This project supports the continuation of a full time youth early career volunteer coordinator at rocky mountain arsenal national wildlife refuge to oversee the administration training and support…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6 awarded a $120,000 cooperative agreement to Friends Of The Front Range Wildlife Refuges on June 25, 2025, under the Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment program (CFDA 15.676). The award supports continuation of a full-time Youth Early Career Volunteer Coordinator position at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge through December 31, 2027. The Volunteer Coordinator administers, trains, and supervises the refuge's growing volunteer program while providing professional development opportunities to earn a Public Lands Corps Certificate for noncompetitive hiring authority in future federal service positions.

The Volunteer Coordinator delivers essential operational support to refuge management through recruitment, onboarding, and supervision of volunteer personnel who assist with visitor services, information desk operations, visitor guidance, and public safety monitoring. This position directly enhances daily refuge operations and public engagement while advancing the Department of the Interior's strategic goals related to public land stewardship and community engagement. The cooperative agreement leverages volunteer contributions to address increasing public visitation demands and ensures that volunteers are adequately prepared to contribute meaningfully to refuge conservation and operational priorities.

This project supports the continuation of a full time youth early career volunteer coordinator at rocky mountain arsenal national wildlife refuge to oversee the administration training and support of the refuges growing volunteer program. This youth professional serving as the volunteer coordinator gains the opportunity to earn their public lands corps certificate for noncompetitive hiring authority for service positions upon completion of a project on public land. With increasing public visitation and demand for on the ground support volunteers have become essential to daily refuge operations assisting at the information desk providing visitor guidance and supporting public safety through trained observation. The volunteer coordinator plays a key role in recruiting onboarding and supervising these individuals ensuring that volunteers are well prepared to contribute meaningfully to refuge priorities. This project advances the department of the interiors strategic goals three and four by supporting public land stewardship through a well managed volunteer program that enhances refuge operations and community engagement.