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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260518T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T170000
DTSTAMP:20260701T190749Z
CREATED:20260518T144011Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T190749Z
UID:10000067-1779091200-1784134800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Anniversary Grants
DESCRIPTION:The Fish and Wildlife Service Retirees Association has fund for Friends groups celebrating anniversaries. These grants are intended to support celebrations of significant anniversary events of their Service site\, e.g. 10. 50\, 75\, and 100. Even if the anniversary doesn’t end in a 5 or a 0\, the celebration could be honoring conservation heroes like Aldo Leopold\, Ding Darling\, etc.\, and title the event America 250th. \n\n\n\n\nThe 2026 application is on the CORFA website at https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/APPLICATION-Anniv-Grant-MASTER.docx\n\n\nThe submission deadline has been extended until July 15 for events scheduled from 1 July to 31 December 2026.
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/anniversary-grants/
CATEGORIES:Grant
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FWSRetireF3.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260520T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260520T150000
DTSTAMP:20260508T201120Z
CREATED:20260508T201120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T201120Z
UID:10000065-1779285600-1779289200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Blue Goose Passport
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a sneak peek at the new Blue Goose Passport prototype\, a refreshed experience designed to help visitors connect more deeply with national wildlife refuges and hatcheries.\nThe new Blue Goose Passport transforms refuge and hatchery visits from a simple checklist into a dynamic\, rewarding experience that turns exploration into a valued\, collectible achievement. This refresh is designed to motivate repeat visits and strengthen the personal connection visitors feel with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service public lands.\nThis webinar will be especially helpful for Refuge Friends groups interested in visitor engagement\, nature store opportunities\, and ways to encourage deeper connections to refuges and hatcheries.\nPresenter \n\nKristen Gilbert is the Branch Chief of Interpretation and Digital Services for the National Wildlife Refuge System.\n\nSign Up! \nWe look forward to seeing you then\,\nNational Wildlife Refuge Association & Coalition of Refuge Friends & Advocates
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/blue-goose-passport/
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-08-160559.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260526T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260526T170000
DTSTAMP:20260520T221026Z
CREATED:20260520T221026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260520T221026Z
UID:10000068-1779811200-1779814800@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Friends SHARE call on 5.26.26
DESCRIPTION:Get ready to SHARE!  CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call and this month we’ll be focusing on the role an Annual Appeal can fit into your overall fundraising strategies. \nPlease join us on Tuesday\, May 26th at 4:00 pm ET.  Please RSVP by May 25th and we will send you a zoom link for the call.  Registration is required in advance in order to receive the zoom link. \nWe will also have time at the end of the call to field any hot topics or urgent issues you may have.  If you have a burning question for the call\, that you’d like to discuss with other Friends\, or you’re looking for expertise on a specific subject\, please let us know and we’ll do our best to be prepared and find help!  The sooner you can let us know\, the better. \nOur presenters for the May call will be: \n\nSirena Lao\, Executive Director\, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society\nAlison Schaub\, Executive Director\, Friends of Minnesota Valley NWR\n\nThe Zoom call is only for a member of a Friends group or their staff. Feel free to share this invite with your board members and other Friends groups. To ensure everyone can fully express themselves\, ask tough questions\, have their comments heard and respected\, and be assured that conflict will be respectful the call will not be recorded\, and we ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nDate: Tuesday\, May 26\, 2026 \nTime: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT \nRSVP: To coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by May 25th with Friends SHARE in the subject line. Register in advance to receive the zoom link. In the body of the email tell us the name of your Friends. \nWe are looking forward to getting together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team \nMike Baldwin\, Ceal Craig\, Cheryl Hart\, Joan Patterson\, Polly Sheppard\, Willem Stoeller\, Joan Van Gorp\, Kathy Woodward\, Tom Worthington\, Maria Montag\, Janelle Wicks \nP.S. We thank the National Wildlife Refuge Association for providing Zoom for the call.
