Elifsu Tanyeri

Fixing a Broken Volunteer Application Funnel from 40% to 90%

Applicants were dropping out before their applications ever reached the NGO. I traced the biggest failures to broken trust, misleading feedback and a fragmented application flow, then redesigned the journey so applicants could understand and complete it from start to finish.

Client

NDA Protected

Ownership

UX & UI / Application Funnel / Conversion

Platforms

Web

Year

2024

We were losing most applicants before their application ever reached the NGO.

The platform existed to connect volunteers with NGOs, but its own application journey was causing applicants to drop out before completing the process.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

They applied to an NGO, but the verification email came from Acme — breaking continuity at the exact moment we were asking them to trust the process.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

They applied to an NGO, but the verification email came from Acme — breaking continuity at the exact moment we were asking them to trust the process.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

After verification, applicants returned to a “We got your application!” success message — while a required NGO questionnaire was still waiting underneath it.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

After verification, applicants returned to a “We got your application!” success message — while a required NGO questionnaire was still waiting underneath it.

First, I fixed the biggest trust and feedback issues without rebuilding the flow.

Verification emails were reframed around the NGO and clearly communicated that one step remained. I also removed the false success state so applicants understood that the final form still had to be submitted.

The patch helped, application completion rates increased a bit. But the funnel was still broken.

Completion improved, but too many applicants were still dropping out. Fixing the messaging had reduced confusion without addressing the fragmented structure behind it.

So I removed the detour instead of explaining it better.

The application became one continuous flow. Applicants completed the required questions first; email verification moved to the end, and the application was saved even if verification was still pending.

Fixing the funnel wasn’t enough. The opportunity itself needed a reason to apply.

The existing NGO page behaved like a generic job listing. I redesigned it around the organisation’s mission, impact and achievements, so volunteers could understand why their contribution mattered before applying.

From 40% to 90% application completion rate.

The breakthrough wasn’t a better form. It was making sure people could actually finish what they came to do.

Fixing a Broken Volunteer Application Funnel from 40% to 90%

We were losing most applicants before their application ever reached the NGO.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

First, I fixed the biggest trust and feedback issues without rebuilding the flow.

The patch helped, application completion rates increased a bit. But the funnel was still broken.

So I removed the detour instead of explaining it better.

Fixing the funnel wasn’t enough. The opportunity itself needed a reason to apply.

From 40% to 90% application completion rate.

More things I’ve worked on

I organize the messy,
design what ships,
and automate the boring bits.

Fixing a Broken Volunteer Application Funnel from 40% to 90%

We were losing most applicants before their application ever reached the NGO.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

1. Trust problem: Applicants were sent away to verify an email from a company they didn’t recognize.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

2. False feedback: Then we told them their application was complete when it wasn’t.

First, I fixed the biggest trust and feedback issues without rebuilding the flow.

The patch helped, application completion rates increased a bit. But the funnel was still broken.

So I removed the detour instead of explaining it better.

Fixing the funnel wasn’t enough. The opportunity itself needed a reason to apply.

From 40% to 90% application completion rate.

More things I’ve worked on

I organize the messy,design what ships,and automate the boring bits.

I organize the messy,
design what ships,
and automate the boring bits.