Case Study: UC Master Food Preservers

The Sonoma County Master Food Preservers, part of a nationwide program sponsored by university cooperative extensions, certified its first volunteers in 2020. The group aims to train new volunteers at least every two years to expand community outreach.

In 2025, the goal was to fill 16 training spots—double the usual number—but past recruitment efforts had struggled to attract applicants. With no budget for paid advertising, the strategy focused on free resources: social media posts, local event pages, word of mouth at community classes, and their email newsletter.

Results: The recruitment campaign generated 27 applications—the most ever—allowing the selection of the 16 most qualified candidates.