What We Do

Keystone

Our Keystone Programs represent NFWF’s core portfolio of conservation initiatives and demonstrate our commitment to making measurable progress in restoring at-risk species. We operate four Keystone Programs: birds, freshwater fish, wildlife and habitat, and marine and coastal ecosystems. Led by our team of PhD scientists, these Keystones address the challenges facing key endangered, threatened, or declining species that are indicators for overall ecosystem health. Success in restoring these populations will demonstrate measurable progress in protecting crucial landscapes and watersheds.

Charter

NFWF’s Charter Programs often develop when the Foundation identifies an opportunity for collaboration with a company or agency that shares some of our conservation concerns. Charters tackle a specific environmental problem through a focused and narrow lens, and represent a marriage of NFWF’s expertise and our partners’ financial resources. A great example of a successful Charter Program is Fishing for Energy, through which the Foundation addresses the troubling problem of marine debris. NFWF works with fishermen to collect old fishing gear which in turn is burned by Covanta, an energy company in the US. The net result is a reduction of damaging marine debris and an unusual but effective energy source. To date, the partnership has collected and disposed of over 30 tons of derelict fishing gear from three locations in the northeast United States, with each ton yielding enough electricity to power one home for 25 days.

IDEA

The Impact-Directed Environmental Account (IDEA) Program receives, manages, and disburses funds that originate from court orders, settlements of legal cases, regulatory permits, licenses, and restoration and mitigation plans. NFWF acts as a fiduciary manager, working collaboratively with government and private-sector stakeholders to grow designated monies while encouraging that the funds are applied to the most effective conservation projects.  

Success Stories

NFWF has an impressive conservation track record: in 24 years, we have helped to protect over 18 million acres and have awarded 10,000 grants to some 3,500 organizations in all 50 states and more than 50 countries. Several underlying principles guide our work: we forge innovative public and private-sector partnerships that bring expertise and resources to each project; we develop pioneering solutions to conservation challenges; and we work at the local level to address the root causes of habitat loss and species decline. Below are examples of model projects that illustrate our approach and accomplishments.

 

Malpai (Adobe PDF File)
Grizzly Bear (Adobe PDF File)
Whooping Crane (Adobe PDF File)
Pacific Northwest Rivers (Adobe PDF File)