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The Central Ohio Collaborative for Conservation is an AmeriCorps State and National program administered by Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and supported by AmeriCorps, the U.S. federal government agency for national service and volunteerism. Our purpose is to “Get Things Done” for natural resource conservation, environmental education, and environmental stewardship in the Central Ohio region. We currently host 12 AmeriCorps members who serve at one of 7 conservation-focused nonprofit organizations and local governments.
The Collaborative actively strives to achieve the following:
- Improve the quality of natural resources in Central Ohio.
- Engage volunteers in conservation activities and assist the public in implementing conservation projects.
- Educate the public & schools about environmental topics and their relevance to Central Ohio.
- Motivate individuals to commit to a lifestyle of continued environmental stewardship.
- Foster experiences that enable our members to grow as environmental professionals & leaders.
For questions or information, please reach out to Abby Thiel, AmeriCorps Program Coordinator, at athiel@franklinswcd.org or call our office at 614-486-9613.
All our AmeriCorps members serve a full-time term of national service. This means that they serve a minimum of 1,700 hours of service over the course of one year (starting in September). Our members serve an average of ~35 hours/week.
Our members are assigned to serve at a specific host site for the entire duration of their service. Duties vary across host sites, but everyone performs direct, on-the-ground services that result in tangible improvements to the environment and local communities. Members also frequently come together as a group for conservation project workdays, trainings, and team-building activities. This is a great opportunity to get your feet wet (sometimes literally!) with conservation work in the region while also connecting with leading organizations who do exceptional work in this field.
Benefits of national service include a living stipend, Segal Education AmeriCorps Award, student loan forbearance (including forgiveness of interested accrued during service), healthcare and childcare availability, travel reimbursement, and access to professional development opportunities that will prepare you for your future career. Full Time AmeriCorps service is considered qualified employment for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
All positions for the 2024-2025 cohort have been filled. Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort will open in spring. Please complete this form if you’d like to be added to our AmeriCorps member interest list: https://forms.gle/8TfjuAekqspRSxt27.
All the participating organizations in the Collaborative are host sites for AmeriCorps members. Host sites act as a member’s home base, where they craft unique member service experiences and provide day-to-day member supervision and support. Host sites contribute a cost match to support the members they host.
Our current host sites: Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW), Green Columbus, Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Stratford Ecological Center, Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District, Licking Soil and Water Conservation District, and Preservation Parks of Delaware County.
If your organization is interested in hosting AmeriCorps members through the Central Ohio Collaborative for Conservation, please reach out to Abby Thiel, AmeriCorps Program Coordinator, at athiel@franklinswcd.org.

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