Community
The strongest stated motivation: service should create a genuine sense of belonging.
Product strategy · 2026
Empowering the next generation.
A modern, sustainable volunteer engagement strategy aligning Gen Z motivations with the American Cancer Society’s mission across St. Louis and beyond.
American Cancer Society
Case study · 2025
Gen Z volunteer strategy
Empowering the next generation of impact.
A product strategy aligning community, career development, and cause to turn first interest into lasting participation.
+10
Satisfaction points
2021–2025
+9
Engagement points
2021–2025
Volunteer experience researchSt. Louis · National opportunity
1.3M
active volunteers nationwide
$787M
annual volunteer value
23%
transition drop-off diagnosed
Volunteer engagement
Program momentum was already building.
From 2021 to 2025, satisfaction rose 10 points and the overall engagement score rose 9, evidence of a strong experience with an opportunity to extend participation to Gen Z.
Source: ACS Volunteer Engagement Survey Results, February 2026. Scores are averages out of 100.
SatisfactionLikelihood to recommendEngagement score
The brief
Build a sustainable Gen Z volunteer pipeline
The team was asked to assess the current volunteer landscape, understand Gen Z’s expectations, benchmark ACS against local and national organizations, and translate the findings into an actionable engagement strategy. The work focused on the St. Louis market while considering programs that could scale more broadly.
The challenge
Strong momentum, but a fragile transition point
ACS volunteer satisfaction was rising, yet external research showed participation falling from 62% among ages 13–17 to 39% among ages 18–24. The diagnosis was not a lack of intent: 76% of Gen Z wanted to create change, but only 32% knew how to begin. Discovery relied heavily on word of mouth, local promotion was limited, and the path from one event to a lasting role was unclear.
Research approach
Triangulating organizational, audience, and market evidence
The project combined ACS volunteer and engagement data, secondary research on Gen Z motivations, audience segmentation, and competitive benchmarking. Comparisons included Siteman Cancer Center, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, St. Louis Zoo, and the Humane Society of Missouri, revealing an opening for ACS to differentiate through flexible, purpose-driven, skill-building roles.
My contribution
From evidence to an executive-ready product strategy
As a strategy consultant, I helped synthesize the research, diagnose the acquisition-to-retention gap, benchmark competing volunteer experiences, and shape a connected set of recommendations. I centered the product lens on discovery friction, activation, repeat engagement, progression, and measurable impact.
Research synthesis
Design for community, connection, and momentum.
The deck’s evidence reframed the problem from “How do we persuade Gen Z to volunteer?” to “How might we make motivation easier to act on, and worth sustaining?”
Connections
Gen Z values opportunities to build relationships while contributing to a cause.
Career growth
Skill-building and career exposure become especially important during the move into college.
Social discovery
Nearly half discover volunteer opportunities through social media, making content part of acquisition.
Sources synthesized in the ACS strategy deck include DoSomething Strategic, United Way, and American Red Cross research.
Core product concept
Empower 2.0: an engagement funnel, not a one-time event.
Easy entry
A clear “Start Here” path, one-hour micro-volunteering, campus partnerships, and options to volunteer with friends reduce discovery and commitment friction.
Social experience
Teams of 4–6, recurring cohorts, club partnerships, shared moments, and light gamification turn an isolated shift into a community experience.
Retention pathway
Post-event prompts guide people from first-time volunteer to returning participant and leader, with routes into Relay for Life and advocacy programs.
Strategic system
Four recommendations designed to reinforce one another.
Career-aligned tracks
Pair high school and college students across three role families: Digital Marketing & Content, Data & Analytics, and Patient Support. Each provides mentorship, practical responsibility, and visible skill development.
Social acquisition
Use Instagram and TikTok for specific openings, student POV content, and campus collaborations. A post-to-comment-to-auto-DM flow links interest directly to an application and reminder.
Impact reporting
Capture post-event feedback through QR codes and email, combine it with hours and role data, and show volunteers concrete outputs such as meals served or people supported.
Phased rollout
Start with discovery and pilot design, test roles and messaging with a focused cohort, then iterate toward a repeatable program that can expand beyond St. Louis.
Success framework
Measure the journey, not only the headcount.
The proposal recommends combining behavioral funnel data with volunteer feedback and impact outputs. These are proposed measures for a future pilot, not claimed results.
- Opportunity-page conversion
- First-shift completion
- 30/90-day return rate
- First-time → leader progression
- Volunteer satisfaction
- Hours and people supported
Roadmap outcome