
Why Our Work is Important
The population of Northwest Colorado is growing rapidly, and environmental conditions are changing, which means our natural resources and landscapes are being stressed, overused, and polluted. Often these impacts are due to a lack of awareness about how these natural systems work and increasing demand for limited natural resources. Yampatika is working to increase awareness about how to better manage and protect these resources by educating the residents and visitors of Northwest Colorado.
Additionally, Americans are suffering from an epidemic of loneliness and disconnection, especially among youth. With increased dependence on digital and social media and fewer built-in opportunities to connect with nature and our community, our society is experiencing sky-high rates of mental illness.
To help address these issues, Yampatika is working to provide a sense of connection to place, community, nature, and self through environmental education.
Environmental education can tackle these issues by:
- Improving academic interest and performance among students.
- Establishing a culture of learning that goes beyond the classroom.
- Developing critical and creative thinking skills across the community.
- Increasing tolerance and understanding of different perspectives and ideas.
- Fostering inter-disciplinary learning.
- Getting people outside and helping them build deep connections to the natural world and their communities.
- Promoting healthy lifestyles.
- Inspiring career development in the field of natural resources.
- Increasing stewardship of the environment and improved management of natural resources.
Ways to Support Yampatika
Help Us Reach More Students:
- Sponsor a third full-time educator who will help us reach 5% more students (3,032 total students) this upcoming School Year and 25% more students (3,610 total students) in 5 years: Total goal: $60,000.
Help Us Offer Camp to More Families and Youth:
- Sponsor a family by contributing to our 2024 Scholarship Fund: Total goal: $25,000.
Help Us Bring Environmental Education to More of the Community:
- Sponsor one of our many adult programs and educational hikes to ensure more local community members learn best practices for environmental stewardship: Total goal: $5,000/each.
Help Us Find a Home:
- Sponsor a Facility Needs Assessment that will help us outline our specific site criteria and map out a strategy for evaluating site options: Total goal: $20,000.
- Lay the foundation for a future Capital Campaign by helping us hiring a Development Director: Total goal: $75,000.
- Make an anchor investment to our Capital Campaign: between $10,000 and $2M.
Benefits of Supporting Yampatika
When you make a donation of any size to Yampatika you not only receive the knowledge that you are making a difference, but you get some perks.
- Donations to the Scholarship Fund/Summer Camp (must be designated at the time of donation) are eligible for the Childcare Tax Credit. Taxpayers that make a qualifying monetary contribution to promote childcare in Colorado may claim an income tax credit of 50% of the total qualifying contribution up to $100,000.
- Promotional Benefits: Yampatika offers many ways to promote your business or foundation through our outreach.
- Donors of $10,000 or more are invited to schedule a private tour with a Yampatika Naturalist.