Sheri Lambert and Amy Lavin examined which tactics Heroic Gardens, a Philadelphia-based organization which helps underserved veterans heal through their trauma by working in nature, used to raise the money that allowed it to grow. Lambert and Lavin found that the organization adopted many of the digital marketing strategies commonly used by for-profit businesses.

For example, Heroic Gardens leaned into user-generated content to craft their brand storytelling. This compelling branding led more people to make personal donations. Their digital marketing strategy had five core strategies: access, connect, collaborate, engage and customize.