Streamlining Volunteer Background Checks: Home

An efficient, affordable system for screening volunteers that protects clients, reduces costs, and increases volunteer participation.

Forefront has been working with nonprofit and government stakeholders to find ways to streamline volunteer background checks in our state. Our main goal is to understand the system that everyone is working with and see if there are ways to be more efficient and cost-effective while also protecting vulnerable populations and creating more points of entry for possible volunteers.

We are pleased to announce a terrific new benefit for Forefront Members — one that will:

1. Increase your organization's capacity
2. Reduce your costs
3. Make volunteering more accessible to all Chicagoans

• There is no cost to join the platform, and we have arranged a per-check price discount for our Members. Agencies that use the service can decide whether to assume the cost of the screening, or pass it along to volunteers.
• Screening is quick and efficient, and volunteers initiate their screening themselves, online. Volunteers who have been checked by one organization can easily transfer their secure, current results to another organization.
• Sterling Volunteers updates your volunteer background checks, free of charge, each month for a full year (i.e., you will be notified if there is any new reported criminal activity).

Sterling Volunteers is an online background check platform that uses proprietary technologies and unique criminal locators to deliver high-quality and accurate background checks. Sterling Volunteers is backed by the nation's largest background screening company, SterlingBackcheck.

If you are a Forefront Member and would like to learn more about this discounted service, please fill out this form. If you are not a member of Forefront but would like to learn more about Verified Volunteers services, click here.