1. Applying for Grants with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Wildlife Refuge System Friends Academy October 29, 2009

2. Overview  Background on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NFWF  NFWF Partnership with the National Wildlife Refuge System  NFWF Grant Programs  Keystone Initiative Grants  Special Grants  Applying for a NFWF Grant

3. Background  Specialize in grant making  Created by Congress on March 26, 1984  Independent, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization  Do not engage in advocacy, lobbying, or litigation  Foster cooperative partnerships to support fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats

4. Mission The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, the Foundation is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes.

5.  Three regions: Eastern, Central and Western  National Headquarters in Washington, DC  Refuge Program staff: Donn Waage and Ellen Gabel Offices and Staff

6. NFWF National Wildlife Refuge System Partnership Since 1998, NFWF and the Refuge System have partnered on over 500 projects and awarded over $2.5 million in grant funds to projects benefiting the Refuge System

7. NFWF Strategic Plan  Historically, NFWF funded projects under the General Call and Special Grant Programs  In FY 2007, the Board of Directors chose to move forward with four Keystone Initiatives:  Bird Conservation  Freshwater Fisheries Conservation  Marine and Coastal Conservation  Wildlife and Habitat Conservation

8. NFWF Grant Opportunities Keystone Initiative Grants  Larger projects that fit under a specific Keystone Initiative  Two grant cycles per year  A pril 1 st and September 1 st Special Grants  Smaller projects, typically, that address a specific geographic, biological or partnership theme  Grant cycles and deadlines vary by program, information is posted at, www.nfwf.orgwww.nfwf.org  Refuge grant programs include: Friends Group, Nature of Learning and Preserve America Grant and match funds cannot be used for overhead or indirect costs of any kind.

9. NFWF Special Grant Programs  Bring Back the Natives  Chesapeake Bay Grants Program  Delaware Estuary Watershed Grants Program  Five-Star Restoration Challenge Grants Program  Native Plant Conservation Initiative  Pulling Together Initiative  Shell Marine Habitat Program (Alaska, Gulf of Mexico)  Southern Company Power of Flight and Longleaf Legacy  Sustain Our Great Lakes Program  Upper Mississippi River Watershed Fund

10. NFWF Refuge Grant Programs Friends Group Grant Program, www.nfwf.org/refugefriendswww.nfwf.org/refugefriends  $1,500-$5,000  Assists organizations to be effective co-stewards of the Refuge System and provides competitive seed grants to projects that seek to increase the number and effectiveness of organizations interested in assisting the Refuge System nationwide Nature of Learning, www.nfwf.org/natureoflearningwww.nfwf.org/natureoflearning  $5,000-$10,000  Community-based environmental education initiative that seeks to use the National Wildlife Refuge System as an outdoor classroom

11. Friends Group Grant Program  Three areas of emphasis:  Start-up, Capacity building and Project specific  Next application deadline is Spring, 2010  Will NOT fund requests for:  Printing for professional publishing purposes;  Political advocacy or litigation activities;  Travel;  Salaries;  Non-profit filings;  Food or beverages;  Shortfalls in government agency budgets; and  Multi-year grants (applicant may reapply)

12. Nature of Learning  Projects must involve a partnership among:  local school(s), community group (e.g., Refuge Support Group), and National Wildlife Refuge  First year start-up grants are available for up to $10,000  Second year follow-up grants are available, up to $5,000, to continue project support  To receive a follow-up grant, you must reapply and provide an accomplishment report with your application  Salary and benefit costs are allowed  NFWF funds cannot be used for salaries of permanent federal employees  Travel costs are allowed

13. Applying for a NFWF Grant  Program guidelines, Requests for Proposals and Deadline dates are all online  www.nfwf.org www.nfwf.org  Grant applications and project reporting are now online  www.nfwf.org/easygrants www.nfwf.org/easygrants

16. Once you complete the Easygrants registration, you will use your e-mail address as your Login ID. All e-mails sent by the system will be sent to this e-mail address.

24. Contact Information Ellen Gabel National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 1133 15 th Street, NW Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20005 (p)202-857-0166 (f) 202-857-0162 ellen.gabel@nfwf.org www.nfwf.org