Collaborative Center for International Development Soon to Open in Denver

There is a trend emerging in the non-profit sector across the United States, shared office space. Many of these centers simply share a physical building and in turn resources like printing costs, accounting, and offer brown bag lunch series. Others have established into their mission, vision, and goals an ethic of collaboration and building reciprocity towards the similar good work the organizations housed in the space support. The soon to open Denver Greenhouse Project is such a space. 

Led by the vision and efforts of former Colorado State Senator Andrew Romanoff, now Senior Advisor to iDE-InternationalDevelopment Enterprises, a main tenant of the project. The Greenhouse Project will be the first example in the country of a shared office space and center for collaboration that focuses on international development and ending global poverty. Friends of ENCA Farm, the organization I founded to support organic farming preservation and environmental education in the Philippines will join 27 other fantastic organizations in this historic building located in the Curtis Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, set to open this coming summer. The work of the other tenants includes agriculture, education, energy, health, infrastructure, and microfinance, and as a collective the Greenhouse organizations work in over 72 countries around the globe.

Friends of ENCA Farm, is very excited about being apart of this center for innovation. Not only will it connect our work in the Philippines with wonderful partners that do similar development work around the globe. But the Greenhouse plans to offer virtual educational and training sessions that will allow our partners, farmers, and community members throughout the Philippines to access a wealth of knowledge. These trainings will benefit Philippine organic farming initiatives, environmental sustainability, and build our shared reciprocity with fellow international development organizations.

To learn more about the collaborative and how you can get involved please visit:

http://www.ideorg.org/OurNetwork/D90Network.aspx#.

Sherry Manning

MRLS Graduate 2010

Founder and Executive Director Friends of ENCA Farm

About the Author:

Prior to completing her Masters in Resource Law Studies from the Sturm College of Law, Sherry Manning served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines from 2006-2008. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Friends of ENCA Farm. To learn more about their work in the Philippines please visit www.encaorganicfarm.com.