Volunteer with RMFI as a
Corporate and Adult Team
RMFI offers unique opportunities for teams to volunteer and make a tangible impact on public lands in the Pikes Peak Region. These days are not just excellent team-building activities; they are a chance to bond with your team in the great outdoors while contributing meaningfully to the Pikes Peak Region.
If you have 10 to 40 people who would like to volunteer together, RMFI can schedule a custom group workday just for your team! Local businesses, corporate groups, and military units are welcome to schedule a group volunteer day with RMFI.
What does this opportunity look like?
Your team will join our professional trail crew to help maintain current trails, build new trails, and restore habitat. forests, and watersheds.
This is moderately strenuous work using tools in the outdoors. Project tasks may include decompacting hardened soils, moving natural materials such as rock, dirt, and timbers, spreading native grass seed and mulch, and transplanting small plants. You may also assist with erosion control structures, installing fencing, and other trail maintenance and land stewardship activities under the guidance of RMFI staff. Hiking on rough, uneven, and unmaintained surfaces is required.
Be prepared for a rewarding day of trail work, where you will make a visible difference on our local public lands!
Scheduling
How to Schedule a Team Volunteer Day
Calla Balliett, RMFI's Community Engagement Coordinator will be your point of contact.
Please reach out via email to request scheduling with the information below or if you have any questions at calla@rmfi.org.
Size of Group: Please provide how many team members will be participating in your day.
Dates: Please include any specific dates or a date window you'd like to volunteer within; we do suggest having 2-3 potential dates in mind when booking (group scheduling s available between Wednesday and Saturday).
Time: Please include the timeframe you'd like to volunteer within e.g. arrival at 8:30 departure at 12:30 (we request a time commitment of at least 4 hours between the hours of 8 am and 3 pm).
Team Point of Contact(s): Please let us know who will be RMFI's point of contact(s) for your team; please include a point of contact(s) who will be physically present on your team's volunteer day.
If you have any questions or do not have all of the information mentioned above, please feel free to reach out before requesting a specific date.
Calla Balliett, Community Engagement Coordinator, calla@rmfi.org.
Please see below for additional important information and FAQ's
Does a team Volunteer Day with RMFI have a cost?
RMFI does not charge to host your team for a volunteer day. We value working with our community to steward the public lands that make Southern Colorado so special. RMFI envisions a world where our work fosters vibrant and healthy natural systems that are respected and cared for by the public, and we welcome your team's volunteer support in that effort.
If your company is inclined to provide financial support to RMFI we would be grateful. A donation, no matter the size, makes a tremendous difference at RMFI. Your financial contribution empowers other groups to get involved in caring for public lands, growing a community of land stewards for this region. We appreciate your consideration.
Questions about donating? Contact Sam Hinkle at sam@rmfi.org
RMFI also accepts in-kind donations.
RMFI's availability for team volunteer opportunities is on a first-come-first-serve basis; availability on specific dates cannot be guaranteed. RMFI spends the majority of months between June and September at high-alpine and backcountry locations where unique team opportunities may be available to join RMFI on packing gear in or our of a project site or joining RMFI at a backcountry project loaction.
RMFI may need up to a 1-month prior to your volunteer day to provide some details regarding your volunteer day, e.g., parking and the exact project site within the park you are working in due to the fluid nature of our work.
Project Sites/Specific Parks and projects are determined by RMFI and the Land Manager with your team's needs in mind.
RMFI has a specific waiver for all participants, youth and adult. A completed and signed waiver is REQUIRED for all participants present on a volunteer day.
RMFI handles registration for volunteer days and waivers through our online registration system on our website.
For participants under the age of 18, a parent/legal guardian MUST fill out and sign RMFI's waiver for the participant.
This is moderately strenuous work using tools in the outdoors, we require the following:
- Long Pants (This is required, NO shorts/capris)
- Sturdy Closed Toed Shoes (This is required. NO open-toed shoes or Crocs)
A participant not in long pants and closed-toed shoes cannot fully participate in the day's activities.
The following are also required, though if a participant does not have their own, a pair will be provided to borrow during the event.
- Work gloves
- Eye protection (work eyewear, sunglasses or RX glasses)
To be prepared for the day's volunteer activities be request that each participant has the following:
- Water bottle(s) or hydration system with plenty of water (2+ liters)
- We ask that each participant has their own water, we are not always close to a trailhead with the ability to refill easily.
- Sack Lunch
- Lunches cannot be kept refrigerated.
- Snacks
- RMFI has various snacks available for volunteers, though we recommend that participants are prepared with a snack of their liking. RMFI is unable to accommodate all allergies and dietary needs.
- Weather-appropriate clothing (e.g. rain jacket, hoodie)
- Sunscreen
- Backpack to carry all of your things
- Each participant should be responsible for their own personal items e.g. water and lunch in a backpack. We are not always close to a trailhead; personal items need to be carried easily into the park.
Parking: A specific parking location will be provided to the Point of Contact(s) by the Community Engagement Coordinator. Parking lots within our parks DO NOT have street addresses, due to this we rely on using Google Maps to provide you with a specific location; we ask that you use the exact link provided by RMFI to all registered participants prior to the volunteer day along with a day-of phone will also be provided to reach our staff directly on the day of your event.
Group Size: Groups smaller than 10 are welcome to join RMFI on an opportunity available in green on our Volunteer Calendar. If your group is larger than 40 please reach out.
Length of Day/Time: RMFI can schedule group opportunities between 8 am and 3 pm Wednesdays-Saturdays. We request a time commitment of at least 4 hours, though volunteer days can be up to 6 hours.
Lunch: If your workday breaks for lunch, we will remain at the worksite for lunch; as stated in our "To Bring," each participant should be responsible for their items, e.g., water and lunch in a backpack. We are not always close to a trailhead, personal items need to be carried easily into the park. Things like coolers are not easy to transport into the park, and participants will need their backpacks and will be responsible for carrying some tools into the work site.
Bathrooms: Each park where RMFI works has different bathroom facilities or zero bathrooms/porta-lets. Most parks do not have established bathrooms, though if there are bathrooms/porta-lets, we are not typically nearby during the workday and may require a short hike to and from.
Ages: Depending on the project work occurring on your scheduled volunteer day we are happy to allow youth family members of your team to join the volunteer day. Age allowed will depend on project work; volunteers must be 11 or older or as specified.
What is Leave No Trace?: 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
Weather: RMFI will work through light rain or other mild weather conditions like light snow, heat, cold, and wind, but in the case of adverse or hazardous weather, RMFI will make the call to cancel your volunteer day or end the day early. We will work directly with the team's Point of Contact(s) to determine any weather cancellations that are predictable the day prior to your volunteer day. RMFI will make the call to ensure safety for any unpredictable, unexpected, or other hazards that arise while on-site. RMFI is unable to provide an indoor activity for weather cancellations.
Cancellations: If your group size falls under 10 participants, RMFI reserves the right to cancel the volunteer day.