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-call-on-5-26-26/
CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-18-150733.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260610T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260610T150000
DTSTAMP:20260605T213523Z
CREATED:20260605T213523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T213523Z
UID:10000069-1781100000-1781103600@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Transportation & The Refuge System
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a Refuge Friends webinar with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Transportation program staff on the importance of transportation infrastructure for national wildlife refuges. Transportation investments help keep refuges and hatcheries safe\, accessible\, and connected. From roads\, trails\, and bridges to wildlife crossings\, transportation planning plays an important role in visitor access\, habitat connectivity\, wildlife conservation\, and refuge operations. \nPresenters will provide an overview of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Transportation Program\, how it supports refuges\, and why these investments matter for wildlife\, visitors\, staff\, and surrounding communities. This webinar will be recorded.\nPresenters \n\nVince Ziols\, AICP serves as the Acting Federal Lands Planning Program Manager for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service\, where he oversees nationwide transportation planning and research programs\, and manages the USFWS’s Transportation Safety Management System. In this role\, he works to reduce safety ‘hot-spots’ at and near USFWS stations and lower wildlife-vehicle collisions by supporting the development of wildlife crossing infrastructure projects. Vince has a Master of Urban Planning & Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a Certified Planner with the American Planning Association. Vince specializes in advancing multimodal transportation networks\, enhancing interagency coordination\, improving wildlife connectivity and conservation\, and developing resources for public land management. He grew up in Chicago\, IL and now lives in Detroit\, MI\, and is an avid biker\, hiker\, gardener\, urbanist and environmentalist.\n Eric Bergey comes from the Infrastructure Management Division\, where he serves as the National Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) and Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) Program Manager\, overseeing transportation planning\, funding\, and disaster response efforts across the USFWS. He manages more than $55 million each year in transportation and emergency relief funding\, helping regions deliver projects\, respond quickly to natural disasters\, and keep refuges and hatcheries safe and accessible. Much of his work focuses on long-range planning\, solving budget and construction challenges\, and working closely with regional staff\, Federal Lands Highway\, and other partners to move projects forward. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies with a focus in geology and sociology\, as well as a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Eric lives in Denver\, Colorado\, with his wife and two kids\, ages 7 and 11. Outside of work\, they enjoy camping in the mountains with their trailer\, fishing\, hiking\, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.\n\nSign Up!
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/transportation-the-refuge-system/
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-05-173102.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260623T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260623T190000
DTSTAMP:20260616T145722Z
CREATED:20260616T145722Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T145722Z
UID:10000070-1782237600-1782241200@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Friends SHARE session - building influential relationships
DESCRIPTION:The next Friends SHARE call will focus on how Friends are working with others to make their refuge or hatchery a priority in their community. The call will kick off with Friends sharing how they built influential relationships\, helpful resources\, and engaging stories. \nDesiree Sorenson-Groves from the National Wildlife Refuge Association will join us to share how NWRA is collaborating with other conservation groups to stand up for the needs of the refuge system. These relationships have become crucial given threats to our public lands. \nPlease join us on Tuesday\, June 23\, at our special time of 6:00 PM ET. RSVP by June 22 to receive the Zoom link. Advance registration is required. \nThis Zoom call is only for members of Friends groups and their staff. Please feel free to share this invitation with your board members and other Friends groups. To help create an environment where everyone can speak openly\, ask difficult questions\, and be heard respectfully\, the call will not be recorded. We also ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nDate: Tuesday\, June 23\, 2026\nSpecial Time: 6:00 PM ET\, 5:00 PM CT\, 4:00 PM MT\, 3:00 PM PT for this session \nRSVP: Email coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by June 22 with “Friends SHARE” in the subject line. Include the name of your Friends group in the body of the email. Register in advance to receive the Zoom link. \nWe look forward to being together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-session-building-influential-relationships/
CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-03-18-150733.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260707T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260707T150000
DTSTAMP:20260630T182624Z
CREATED:20260630T182615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T182624Z
UID:10000071-1783432800-1783436400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Friends Information Meeting on Proposed Rule Change to Federal Financial Assistance
