Every community event, volunteer day, art installation, and educational program begins long before the public sees the finished result. Behind the scenes, countless hours are spent building partnerships, strengthening communications, developing programs, and creating the infrastructure needed to support a growing organization.
For Friends of International Friendship Park, 2025 was not only a year of visible accomplishments—it was also a year of building a stronger foundation for the future. As our first full year operating as an independent nonprofit organization, we invested in the systems, relationships, and communications that will allow our work to continue growing for years to come.
Building an Organization for the Future
Friends of International Friendship Park was established with an ambitious mission: to create a truly international park at the western end of the U.S.–Mexico border. Achieving that vision requires much more than organizing events or maintaining programs. It requires building an organization capable of supporting long-term advocacy, community engagement, fundraising, education, and collaboration.
Throughout 2025, we focused on strengthening our internal capacity while continuing to expand public programming. From improving communications to developing new partnerships, each investment was made with the future of Friendship Park in mind.
Telling a Clearer Story
One of the year’s biggest milestones was the launch of a new website and refreshed brand identity.
As our organization has grown, it became increasingly important to distinguish Friendship Park—the internationally significant place—from Friends of International Friendship Park, the nonprofit organization working to preserve, activate, and advocate for its future.
The new website was designed to make that relationship clearer while providing visitors with a better understanding of our programs, history, mission, and vision. Improved navigation, updated photography, and expanded storytelling allow supporters to learn about everything from community gardens and public art to volunteer opportunities and advocacy efforts.
More importantly, the website creates a stronger foundation for future growth, making it easier for new audiences to discover Friendship Park and become involved in our work.
Expanding Our Reach
Effective communication is essential to building community.
Throughout 2025, Friends of International Friendship Park invested in strengthening its digital communications through regular email newsletters, social media, website content, photography, and storytelling.
These efforts helped expand awareness of the organization’s work while keeping supporters informed about volunteer opportunities, community events, exhibitions, and ongoing projects.
The results reflected the growing interest in Friendship Park’s mission.
During 2025, our email reach increased by 59 percent, while social media reach grew by 71 percent. These numbers represent more than increased visibility—they represent thousands of new opportunities to connect people with the story of Friendship Park and invite them to become part of its future.
Growing Through Partnership
None of Friends of International Friendship Park’s work happens alone.
Every major initiative completed during 2025 was made possible through collaboration with artists, educators, nonprofit organizations, Indigenous communities, museums, volunteers, donors, and community leaders.
Partnerships with organizations like Museum of Us helped advance the Border Wall Transformation Project, while collaborations with artists expanded public art initiatives and On the Road exhibitions. Volunteers contributed countless hours to the Comunidad gardens, educational programs, and community events.
These partnerships reflect one of the organization’s guiding beliefs: the future of Friendship Park will be built collectively.
By bringing together people with different skills, perspectives, and experiences, Friends of International Friendship Park continues to strengthen both its programs and the broader community that supports them.
Building More Than Programs
While visitors often experience Friendship Park through a mural, a community garden, or an exhibition, those projects are only possible because of the work happening behind the scenes.
Grant writing, fundraising, communications, volunteer coordination, partnership development, strategic planning, website management, and community outreach all play essential roles in supporting the organization’s mission.
These efforts may be less visible than public events, but they are every bit as important. They create the structure that allows programs to grow, partnerships to flourish, and new opportunities to emerge.
Looking Ahead
As Friends of International Friendship Park continues to grow, strengthening the organization itself will remain just as important as expanding its public programs.
Investing in communications, partnerships, technology, and organizational capacity ensures that Friendship Park’s story reaches new audiences while providing the foundation needed to support future advocacy, education, and community engagement.
The work happening behind the scenes is ultimately about creating greater impact. Every new partnership formed, every supporter reached, every volunteer welcomed, and every story shared helps move us closer to our vision of a truly international Friendship Park.
While 2025 was a year of tremendous growth, it also marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter. With a stronger organizational foundation and a growing community of supporters, Friends of International Friendship Park is well positioned to continue preserving the park’s legacy while inspiring new generations to believe in the power of friendship across borders.