Become a sponsor/instructor

How to become a sponsor

In order to become a sponsor organization or instructor you or your organization must meet certain criteria. These criteria were established in order to ensure that our courses meet the standards of the program and that the projects and organizations certified Naturalists will work with are reputable and will provide a needed service to the community as well as further the education of the volunteer.

In order to become a sponsor an organization must:

have been in existence a minimum of three years from the date of application
have a connection to access to field volunteer opportunities
have the physical, staff and financial resources to conduct the program

If your organization meets these criteria and you are interested in becoming a sponsor please fill out the form and someone from our staff will be in touch with you. Thank you for your interest in the California Naturalist program.

Sponsor Application form

How to become an instructor

In order to become an instructor an individual must:

be recommended by a partner organization
have some teaching experience, substantial public speaking experience, or experience managing volunteers
have either work experience in natural resource management, ecology, or a related field OR a Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, ecology or a related field

If you feel that you meet these qualifications, please submit an application form. Thank you for your interest in our program!

Instructor application form