University of Wisconsion - Eau Claire

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Proposal

Trails and Conservation Nonprofit Researcher

Community partner: Inspiring Service
Supervisor: Joyce Nash
Beginning date:
2026-10-10
Ending Date:
2027-06-06

Project Proposal Description

1.

Briefly describe the project and the community need to be addressed.

Answer Trail groups, nature centers, and river and park clean-up organizations depend on volunteers to maintain the outdoor spaces their communities use every day. Many of these groups are small and volunteer-run, which makes them hard to find through a typical web search. People who want to help care for local trails and green spaces often don't know these organizations exist. Community Compass (communitycompass.org) is a crowdsourced national volunteer directory that helps people find local ways to get involved. In this project, the student will research trails and conservation nonprofits and build organization profiles for them on Community Compass. The student will start with organizations in their own region, then move on to a list of organizations from across the country. Students are also encouraged to volunteer with one of the groups they research. The student will end their term by writing an article about trails organizations: why they matter, the work they do, and how people can get involved, drawing on their own volunteer experience. The article will be published on the Community Compass blog.

2.

What is the mission of the agency or organization?

Answer Inspiring Service identifies barriers to volunteering and works to find solutions to them. Our main program, Community Compass, makes it easier for people to find local volunteer opportunities, with a focus on making informal and under-resourced community groups more visible.

3.

What skills are required for this project?

Answer Students should have or be interested in building skills in online research, attention to detail, and clear writing. Comfort using simple web tools is helpful. An interest in the outdoors, conservation, or environmental stewardship is a plus. No prior experience is needed. Training, profile templates, and contribution guidelines are provided.

4.

What are the learning objectives for this project

Answer Students will: understand the role of volunteers and community groups in caring for public outdoor spaces; learn how trails, parks, and conservation work is organized and sustained in their own region and across the country; strengthen research skills by evaluating organizations and verifying information from multiple sources; have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience volunteering with a local trails or conservation group; practice writing clear, accurate content for a public audience; and contribute to a national platform that improves access to volunteering across the U.S.

5.

What are the availability requirements for the student?

Answer The project is fully remote and flexible. The student will work with us to determine the number of hours per week dedicated to researching and building profiles, with time near the end of the term set aside for drafting and revising the article. Students who choose to volunteer with a local group will schedule that time based on the organization's events and their own availability, coordinating with their Inspiring Service supervisor. Students will check in with their supervisor periodically for feedback.

6.

Additional information (not required).

Answer Students will receive support and feedback throughout, from researching organizations, finding a local opportunity, and the article writing process.
Community-Engaged Learning • University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire • Eau Claire WI 54702-4004
Vicki Lord Larson 2146 • A Unit of: Academic Affairs
Phone: 715-836-4649 • Fax: 715-836-4023
Questions/Comments: cel@uwec.edu
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