Projectification contributes to improving management practices and enhancing the impact of social initiatives in the third sector. Although projectification has been widely examined as a structural phenomenon in third-sector organizations, limited empirical research has explored how small volunteer-based organizations operationalize projectification alongside the development of organizational competencies. Within this context, this paper examines how the progressive incorporation of project management practices can strengthen the institutional performance of a third-sector nongovernmental organization. An exploratory qualitative approach was adopted through a single-case study design, with data collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. The Rotary Club of Barra Mansa–RJ served as the unit of analysis, with particular attention to the Women’s Entrepreneurship Award Project (PERMSF). Thematic analysis revealed an organizational transition characterized by heterogeneous levels of project management maturity, ranging from intuitive and relationship-based practices to the formal adoption of tools such as project schedules, budget planning, performance indicators, and structured partnerships. Given the challenges commonly faced by social organizations, including resource constraints, accountability requirements, and the absence of structured impact evaluation mechanisms, the findings indicate that, when adapted to a volunteer-based organizational culture, projectification can enhance transparency, operational efficiency, stakeholder coordination, and long-term sustainability. The study concludes that the development of technical, behavioral, and contextual competencies is essential for consolidating this transformation and strengthening community impact. More broadly, the study contributes to a contextual refinement of projectification theory by demonstrating that, in volunteer-based organizations, projectification departs from a standardized process of managerial diffusion and instead takes the form of a strategic and cultural reconfiguration shaped by relational culture, volunteer governance, and organizational resource constraints.