As with many Volunteer Programs, volunteerism at Filoli began in support of a fledgling organization in 1975. Initially a separate nonprofit, Friends of Filoli was created with the purpose of fundraising and other support, but was dissolved in 1989 as it was not self-sufficient. The leadership structure, however, remained and later merged with the Board of Directors, creating confusion and discontent. The program peaked at 1,500 volunteers, and was outsizing service needs, not aligned with Filoli's strategic direction, and a considerable investment of time and management. Volunteers were largely self-managed, but were not following industry best practices and were unsupportive of needed changes for the organization to be viable. As staff implemented best practices, volunteers responded negatively and publicly. Based on staff investment, diminished returns, and negative culture, the model was unsustainable, so the organization took action to assess the needs through a professional consultant to reframe volunteerism. In 2022 Filoli launched Service Learning, a new project-based program that provides an opportunity for learning and volunteerism. Now, Filoli has no dedicated volunteer coordinator, no docents, and no dedicated volunteer database. Yet there is still a robust program for volunteerism, with 650 participants and 2,400 service hours in 2023 alone.