What do you do when your agency has a high demand for volunteer opportunities and interpretive programming, but limited capacity? Collaborate! Different entities often have similar volunteer needs and may have volunteers in common. This was the reality for the Fort Collins Natural Areas Department and Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. The two organizations combined efforts, and now jointly manage two volunteer roles. This partnership has expanded staff capacity, created additional opportunities for volunteers, and strengthened connections between agencies. A little work, a lot of communication, and belief in the power of partnerships, creates a recipe for a successful collaboration. During this workshop, participants will gain understanding of how this type of collaboration would benefit their organization, the logistics that must occur to make this collaboration work, and creative solutions to solving challenges related to capacity and recruitment of volunteers.

Experience Level: Intermediate, Expert