Advocacy

resources for promoting the interest of Friends and refuges with the community and with decision-makers

Sharing Our Stories: What Impacts Of Ongoing Budget Cuts Do You See?

  • Post category:Advocacy
  • Reading time:3 mins read

*3 1-hr Sessions:
Wednesday, January 25th at 7 – 8:00 PM ET
Thursday, February 2nd at 2 – 3:00 PM ET
Thursday, February 9th at 5 – 6:00 PM ET

*We want to hear from all Friends groups!!! We are offering multiple sharing sessions. Catch one session or all sessions. We hope to hear from you!

Has your Friends organization, refuge or hatchery, and community been impacted by the ongoing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service budget shortfalls? Has the lack of national wildlife refuge or hatchery staffing impacted whether your friend’s organization can meet its mission? What are you experiencing? 

Let’s tell our stories. Please share your thoughts and observations during a series of upcoming virtual sharing sessions created to hear your concerns and brainstorm actions. 

It is our hope that by gaining an understanding of what you are seeing in your refuge or hatchery, we can work together to help build messages to send to our local, regional, and national representatives that will support the need for adequate funding and staffing for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs. 

Homework: Participants should be prepared with information to discuss the following questions:

1) What are the greatest impacts to Friends’ organizations resulting from ongoing budget cuts? Share with us what you are seeing in any or all aspects of the refuge and hatchery systems that effect your friend’s group and the local community: land and water conservation, management, recreation, and public use (i.e.., hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, interpretation).

2)What is the one issue that you want your federal legislative representative to know?

Together, we all become stronger advocates for our beloved national wildlife refuges and hatcheries. So, let’s start by sharing our stories.

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NWRA/CORFA Winter 2022 Legislative Update for Friends

  • Post category:Advocacy
  • Reading time:2 mins read

On Wednesday, December 21th, Libby Marking, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for the National Wildlife Refuge Association; Mark Musaus, NWRA Representative at Large and CORFA Advisory Council; and Joan Patterson, President of CORFA provided a legislative and regulatory update on recent issues impacting the National Wildlife Refuge System, including the appropriations process, and advocacy efforts for FY 2024.

Recording of the webinar.

The slides and other resources shared during the webinar are available in our Resource Center.

orange wild flowers

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Can Friends Groups Advocate and Even Lobby?

  • Post category:Advocacy
  • Reading time:2 mins read
Photo with Senator Merkley (OR)

Occasionally Friends groups will here that they cannot lobby, but that is not true. The U.S. Congress and IRS say that it’s legal for nonprofits to lobby as long as it’s not a substantial portion of your activities. In 1976 Congress established clear guidance on how much a 501(c)(3) can expend on lobbying activities. Learn how to measure your lobbying activities using the expenditure test.

Since refuge and hatchery employees are paid with government funds, they are not allowed to lobby, or seek to directly influence specific legislation that effects refuges or hatcheries. However, Friends groups have the right, and arguably even the obligation, to lobby on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge System, the Hatchery System and their own personal national wildlife refuge or hatchery. Just remember not to lobby while at a Service-managed site (like your refuge or hatchery).

Photo: National Wildlife Refuge Association Former Board Members Chad Brown (left) and service dog Axe and Cheryl Hart (right) with Senator Merkley (OR)

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The Power Of Having Your Members Of Congress Visit Your National Wildlife Refuge

  • Post category:Advocacy
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Wednesday, July 20th, 2:00 pm ET

Friends do many things to show support for their refuge but perhaps few can have as much impact on budget and advocacy as having your Members of Congress and/or their aides visit your refuge or hatchery.

purple flowers

Please join us for our next webinar to learn more about how and why your Friends group might want to do this.

Our presenters will include:
Joann Van Aken, Executive Director, International Wildlife Refuge Alliance in Michigan
Libby Marking, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, National Wildlife Refuge Association

There will be plenty of time for questions and we hope you will also tell us about successful refuge visits that your Friends have had.

Congress’s summer recess (August 6 – September 6) is an excellent time to arrange for one or more of these important visits.

Sign Up Today!

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Realty 101: What Is The Role Of Friends In Land Acquisition?

  • Post category:Advocacy
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Wednesday, June 29th, 2:00 pm ET

Do you know how land acquisition priorities are determined for USFWS? Can Friends acquire lands? Do you wonder how Friends can influence funding decisions for land acquisition? These topics and more will be covered in this upcoming webinar on land acquisition. We will talk about the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Duck Stamp Programs as well as the 30×30 conservation initiative and its potential impact on Refuges. If you have questions about the role of Friends in land acquisition this webinar is for you. 

We are excited to have as our presenter Joe McCauley, who served for 32 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working within the National Wildlife Refuge System as a wildlife refuge manager, land protection planner, Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Coordinator, and Realty Officer and also a past National Wildlife Refuge Association Northeast Regional Representative.

Sign up now!

Photo credit: Arrowleaf balsamroot on the National Elk Refuge, WY | Hannah Bradburn / USFWS

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