ABOUT US
Our Work
MISSION
The mission of the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA) is to foster a network of nonprofit organizations that support each other, the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the National Fish Hatchery System.
VISION
Empowering Friends organizations as nonprofit leaders. When Friends succeed, Refuges and Hatcheries succeed.
ACTIVITIES
Our programs and activities are facilitated by a small core team that helps to jump start programs and identify resources in the Friends community. All of the programs are possible because of partnerships with Friends, National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Programs focus on:
Creating Networks
The Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates hosts a private Facebook group that serves as a place to ask questions and share information, insights, and experiences.
We also host Friends SHARE: a monthly Zoom meeting exclusively for Friends group members and their staff. You’ll have the chance to get to know each other, build supportive networks, ask questions and receive answers, share ideas and resources, and collaborate to solve problems and innovate solutions
The Link: A quarterly newsletter produced in cooperation with NWRA features articles, by Friends, to highlight their group’s successful activities and programs, upcoming events, and other useful news.
Providing Support
Our monthly webinars, presented in collaboration with NWRA, cover our partnership with USFWS, nonprofit operations, and legislative issues affecting the refuge system. Find past webinar recordings in the Resource Center tab, under Webinars
Our website, sponsored by NWRA, contains blogs on issues of interest to Friends, a listing of free or low cost webinars for nonprofits, and a Resource Center just for Friends.
On demand help for Friends via email. Contact coalitionrefugefriends@gmail.com
Supporting Advocacy
The needs of the Friends community. CORFA submits testimony in support of the re-authorization of the NWRS Volunteer and Community Partnership Enhancement Act.
Needs of the Refuge Systems that have been identified by NWRA. FY 2025 testimony supporting increased funding for the NWRS.
Encourage Friends to support advocacy needs at specific refuges and hatcheries.
HISTORY
The seed for the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA) began during the federal government shutdown in 2013. At that time a Friends member set up a Facebook group for Friends, and soon Friends were sharing information about the shutdown and what they were doing to adjust to the situation. The group proved to be a valuable resource where Friends could share their questions and knowledge on nonprofit governance, programs, and activities as well as voice their concerns and triumphs. Over time, that Facebook group became known as CORFA.
In 2020, CORFA incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Wildlife Refuge Association to formalize our long-standing partnership. CORFA is a not for profit organization, yet we are not a 501(c)(3). Therefore the National Wildlife Refuge Association is CORFA’s fiscal sponsor. We work together and with you, the Friends community, to fulfill our mission.
To learn more about the CORFA/NWRA partnership go to our joint trifold.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
