Each year, RFL Academy participants step into real-world leadership learning through Civic Impact Projects – hands-on initiatives that strengthen our region while challenging participants to apply adaptive leadership, collaboration, and community-centered problem solving. With 34 participants divided into five teams, the Academy 2026 cohort selected their projects in October and has already begun working alongside local partners. This year’s four projects reflect some of the community’s most pressing challenges and opportunities: nonprofit collaboration, youth development, organizational sustainability, and support for children in crisis.

Beyond Silos: Strengthening Nonprofit Collaboration for Greater Community Belonging
Teams 1 & 3
With an estimated 300–600 nonprofits operating from Parachute to Aspen, the Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valleys have an incredibly diverse yet often fragmented nonprofit landscape. Existing directories list organizations, but they don’t reveal where services overlap, where gaps persist, or what hinders deeper collaboration. Sponsored by the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association and Roaring Fork Leadership, this project explores the structural and relational dynamics that shape how nonprofits work together. The Academy teams are conducting a Collaboration Gap Analysis using surveys, interviews, and service mapping to identify barriers and uncover opportunities for partnership. The project will result in a visual ecosystem map and actionable strategies that strengthen coordination, reduce duplication, and enhance access to services.

  • Impact and Learning Opportunity: Participants gain hands-on experience with adaptive leadership, systems thinking, and cross-sector collaboration. The broader community benefits from a more aligned, efficient, and responsive network of nonprofit services.

BoostCamp: Building a Sustainable Future for Affordable Summer Learning
Team 2
BoostCamp, Access AfterSchool’s award-winning summer program in Rifle, serves 160 first–fifth graders with academic support, enrichment activities, meals, and transportation. It is a lifeline for working families in Garfield RE-2 who rely on affordable, safe, reliable summer childcare. After losing $100,000 in foundation funding, the program now faces a pivotal challenge: sustaining itself long-term without relying on unstable grant sources. The Academy team is engaging parents, employers, schools, and community sponsors to develop a sustainability plan rooted in diversified partnerships and shared community responsibility. Their work may also include piloting a community engagement activity to build visibility and support.

  • Impact and Learning Opportunity: Participants practice adaptive leadership and stakeholder engagement while supporting a program that directly impacts family stability, youth enrichment, and local workforce strength.

Project PACK Legacy: Thoughtful Next Chapter for Kids in Crisis Support
Team 5
Since 2016, Project PACK has supported children in crisis by providing backpacks with essential items for immediate needs. As the organization prepares to sunset, $4,500 remains to be thoughtfully reinvested in the community. This project invites the Academy team to help design a transition that honors PACK’s mission and maximizes support for local youth. Options include a back-to-school “teacher shop,” a small community grant process for youth-serving organizations, or identifying a partner to carry forward elements of the PACK model. The team is gathering input from schools, teachers, nonprofits, and social service partners to shape a values-driven recommendation.

  • Impact and Learning Opportunity: Participants learn about legacy stewardship, community consensus-building, and adaptive decision-making when multiple good choices exist. Local youth stand to benefit from resources directed where they are most needed.

Smiling Goat Ranch: Leadership, Capacity, and Community Resilience
Team 4
For a decade, Smiling Goat Ranch has offered no-cost, animal-assisted therapy for autistic children, veterans with PTSD, and individuals facing anxiety, depression, grief, or recovery. With 20 therapeutic animals and growing demand, the organization has outgrown its founder-led structure and now requires expanded leadership and staffing to sustain and scale its impact. The Academy team is supporting efforts to transition toward a more sustainable leadership model, hire a COO/Executive Director, expand program days, and increase staff capacity. Their work focuses on helping SGR navigate the cultural, structural, and relational dynamics of a significant organizational transition.

  • Impact and Learning Opportunity: Participants engage in succession planning, capacity-building, and organizational change—critical skills for long-term community impact. The project strengthens access to compassionate, trauma-informed mental health support across the valley.

The 2026 Civic Impact Projects embody RFL’s belief that leadership is learned through practice, partnership, and meaningful contribution. Each project offers Academy teams the opportunity to address real community challenges while developing the skills, humility, and adaptability that define effective leadership. As these five teams continue their work through the year, they will leave a lasting imprint—strengthening local organizations, uplifting youth and families, and helping shape a more connected, resilient region.