DESCRIPTION:Friends you are invited to an information meeting to discuss proposed changes to federal grant rules that could significantly affect how Friends group receives and manages federal funding. \nThe federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published sweeping proposed revisions to 2 CFR Part 200 (the rules that govern all federal grants) on May 29\, 2026. If finalized\, these changes take effect October 5\, 2026. The public comment window closes July 13\, 2026. \nFor meeting details go to Rule Change for Federal Grants & Other Financial Assistance \n  \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-information-meeting-on-proposed-rule-change-to-federal-financial-assistance/
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CORFA-Logo-1.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T150000
DTSTAMP:20260710T135551Z
CREATED:20260710T121144Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260710T135551Z
UID:10000072-1784728800-1784732400@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Refuge Budgets 101
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a Refuge Friends webinar with Greg Knadle\, Refuge Association Board member\, for an overview of how the National Wildlife Refuge System budget and federal appropriations process work. \nThis webinar will help Friends better understand how refuge funding moves through Congress\, what key steps shape the annual budget process\, and why sustained funding is essential for national wildlife refuges\, wildlife conservation\, visitor access\, and local communities. \nGreg will draw on more than 30 years of experience working across federal wildlife\, natural resources\, and appropriations programs to help demystify the budget process and answer questions from Friends. \nPresenter: \nGreg Knadle brings over 30 years of experience in wildlife conservation\, federal policy\, and strategic advocacy to the Refuge Association Board. His career includes pivotal roles with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\, including Refuge Operations Specialist and Refuge System Budget Specialist\, where he contributed to both on-the-ground refuge stewardship and national budget formulation and planning. \nGreg also served as professional staff on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee from 2003 to 2009\, advising across multiple federal natural resource accounts\, including the National Wildlife Refuge System. He later joined the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as Vice President of Government Relations\, where he helped secure and shape funding for wildlife and natural resources programs. Most recently\, Greg worked as the Federal Grants Coordinator for the New Mexico Congressional Delegation in both the House and the Senate. \nGreg is now a natural resource and federal budget consultant\, wildlife and nature photographer\, and artist in Falls Church\, Virginia. \nSign Up!
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/refug-budgets-101/
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-10-080523.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T170000
DTSTAMP:20260721T143300Z
CREATED:20260721T143300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T143300Z
UID:10000073-1785254400-1785258000@coalitionofrefugefriends.com
SUMMARY:Friends SHARE session - newsletters
DESCRIPTION:We hope you’re ready to SHARE!  CORFA is hosting the next Friends SHARE zoom call on July 28th and this month we’ll be focusing on newsletters and how to maximize their value.  \nFollowing the presentations\, we’d like to get your feedback on a couple of questions related to your needs and wants\, and how CORFA and connections with other Friends groups could help. \nAfter that we will have time to discuss any issues\, questions or updates you may have. If you have a burning question for the call\, that you’d like to discuss with other Friends\, or you’re looking for expertise on a specific subject\, please let us know and we’ll do our best to be prepared and find help! The sooner you can let us know\, the better. \nPlease join us on Tuesday\, July 28th at 4:00 pm ET.  Please RSVP by July 27th and we will send you a zoom link for the call.  Registration is required in advance in order to receive the zoom link. \nOur tentative presenters for the July call will be: \n\nVanessa Thurk\, Executive Director\, Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges\nMalina Chavez\, Nature’s Nest & Communications Assistant\, Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges\nAndi Ford\, Executive Director\, Friends of the Bear River Refuge\n\nThis Zoom call is only for members of Friends groups and their staff. Please feel free to share this invitation with your board members and other Friends groups. To help create an environment where everyone can speak openly\, ask difficult questions\, and be heard respectfully\, the call will not be recorded. We also ask all participants to review and agree to our Safe Space Guidelines. \nDate: Tuesday\, July 28th\, 2026\n Time: 4:00 PM ET\, 3:00 PM CT\, 2:00 PM MT\, 1:00 PM PT  \nRSVP: Email coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com by July 27th with “Friends SHARE” in the subject line. Include the name of your Friends group in the body of the email. Register in advance to receive the Zoom link. \nWe look forward to being together. \nCORFA’s Friends SHARE Team
URL:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/event/friends-share-session-newsletters/
CATEGORIES:Friends SHARE
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://coalitionofrefugefriends.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-03-18-150733.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA)":MAILTO:coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
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