Arguably, the contributions of amateurs to scientific discovery stems from the days of Galileo. In the interim, more formal initiatives have developed to foster research collaborations between volunteers and scientists in communities and research institutions around the globe. Read more about the history of citizen science .

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (CLO) is one organization that has helped to define and conceptualize citizen science. In 2006, CLO staff sought and received funding from the National Science Foundation to develop a Toolkit in support of new and existing citizen science projects. This website represents an evolving resource that will help inform, refine, present, and support the Citizen Science Toolkit.

The Toolkit design process is already under way, drawing on the knowledge shared by diverse practitioners at an invitational conference held in June of 2007. Preliminary resources include a searchable database of existing citizen science projects and a list of publications that document project approaches and results.

We hope that our collective efforts will foster a supportive and innovative community of citizen science practitioners, and will encourage a dialog around program ideas and advancements.