The
Time has Come to Unite
Friends
groups have been islands of support working to protect the
natural resources of national wildlife refuges nation-wide.
Starting as a handful of people in small groups spread throughout
the country, in little more than a decade the total has
exceeded 240 groups with over 30,000 members.
Now,
on the 100th anniversary of the Refuge System, we have an
opportunity to fundamentally strengthen the System's foundation
for the next 100 years. By combining our organizations into
one national voice, we can influence positive change for
refuges never before believed possible. The time has come
for Friends groups to unify around our common goals and
objectives to ensure a vibrant and strong haven for America's
wildlife.
A
National Partnership
The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA), working
in cooperation with a committee of Friends leaders has constructed
a framework for a formal relationship between the NWRA and
Friends groups. The partnership would combine the experience
and commitment of the NWRA to issues affecting refuges on
a national scale, with the grassroots stewardship of Friends
working to sustain their local natural resources. By building
this bridge and working together, we strengthen affiliate
Friends groups by creating a constituency that is 30,000
+ members strong.
Partnership
Benefits
An NWRA/Friends partnership will provide strong
long-term benefits in many areas including national political
influence and the ability to purchase bookstore merchandise,
insurance and other services at discounted rates. Tools
and services currently available and proposed include:
For
the first year of membership, affiliates will offer an opportunity
for their members to also become members of the NWRA, at
the reduced rate of $10.00. After the first year, individual
membership to the NWRA will be in addition to the cost of
Friends membership. Friends members will enjoy the full
benefits associated with NWRA membership, including the
quarterly Blue Goose Flyer newsletter, updates on issues
affecting refuges, special event promotions and discounts.
This membership approach will help to ensure that Friends
members understand that they are not only working for their
local refuge, but are also a part of a national coalition
dedicated to the protection of our country's natural resources.
Commitment
The costs of an alliance membership are far outweighed by
the benefits gained by Friends organizations and their Refuges.
Today, we benefit from the commitment made by volunteers
and professionals over the last 100 years; the commitment
that we make now will determine the legacy that we build
for the next 100 years. The time has come to unite support
for our National Wildlife Refuges.
Partnership Q &A
The following is a series of commonly asked questions regarding
the partnership between Friends organizations and the National
Wildlife Refuge Association. We invite you to continue to
voice your questions and concerns and help us build strong
partnership.
What
would this Partnership provide that we don't already have
through NWRA or CARE?
All
benefits enjoyed by members of the NWRA will also be available
to Alliance members. The NWRA will also continue to work
in partnership with the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge
Enhancement (CARE) to promote increased funding for the
National Wildlife Refuge System, and will serve as the CARE
liaison to Friends groups.
This
partnership will result in several significant new benefits
to Friends, the NWRA and the Refuge System. First and foremost
is political clout. By placing our organizations and members
under one umbrella, we speak to decision-makers in Washington
as a larger, more potent entity. In pursuing increased refuge
funding, addressing the threat of invasive species and responding
to issues affecting refuges, the NWRA will be able to represent
itself as an organization "representing 220 local refuge
Friends groups with a combined membership of nearly 40,000
citizens." This is a powerful message and one that
will resonate with Washington leaders.
Friends
will benefit from such an affiliation because it will create
enhanced opportunities for the NWRA to secure discounted
rates on goods and services for Friends groups. Examples
include insurance, bookstore merchandise, database management,
affiliate credit cards, etc.
As
all our organizations become larger and stronger, benefits
in both these areas will continue to grow.
What
if a friends group cannot afford the fee, but desires to
belong?
As
has been stated in the affiliate partnership brochure, for
those groups who are just getting started and/or don't have
the funds available to join, the NWRA will offer a "scholarship"
to help those who want to participate. Groups receiving
support will only be required to provide periodic updates
in order to show progress in building their membership to
a level that will self-sustain their partnership fee.
How
will the regional representatives be selected? Appointed?
Elected?
There
will be a two-step process. First, a representative from
each region will be appointed to an NWRA Friends representation
team. Members of this team will work with groups in their
respective regions to develop the framework for how affiliate
partners will be represented and how representatives will
be elected. Once that framework is in place, each region
will select their representatives.
We
invite anyone who is interested in cultivating the affiliate
partnership to become involved in this exciting process!
If we don't join the partnership, will we be cut
off from the rest? How will we be treated?
Of
course we encourage all who want to help sustain the NWRA's
work for refuges and Friends groups to join the affiliate
partnership, but should any organization choose not to join,
they would still be welcomed to continue working with the
NWRA in supporting their mission to strengthen our National
Wildlife Refuges and the Friends groups that nurture them.
However, certain tools and services may not be made available
to non-affiliate groups.
Would
individual refuges be well served, or would all the money
go to big issues such as the Arctic NWR?
The
NWRA has a long history of supporting individual Friends
organizations through grants, regional and national workshops
and publications, which provide guidance on issues affecting
Friends groups every day. Funds received from partners will
help supplement dollars raised by the NWRA to conduct these
activities and address issues affecting most, if not all,
refuges (eg funding, invasives).
Join
Now!
Yes,
we want to become an NWRA affiliate and join the national
partnership!
Friends
Group Name: ___________________________________________
Address:
_____________________________________________________
Address:
_____________________________________________________
City,
State, Zip: ________________________________________________
President:
____________________________________________________
Phone:
_______________________________________________________
Web
site address: ______________________________________________
Key
Contact: __________________________________________________
Phone:
_______________________________________________________
E-mail
address: ________________________________________________
Our
membership is _________
Enclosed
is a check for $150 or $250
Please send me <X number> of NWRA membership brochures
to distribute to our members – individual NWRA membership
is $10 for the first year.
Questions?
Want More Information?
If
you have questions or would like more information, contact
Evan Hirsche at the NWRA at 202-333-9075 or email ehirsche@refugenet.org.
Download
Program Brochure (pdf)
Membership
Information
