Strategic marketing and community engagement
Growing Volunteer Program Participation
Integrated marketing and community outreach efforts that helped expand unique annual volunteer participation from 623 people in 2023 to 3,655 in 2025.
3,665+
VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED
487%
OVERALL INCREASE
The Challenge
Volunteer growth
The San Diego River Park Foundation offers volunteer programs that allow community members to take meaningful action for the river, but increasing participation required reaching beyond the organization’s existing audience. The challenge was to attract new participants, clearly communicate the value and accessibility of each opportunity, and convert interest into registrations and sustained program involvement.
MY ROLE & APPROACH
A connected, multi-channel strategy
I co-led the volunteer participation growth effort with the Volunteer Manager, serving as the primary lead for marketing and communications while the Volunteer Manager led in-person outreach, volunteer coordination and program operations. During a 6-month staffing transition without a Volunteer Manager, I also helped maintain recruitment momentum and continuity across promotional efforts.
Developed audience-focused messaging that connected volunteer activities to tangible environmental and community benefits
Promoted a variety of participation opportunities through social media, email marketing, website content, event listings, and digital advertising
Used compelling photography, video, and impact-driven storytelling to make programs approachable and motivate prospective volunteers to participate
Launched and independently managed the volunteer e-newsletter, later establishing a collaborative content process with the Volunteer Manager to strengthen volunteer recruitment, recognition, and continued engagement
Collaborated with the Volunteer Manager to align campaign messaging with program needs, registration capacity, and upcoming opportunities
Created reels with volunteer testimonials and wrote volunteer recognition blog and e-newsletter stories to inspire participation and increase volunteer retention
Strengthened online discoverability by promoting opportunities through the website, search-friendly content, external event calendars, and partner newsletters
Supported partner promotion and in-person outreach through community events, schools, corporate groups, and local organizations
Reviewed registration and participant-source data to understand which channels were contributing to awareness and program participation
CAMPAIGN IN ACTION
Content that showcased value and impact to current and prospective volunteers
Example social media posts, volunteer stories, and e-newsletter content that contributed to volunteer program participation and retention.
Instagram Reel
2356 views ~ 102 interactions ~ 4.3% engagement rate
CAPTION:
🌿 25 Years of Creating Lasting Change for the River 🌿
This month, the San Diego River Park Foundation celebrates 25 years of protecting, restoring, and connecting people to the San Diego River watershed!
For a quarter century, volunteers, donors, partners, and community members have come together to take action for the river, helping conserve wildlife habitat, restore natural spaces, inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, and advance the vision of the San Diego River Park from the mountains to the ocean.
Throughout July, we'll be celebrating the people, places, and milestones that have shaped the first 25 years of impact and look ahead to the future we're building together.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Join us all month as we celebrate all we've accomplished together and the lasting change we've created for the San Diego River. 💙🌿
Volunteer E-newsletter Design and Copywriting
14,555 sends ~ 46% open rate ~ 1% Click-through-rate
THE RESULTS
Increased Program
Participation by 487%
Volunteers are the driving force behind carrying out The San Diego River Park Foundation’s mission to create a better future for the river and its wildlife.The growth in volunteer participation shows what our team’s recruitment efforts made possible:
Unique annual volunteer participation increased from 623 people in 2023 to 3,655 in 2025, representing nearly sixfold growth.
Participation grew 62% from 2023 to 2024, increasing from 623 to 1,010 unique volunteers
Participation then grew 262% from 2024 to 2025, reaching 3,655 unique volunteers
Recruitment research identified online search and word of mouth as the two leading discovery sources, each accounting for approximately 23% of surveyed responses
Social media, which I independently managed, generated 13% of reported volunteer awareness, making it the fourth-largest recruitment source overall and one of the organization’s leading digital channels
Digital channels accounted for approximately 31% of reported volunteer awareness, including website and online search at 14.5%, social media at 13%, email at 2.4%, and online calendars at approximately 1%
Word of mouth was the leading recruitment source at 27.7%, reflecting the importance of positive volunteer experiences, community-building, and participants recommending the program to others
Schools and colleges generated 19% of volunteer awareness, while partners contributed another 7.2%, demonstrating the value of institutional relationships and cross-promotion
The expanded marketing approach helped connect thousands of diverse community members with opportunities to participate in river stewardship, build social connections, and experience the health benefits of spending time in nature