CNC Local Organizer Information

Are you interested in being a local organizer for the 2026 City Nature Challenge (CNC)? Anyone can be a CNC organizer! We’ve had local organizers that are from all walks of life—from high school students and retired people to staff from nature centers, museums, non-profit organizations, and local government officials.

Organizer Responsibilities

Organizers are responsible for: 

  • Attending virtual and asynchronous meetings
  • Working with other organizers in your area (if multiple people express interest and/or your city has returning organizers)
  • Setting up a project in iNaturalist or your city’s preferred platform
  • Promoting the CNC in your community
     

Getting Started As a Local Organizer

The following information is provided as an example to prospective new organizers who may be considering joining in 2026.

Whether you are a NEW or RETURNING Organizer, here are some easy steps to get started:

New Organizers

  1. Subscribe to our email list to be notified about CNC 2026 (planning will begin in October 2025). Please note that subscribing to the email list does not commit you to organizing for the CNC, you can unsubscribe at any point. We will share our official Commitment Form to fill out after the informational and kickoff meetings (mandatory for all new organizers).
  2. Attend one virtual New Organizer Informational Meeting or watch a recording after sessions have concluded. Links to recordings will be sent to those who have subscribed above.
  3. Attend one virtual CNC Kickoff Meeting or watch a recording after meetings have concluded. 
  4. Fill out the Commitment to Organize form (available in our Kickoff Meeting).
  5. Register your city by filling out the City Information form in December 2025.
  6. Attend all future meetings (see timeline below). All meetings are mandatory for new organizers. Watching the recording counts as attending a meeting.

Returning Organizers

  1. Attend one virtual Kickoff Meeting (mandatory for all returning organizers). Watching the recording counts as attending a meeting. Check your email inbox and spam folders for registration details.
  2. Attend the December and March Asynchronous Meetings and the June Debrief Meeting (mandatory for all returning organizers). The January and April Planning Meetings are optional for returning organizers. 
  3. Fill out the Commitment to Organize form (link to form will be shared during the November Kickoff meeting).
  4. Register your city by filling out the City Information form (link to form will be shared during the November Kickoff meeting).

*Note about virtual (a.k.a Zoom) meetings: We have organizers all over the globe. To accommodate all the different time zones, we hold each meeting at four different times (three in English and one will be in Spanish). Organizers only need to attend one of the three meetings. All meeting times are shown in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), and will be recorded so you can catch up if you miss them.

City Nature Challenge 2026 Timeline

The following timeline is provided as an example to prospective new organizers who may be considering joining in 2026.

Subscribe to our email list to receive information about upcoming information and planning meetings.  

October 2025

  • New Organizer Informational Meetings (on Zoom in English and Spanish). Mandatory attendance to one of four meetings for new organizers.
  • CNC 2026 Kickoff Meetings (on Zoom in English and Spanish). Mandatory attendance to one of four meetings for new and returning organizers.

December 2025

  • Attend the December All Organizer Asynchronous Planning Meeting (on Google Docs). 
  • Attend iNaturalist How-to Training (on Zoom in English and Spanish). This training is for those organizers who are unfamiliar with making a City Nature Challenge project on iNaturalist or how to use the platform. 
  • Individual deadline for all organizers: fill out the CNC 2026 Commitment to Organize form to remain on our mailing list for 2026.  We’ll share the link to the Commitment to Organize form during the October kickoff meeting, and via an organizer email.
  • Early Bird registration for cities: one person from each city should fill out the City Information form to receive perks associated with Early Bird registration. (The regular registration deadline will be in January for all cities to participate in CNC 2026). We’ll share the link to the City Information form during the October kickoff meeting, and via an organizer email.

January 2026

  • Attend Makeup iNaturalist How-to Training (on Zoom in English and Spanish). This training is for those organizers who are unfamiliar with making a City Nature Challenge project on iNaturalist or how to use the platform. Note this is the EXACT SAME training as the December training.
  • Attend the January Organizer Planning Meetings (on Zoom in English and Spanish). Mandatory for new organizers. Optional for returning organizers.
  • City deadline: make your city’s project on iNaturalist or your city’s chosen platform.

February 2026

  • Official CNC 2026 City List posted on CNC website by end of month.

March 2026

  • Attend the March ALL Organizer Asynchronous Planning Meeting (on Google Docs March 3-19).

April 2026

  • Attend the April Organizer Planning Meetings (on Zoom in English and Spanish). Mandatory for new organizers. Optional for returning organizers.
  • CNC observation period: April 24 - 27
  • CNC uploading & identification period (April 28 - May 3)

May 2026

  • Results announced (May 4)
  • Dates for CNC 2027 announced
  • Fill out All Organizer Debrief Survey

June 2026

  • All Organizer Debrief Meeting (on Zoom in English only).

Organizer FAQ

We’re always happy to answer more questions. Contact us here.