails takes team members to the church’s or charity’s web site to view and sign up to meet those needs.  Many organizations also put buttons on their site to highlight each team’s needs (via a link provided by MTN). The team leaders can see details about all commitments made for their needs, communicate directly with those individuals with updates, run reports, etc.