TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS

The term partnership is used in its broadest sense. It is a mutually beneficial relationship between one more or more parties with a common goal.

1. Volunteer
2. Cost-Share or Contribution
3. Donation or Gift
4. Memorandum of Understanding
5. Cooperating Associations (Friends Group or Interpretive Association)
6. Grants
7. "Payments to States" or projects approved under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000
8. Stewardship Contracting
9. Interagency Collaboration

1. Volunteers contribute their time and skills to support the purposes for which the Forest Service was created. Volunteers may build a trail, write a newsletter, stain campground facilities, answer phones, protect archeological sites, collect information, rehabilitate areas after a wildfire or provide a multitude of other services. Individuals or groups may volunteer. Individuals fill out a FS-1800-7, Agreement for Individual Volunteer Services prior to any work on the national forest.  Groups fill out FS-1800-8, Agreement for Sponsored Voluntary Services prior to any work on the national forest.
2. Cost-Share or contribution normally includes one or both parties contributing funds or other types of contributions for a specified purpose. Examples would include an organization providing funds to help with a wildlife habitat improvement project, an individual contributing materials for a recreation project, or the forest service contributing funds to a university towards a joint project. Other examples include a foundation providing a donation for District volunteer program development, an individual providing a donation of money to protect riparian areas, or a non-profit's contributions to pay for tree seedlings planted to rehabilitate areas after a wildfire.
   A cost-share agreement, joint venture, collection agreement or other agreement is required prior to any work on the national forest. These agreements are found at the following forest service site: http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm/ganda [internal site].
3. Donations or gifts are ways to accomplish the agency's mission. Donations to the government may be funds, property or proceeds from the liquidation of property. They may be tax deductible. Agency employees can't solicit donations or gifts but they can accept gifts or donations from those other than interested parties. Donations and gifts are the voluntary gratuitous transfer of cash to the agency. These funds may be designated for a specific purpose or for unspecified purposes. Forest Service direction is found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/ Donated funds may be accepted in accordance with FSM 6535 and FSH 6509.14 and an acknowledgement of receipt of funds is provided to the donor.
4. Memorandum of Understanding is an agreement among parties that does not involve funds. The agency and partner(s) describe their areas of agreement. For example, there are national agreements with non-profit organizations that the agency and the organization will work together toward common goals. These agreements can be found on the Forest Service Intranet site at: http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm/ganda/mou's.htm [internal site]. Southwestern Regional agreements also on the Forest Service Intranet site can be found at:http://fsweb.r3.fs.fed.us/pp/grants_agreements/mou-list.html [internal site]. The MOU template is found at: http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm/ganda/templates_&_forms.htm [internal site].
5. Cooperating Associations are non-profit, tax-exempt organizations established to further the goals and objectives of the National Forest System. They come in many forms but their purpose is to enhance the ability of the Forest Service to achieve its goals. These associations can develop and manage volunteer programs, develop educational materials, solicit funds for their purposes, and in some cases, sell interpretive materials. More information about these associations is found in FSM 2393 at http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/.
6. Grants may be sought for or provided by the Forest Service for projects on National Forest System lands. Some non-profit organizations including the National Forest Foundation provide grants for collaborative projects on National Forest System lands. In addition, federal grants may be provided by the Forest Service or by the New Mexico and Arizona State Foresters as pass-through grants. Information about grants available in the southwest is found at: http://www.southwestareagrants.org/.
7. Payment to States is a source of funding that Counties can choose to accomplish work on National Forest System lands or on adjacent lands that benefit the National Forests. The Secure Rural Schools and Community act of 2000 gave Counties the ability to use "payment to states" funds for these purposes. If the County chooses to allow funds to be used for these purposes a resource advisory group of community citizens reviews proposals and provides recommendations for the allocation of funds. More information can be found at: http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/payments/ [internal site].
8. Stewardship Contracting makes a longer-term commitment to management of National Forest system lands with a contractor. If a business wants to ensure a continuing supply of forest material for up to 15 years, this is a good tool to use. A Web site with more information about this tool is found at http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/projects/stewardship/new-authority/index.shtml.
   Forest Service employees can find more information at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fm/stewardship/index.shtml [internal site].
9. Interagency Collaboration is another way to partner to achieve common goals. Examples of this include our firefighting efforts, collaborative planning efforts, and sharing resources or information. In the southwest, we have a coordinated resource management MOU that includes state, tribal and federal parties. This agreement can be used for collaborative efforts among the previously mentioned parties.
   If funds are involved an interagency agreement would be used and the template is found at: http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm/ganda/templates_&_forms.htm [internal site].