How do I use POINT app?

So you’ve been invited to POINT and don’t know what to do. No worries fam, we’re here to help!

First, what is POINT?

Our mission is to eliminate barriers to doing good through technology, so POINT created the easiest way to find volunteering opportunities, ever. We have a free mobile app that you can download on the App Store and Google Play to find ways to get involved for the causes you care about. Now you can take that angst you feel after seeing sob stories on Instagram about the things that need help in the world, and channel it into something that actually helps!

Note: You can also log into POINT on your computer at app.pointapp.org.

Why is my organization using POINT?

The org that invited you (maybe your school or company) is using POINT to manage their volunteering program and to source events for you. When you sign up for an event on POINT, your organization’s admins can see your individual hours—so no more signing and turning in forms! Plus, they can see stats on how often your fellow students/coworkers are volunteering so that they can incentivize you (if they do that kinda thing) or brag about how awesome you all are.

Bonus POINTs: When you sign up for an event through POINT, you get push notification reminders and have the option to add the event to your calendar right when you sign up. Plus, you can track all the hours of the good that you’re doing right in your app and even set goals to meet. (Perfect for college applications and bragging rights.)

How do I download the POINT volunteering app?

You can download POINT’s volunteering app in the App Store or Google Play. Just search “POINT”.  Super easy. (It’s the orange one.)

No smartphone? No problem. Sign up using the web app.

How do I sign up for POINT?

1. Download the app at pointapp.org, the App Store, or Google Play.

2. Create a new account. Use your PERSONAL EMAIL (2 reasons: charities are blocked from emailing your school email, and this way if you change jobs you can take POINT with you).

3. Enter all the necessary information. This is just like filling out a permission slip–charities need this info from you in order to let you volunteer with their organization.

4. Follow causes that you care about. Aka–what do you want to get involved in? Think: ending homelessness, tackling climate change, or helping animals, etc.

5. Join an Organization. Head to the causes page to accept (or decline) any invitations from organizations or find organizations that you might be interested in.
6. Sign up. Find an event and sign up by tapping “go”

Experiencing issues? Try these things first. 

1. Is your email spelled correctly? (We all make mistakes sometimes, it’s okay.)

2. Close your app and reopen it.

3. Email support@pointapp.org and let us know if you’re using android or ios and send any screenshots of the error.

What does it mean to be part of an organization?

Why was I invited to join POINT? 

Your school, company, religious organization, or favorite nonprofit might have invited you to join POINT. Your activity on the app will be displayed on that organization’s POINT dashboard that they use to track the aggregate impact your group is having in our community.

How can I be a part of an organization? 

Your organization’s admin will send you an email from POINT with instructions on how to get set up. Make sure you sign up with the email you were invited with, or add the email you were invited with by navigating to Profile > Settings > Email Settings.

Why do I need to accept an invitation to be part of an organization? 

When you accept an invitation to be a part of your organization, it connects you with your school, company, club, or church. All your volunteering activity on the app connects seamlessly with the dashboard the organization’s admins use to track data. They get info about what causes your group cares about the most, what nonprofits you’ve volunteered the most with, and the economic impact you’ve had on the community. Plus, if they host private events, you’ll get an invite.

How do I submit hours?

When a you sign up for an event on POINT, your hours are tracked automatically. But guess what!? You can also submit and track hours for volunteering done at organizations that aren’t on POINT yet, or that you did for POINT charities outside of their posted events. That way everything is all in one place. Easy peasy.

To submit your own hours to a charity* for approval, go to your profile > tap the hours icon on the top left > click “add hours” > fill out the required information > describe what you did at the event > then tap “add”.
(Hint: if the charity is on POINT, their name and info will pop up. If not, you can enter it yourself!)

Learn  more here 

*The charity will get an email where they can approve, edit, or deny your hours based on their records of your attendance. 

FAQS: 

1. Why do I need a profile picture?

   Charities need to know who’s beautiful face is walking through their door! They can view your profile when you sign up for an event, that way they know the right person is showing up.

2. Why do you need so much info from me on sign up? 

   Think of this as a permission slip to volunteer at a charity. You’d have to give this information to a charity when you sign up anyway, so entering it all now makes it easier on the charity AND on you!

3. What happens if I sign up for an event but don’t show up? 

   Any time you sign up for an event but don’t show up, that counts towards your “no-show” count on your profile. Your school/employer/organization can see your no-show count and charities can see it when you sign up. So make sure when you sign up for a charity event, you can really commit! They’re counting on you!

4. How can I invite a friend? 

   You can share the event via text message, group chat, or on social media! Use the share icon to send your friend a link in which they can click on the “Event Preview,” and if they’re free, they can sign up too!

5. Why do you only have 20 causes? 

   POINT’s causes are based on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (often called the SDGs or Global Goals). To read more about the SDGs click here. POINT chose these broad categories to unite communities around these worldwide goals.

6. I accidentally left an organization/declined an invite. How can I make sure I’m a part of my organization?

   No problem! You can search for the organization on the Causes and request to join again.

7. Can I use POINT after I graduate/if I leave my company? 

   Absolutely. In fact, that’s our goal at POINT. We want to give YOU a lifelong tool to stay involved in you community and make it super easy to embrace the #domoregood lifestyle.

Want to learn more about how we keep your info safe on the app? Read our Privacy Policy here.