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Description
Following a public demand of expertise in five years since it was founded, the NGO "Free Waterfront" has grown from
narrowly targeted promoter of accessible and safe waterfront development and health-enhancing physical activity
(HEPA) as potent and recommended method in youthwork, into an unique collaboration hub and network of experts,
case promoters, waterfront communities and youth leaders. The ideas and commitment of organisation have
been noted in Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, Latvian Agricultural Organisation Cooperation
Council and in 21 local government adjacent to river Daugava, 1/3 of Latvia''s territory.
The digital evolution and research in this project will empower continued NGO''s work with a force multiplied in process of transformation to waterfront community leader, widening its reach thematically, including the diversity of civic society via new members. The project will provide an essential expert advice for NGO: non-project income tool, knowledge un fundraising, outline of new goals and functions in strategy documents, new member digital inclusion tool, development of a strong brand identity, within interactive web page - real life information and networking platform multiplied via social networks, and provide much
needed equipment for development of high quality unique digital content of trainings, conferences and knowledge
transfer by NGO.
In longterm the NGO will diversify its functions within new thematic discourse to address and include active
citizenship and communities in Ķekava and Baldone districts first, then Daugava river basin and using its acquired
sustainability - to eventually reach all waterfront communities in Latvia, at all times involving the youth initiative,
especially most vulnerable and excluded from competition, as well as inclusive cultural values of communities by knowledge transfer and interest representation on local government level and within transnational umbrella NGOs.
Summary of project results
The organization "Free Waterfront" focusing on four main priorities - community participation, waterfront communities, grassroots sports, and youth initiatives - had the following capacity building needs:
1. New Website and Community Engagement Tool. The existing website failed to regularly update the public on current activities and partner engagements. It also did not support international outreach due to its solely Latvian content. Therefore, the organization needed to improve its digital presence and SEO strategies to enhance visibility - developing a new bilingual (Latvian and English) website with updated functionalities, implementing a tool for community engagement and donation-based consultation booking, ensuring the website reflected current grassroots sports and youth initiatives effectively, revising content to reflect new functionalities, and leveraging SEO and social media protocols to enhance visibility.
2. New Fundraising Tools. In order to build a more financially sustainable organization, there was a need to develop new services that could generate income.
3. Wider Communicationa and Educated Network for Waterfront Communities. To effectively advocate for waterfront communities and promote grassroots sports and youth initiatives on local, regional, and international levels, there was a need to educate decision makers and wider public about the organization''s goals, initiatives and community impacts, as well as to establish a proactive network representing waterfront communities, equipped with updated knowledge.
- Organisation implemented three focus groups on its strategic priorities on "Grassroot sports”, "Resident driven development " and "Fishing traditions in Daugava river". The information gathered was used to define organizational/member services on a daily basis and to organize communication events.
- The new organisation website was created in collaboration with external digital project manager and designers in Latvian and English. The organization produced high-quality educational materials and create unique content on social networks but also structured and chronologically presented it comprehensibly on the high-quality website. The website features convenient tools such as a calendar, search function, links to social networks, and a community participation tool. It will serve as a significant resource for members to represent the organization in the public domain, foster collaborations, and engage in strategic planning processes in the future.
- Wide communication campaign for enhancing visibility of the new organization''s website contact point and its strategic priorities took place in the project. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the new digital platform of the "Free Waterfront" organization and integrate it with the organization''s previous activities, ensuring continuity in the organization''s community leadership changes regarding waterfront areas. The campaign was focussed on disseminating information about the organization''s new website and its strategic priorities. Materials created during the campaign enriched the new website''s content with current information, photos, and videos. The campaign aimed to expand the database of regular information recipients and establish a news page for ongoing community updates. Campaign activities included graphic video production, creating and using 4 infographics in communication, launch event for the new platform with a Facebook livestream and its announcement, press releases, initiating articles and interviews in regional media of Daugavpils and coastal municipalities, direct communication with municipalities to publish organization materials on their websites as well as influencer campaign component. The campaign was led by experienced media communication expert.
- Within the project scope, two trainings were conducted for organisation members - a webinar focused on SEO using www.udensmalas.lv as a case study, instructed by external expert. The session analyzed SEO outcomes for www.udensmalas.lv, explored Google ranking systems, and reviewed communication campaigns and SEO results using Google Analytics samples. The training highlighted www.udensmalas.lv''s presence among the top 10 ranked Latvian NGO websites and discussed future challenges in enhancing visibility for the website, organization, and activities. During other webinar titled "Organizing Press Releases, Photo, and Video Content for Better Social Media Publicity" participants engaged in discussions, with session recordings provided upon request due to work commitments. The training covered experiences in organizing communication campaigns, budgeting, evaluating KPIs, constructing messages, and aligning social media visibility with project activities.
- During the project several activities to diverse sources of funding was implemented. Organisation identified potential services through member discussions, focusing on areas where members could contribute within the organization. These services were evaluated and prioritized, leading to the selection of initial offerings such as self-improvement and fitness training using existing equipment, support for NGO establishment and operational services leveraging member expertise, community engagement methodologies using local leadership and organizational resources, and waterfront design based on the organization''s expertise and local demand. A donation tool was developed and is active on www.udensmalas.lv, supported by public communication campaigns. Services offered by members were defined and listed on the website, promoted through publicity campaigns and launch events. Initial communication efforts led to three donations, demonstrating early support for the core activities of "Free Waterfront" without specific fundraising targets directly linked to member services. An audit of water sports equipment has been conducted, with future plans to restart rowing training and offer equipment rentals at designated locations along the Dry Daugava and Lucavsala shores, managed by "Free Waterfront" members.
The contribution to the organization''s digital evolution as a platform for community participation, innovative economic activities, and its maturation as a leader in water communities has been substantial. The digital evolution on the new digital platform has contributed to promoting secure and accessible development in water communities within the network of active water communities, ranging from traditional Daugava fishermen communities to NGOs managing the Gulf coast and small tourism entrepreneurs, up to the broader collaboration network of residents living in the Daugava basin, which comprises one third of Latvia''s territory. The project has supported the organization''s growth potential through internal administrative organization and effective delegation of functions among members, as well as a clear growth plan for the association''s value framework and responsibility restructuring. The organization has now structured its new long-term goals and allocated the necessary resources, as well as identified risks and challenges to achieve each of them. The organization has also created and deployed high-quality digital content on digital platforms—both educational and communication materials, research, and news reflections. The organization is now more competent in attracting new stakeholders, partners, and members through precise communication channels and a fully-fledged association contact point on the internet. The association''s visual image, brand, message framework, and communication campaign have ensured comprehensive, uniform representation across all communication channels, effective printing materials, and digital content marking and recognition, activating GOOGLE SEO and social network protocols to promote recognition. Thus far, informational campaigns about www.udensmalas.lv have helped to attract three donations. It is important to emphasize that these were donations supporting the core activities of organisation not targeted fundraising efforts. These donations demonstrate that the established system is effective, even without specific fundraising campaigns.