Glossary

Short definitions for language you will see across NeedBridge and these docs.

Need

A specific request for help posted by a case worker on behalf of someone they serve (for example diapers, a ride, or meals). Needs have a category, service area, urgency, and status.

Claim

When a volunteer commits to fulfilling a need, they claim it. Claiming is often done from an email link; coordinators and case workers can also manage claims from the admin.

Case worker

A staff or volunteer role that creates and tracks needs for people served by the organization. Case workers work inside the admin experience.

Coordinator

An operational role that oversees service areas, teams, or workflows. Exact permissions depend on your organization settings.

Volunteer

Someone who receives need notifications (usually by email) and can claim needs without logging into a full admin account.

Service area

A geographic or logical region used to match needs with the right volunteers. Organizations define their own areas.

Organization slug

The short path segment in public URLs for your org site (for example /your-org/needs). Admins can configure it in settings.

Zapier

A third-party automation platform. NeedBridge exposes triggers and actions so you can connect to thousands of other apps. See Integrations and Developer integrations.

Webhook

An HTTP callback your organization can configure to receive JSON payloads when certain events occur (for example a new volunteer). Configure under admin settings.

Embed

A snippet you can place on your website to show open needs or a volunteer signup form, scoped to your organization.