No organization’s future is guaranteed.

Our area is blessed with several private foundations that have disbursed millions of dollars over the years to nonprofit organizations that provide educational or artistic activities for youth and do important work throughout the community. The availability of such dollars doesn’t mean the recipients aren’t constantly looking for ways to make those dollars stretch as far as they can, particularly as they look for ways to reach a distracted public.

We are encouraged, then, officials from two area nonprofits based on the outdoors are meeting to explore collaborations.

As was reported in Saturday’s edition, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the Jamestown Audubon Society have created a task force to discuss if the organizations want to combine on new programs, if those new programs are feasible and if some administrative functions can be consolidated. Of course, that consolidation not only helps the organizations’ bottom line but frees up dollars for programs. The task force will continue to meet throughout the coming months and will report from time to time on its progress.

RTPI and the Audubon share some characteristics, so joint programming makes sense. Any administrative functions that can be shared, freeing up dollars for other uses, can only be positive as well. These talks will not be easy, as anyone who has been through such talks between organizations can attest, but they are necessary. Ruth Lundin, Audubon Society president, and Twan Leenders, RTPI president, are taking an appropriate public stance during these discussions, with Lundin saying “It’s an opportune time to reach out to RTPI to see how we can together serve the community even better” while Leenders said, “I look forward to jointly examining mutual benefits and exploring ways to align our respective strengths in ways that can benefit both organizations, our local environment and the greater community.”

This could be the expansion of a beautiful friendship.