The Link — Fall 2021 Newsletter
The Link is a quarterly newsletter produced in coordination between the National Wildlife Refuge Association and Coalition of Refuge Friends & Advocates.
Two years ago, the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA) and the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) formally agreed to begin working together to advocate on behalf of Friends groups around the country. While NWRA has been around since 1975, CORFA is newer, and we wanted to take this opportunity in this edition of The Link to highlight our partnership and explain who CORFA is.
With missions focused on national wildlife refuges and hatcheries plus thousands of members nationwide with the passion to pursue those missions, refuge and hatchery Friends groups (hereafter referred to as “Friends”) are unique in the nonprofit world. Further, if you consider that a majority of those Friends groups are led and managed by volunteers, you may find yourself shaking your head in amazement. “How do they do it?” you may be asking.
Well, besides passionate, professional leadership and committed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners, Friends groups can rely on the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates and the National Wildlife Refuge Association for a variety of resources to help them navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of the nonprofit sea, including advocacy, keeping up with nonprofit regulations and trends, and adjusting to our ever-changing world. We hope you enjoy the articles here giving a closer look at CORFA, which is, relatively speaking, “the new kid on the block.” Like most Friends groups, CORFA is an all-volunteer organization, yet it offers Friends so much. Read on to get a close-up view of CORFA and also learn about the important role that NWRA plays in supporting CORFA and Friends. All this and more in the current issue!
Click To Read About CORFA And More!
- “Who – Who – Who” Is CORFA? Everything You Need to Know—Plus Links to Resources
- Helped by Friends Through A Hard Year – Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWRs
- Helping Build a Shared Knowledge Base among Friends – Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges
- In the Spotlight – Friends Group of the Year: Striking the Right Chord at the Right Time – Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
- Meet Our Partners: Interview with Angelina Yost, National Coordinator, Urban Wildlife Conservation Program
- Previews of Coming Webinars: Your Input Wanted!
- The Friends Partnership Mentoring Program: What’s In It for You?
Sincerely,
Sue Hix, Editor
Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Credits
The fall 2021 version of The Link has been a coordinated effort between the National Wildlife Refuge Association and Coalition of Refuge Friends & Advocates.
To receive the next issue of The Link, complete the form at the bottom of this page https://www.refugeassociation.org/friends. And please add refugeassociation.org to the safe list for your email account.
You’re invited to join the CORFA Facebook group, a place to connect with other amazing members of the Friends community to share information, insights, and experiences concerning nonprofit governance, management, and advocacy. Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/coalitionofrefugefriends/ and request to join this private group.
- Sue Hix (Editor) – Friends of Sherburne NWR
- Joan Patterson (Co-editor)—Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates
- Caroline Brouwer—NWRA VP of Government Affairs
- Eden Taylor (designer)— NWRA Communications Associate
- Friends Editorial Staff:
- Cheryl Hart—NWRA Board, Board member of Friends of Tualatin River NWR
- Kathy Woodward—Former NWRA Board Member, Board member of Friends of Great Swamp NWR
- Jim Stone– NWRA Board, Board member of Friends of the Wichitas
