The Center for Collaborative Conservation is currently seeking applicants interested in receiving funding to plan and implement a meaningful project, delve into the practice of collaborative conservation, and join a community of practice. Learn more to apply here. 

The Center for Collaborative Conservation (CCC) was established in CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources in 2008 to inform, promote, and support collaboration on meaningful conservation issues across Colorado, the American West, and the world.  

The Collaborative Conservation Fellows Program (Fellows Program) is a program for leadership and on-the-ground experience. During the Program, Fellows learn and apply the practices that are the hallmark of successful collaborative conservation. As detailed in the 10-year review of the program, past Fellows report that the experience is gratifying, impactful, and enjoyable. In the words of one CCC fellow, “This fellowship has certainly been one of the most impactful moments of my career.” While another remarked that “the cohort space was very welcoming and supportive of mutual growth, learning styles, and desired resources.”
 

Our most recent cohort is made up of ten fellows pursuing five collaborative conservation projects with communities across the globe, including:  

• In Botswana, addressing human-elephant conflict through adaptive management and collaborative decision-making. 
• In Cameroon, understanding pangolin populations while creating more collaborative approaches for natural resource management in Takamanda National Park. 
• In Colorado, USA, establishing a baseline for how educational messaging and community engagement can produce tangible, long-term conservation support for waterfowl and associated habitats. 
• In Ecuador, restoring watershed health in Pintag while protecting and enriching Mestizo culture and ancestral values of sustainability. 
• In Montana, USA, facilitating a community dialogue about water in the Bitterroot through multimedia “pop-up” exhibits. 

The CCC website highlights past Fellows’ projects, along with an interactive map displaying where about 150 CCC Fellows have worked (hint: this includes 27 countries and 17 Native American nations).   

Conservation practitioners, graduate students, and faculty are all encouraged to apply to be part of the CCC’s upcoming Cohort 14. The deadline to submit an application is November 3, 2023. 

Interested parties should assemble their team, develop a project idea, then create a project proposal to be submitted to Allison.brody@colostate.edu by November 3. A detailed Request for Proposals can be found here.  

This RFP explains how to apply, what to expect from the Fellows Program, and considerations for the project design. The Fellows Program is for those interested in conservation at any stage of their careers – including graduate students, mid-career professionals, academics, or experienced practitioners. The Program is seeking projects that will work in collaborative ways with local communities to help build livelihoods and conserve their landscapes.