Case study

How Jackson Wild uses its community to strengthen connection and commitment to the natural world

Jackson Wild partnered with Hivebrite to build the Jackson Wild Collective to connect its global community of nature filmmakers.

Download PDF
Jackson Wild

“As a global community, the map feature has been incredibly valuable for helping members connect with peers in their area. We also love the group feature. We created a Jackson Wild Fellow group for our fellowship program alumni to keep in touch and offer targeted career development opportunities.”

Angelica Shaw
Collective Manager, Jackson Wild

1,658

Number of active users on the platform

64%

Member activation rate

Global

Reach of talent database

About Jackson Wild

Jackson Wild is a non-profit organization that accelerates and elevates impactful storytelling at the nexus of nature, science, and climate. It does this through innovative and collaborative gatherings, skill-building initiatives, mentorship programs, and career development.

Founded in 1991, the organization hosts the biennial Jackson Wild Summit, an in-person event featuring workshops, panel discussions, screenings, and the Jackson Wild Media Awards—the nature-film industry’s equivalent to the Oscars.

Mission

Jackson Wild’s mission is to accelerate and elevate impactful storytelling at the intersection of nature, science, and climate.

Visit the community

Jackson Wild is using Hivebrite to create a virtual home for the global storytelling community to connect, collaborate, and inspire change year-round.

Jackson Wild has been using Hivebrite since 2020. The platform provides a resource for storytellers at all levels to elevate their impact and expand their opportunities.

The community challenge

For many years, Jackson Wild’s impact was primarily driven by its flagship event, the Jackson Wild Summit—an internationally recognized gathering that brought together storytellers, conservationists, scientists, and industry leaders. The Summit served as a vibrant platform for film screenings, hands-on workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities, all focused on leveraging media to inspire environmental action. While the event fostered deep connections and creative collaborations, its once-a-year format left a gap in sustained engagement, with limited opportunities for participants to continue conversations and partnerships after the Summit concluded.

In response to growing feedback from both organizers and attendees, Jackson Wild recognized the need to evolve its model and offer more consistent engagement throughout the year. Members were eager for an ongoing space to connect, share resources, and collaborate on projects beyond the confines of a single annual gathering. This realization led the organization to explore new ways of extending its reach and amplifying its mission year-round. By building a digital community platform, Jackson Wild could facilitate continuous interaction, support cross-border partnerships, and nurture a more active and engaged network committed to using storytelling for global conservation impact.

Hivebrite’s full-stack community platform enabled Blanchard to:

Facilitate organic connections

Foster independent sub-communities to enable connections while maintaining institutional governance

Create a repository of knowledge

Build a centralized knowledge hub that leverages member expertise

Nurture career development

Support member career advancement through mentoring programs, job opportunities and networking tools

Encourage collaboration and innovation

Facilitate partnerships and networks to drive industry advancement and promote innovation

Promote advocacy efforts

Empower members to amplify their impact, collaborate, advocate, and drive engagement

Gather data and insights

Monitor user behavior, engagement metrics, and content performance to measure the impact of initiatives

The Hivebrite solution

Jackson Wild partnered with Hivebrite to launch the Jackson Wild Collective—a vibrant, year-round virtual home for its global storytelling community. Designed to foster connection, collaboration, and inspiration, the Collective brings together environmental filmmakers, scientists, and advocates from around the world to spark ideas and drive meaningful change.

Free and open to anyone in the environmental documentary film industry, the Collective offers a wealth of tools to support its members. Through Hivebrite’s Groups feature, Jackson Wild has built dedicated affinity spaces within the community, including cohorts for its Fellowship programs and a group specifically for LGBTQIA+ nature and wildlife creators and scientists. These groups provide members with more tailored resources and networking opportunities.

In addition, the platform features a global database of local talent to help filmmakers hire crews in the countries where they work, as well as access to masterclasses, a job board, a resource hub, and live events—all designed to support professional growth and advance conservation storytelling.

Key features designed for nonprofits

Member Directory & Profile

Connect donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, fostering global member engagement and a stronger community.

Events and ticketing

Host virtual and IRL events with RSVP, paid ticketing, and QR codes. Enhance experiences and encourage participation.

Groups and sub-communities

Manage chapters, committees, and interest groups while empowering leaders to run spaces independently. 

News, content, and resources

A centralized hub for mission updates, media, and impact stories to keep your community informed and engaged.

Jobs and opportunities

Promote jobs, internships, and volunteer roles with a flexible board. Workflows and alerts help spread opportunities.

Email & campaign builder

Reach donors, volunteers, and stakeholders with personalized emails and campaigns—no technical skills needed.

Multi-language & live translation

Expand your global reach by breaking down language barriers and enabling members to engage in their preferred language.

The outcome

Jackson Wild has created an inclusive, year-round space for the global film community. This digital hub empowers storytellers, conservationists, and creatives from all backgrounds to come together and exchange ideas, resources, and inspiration. It fosters a sense of belonging and collaboration among individuals who are united by a shared passion for environmental storytelling, regardless of their geographic location or stage in their careers. The Collective serves as a dynamic forum where members can discover new voices, form meaningful partnerships, and stay engaged with the latest developments in conservation media.

“The Collective is a great introduction to the Jackson Wild community. It is a place for people to connect and learn more about opportunities within Jackson Wild and the industry. We love to see people come in through the Collective and then go on and apply to be a volunteer or Fellow.”

Angelica Shaw
Collective Manager at Jackson Wild