U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

to New Heights

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable 

Friends/Refuge Collaboration
2 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

Compiled for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service by Beverly Heinze-Lacey

“I can’t imagine 

managing a 

refuge without a 

Friends group. 

It’s the best thing 

we’ve ever done.”

Dave Hilley, Manager, Quivira NWR, Kansas
Friends & National Wildlife Refuges: The Value of Collaboration / 5

The National Friends Relationship / 6

Assisting Friends/Refuge Collaborators to Solidify Their Partnerships / 7

The Friends Organization Mentoring Program / 7

Key Elements to a Successful Collaboration / 8

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration / 11

Creating a Positive, Well-Defined Relationship / 13

Profile: Quivira NWR—Working Together to Increase the Visibility of the Refuge / 14

Building Trust Between Partners / 18

Creating a Mutually Defined Vision / 19

Sharing Power / 20

Nurturing a Solid Collaboration / 20

Key Element 2: Strategic Thinking / 25

What Is Strategic Thinking and Why Is It Important? / 26

Strategic Thinking Starts with a Vision / 27

Profile: Willapa NWR—Vision, Leadership and Mutual Respect=Success / 30

Strategic Thinkers Plan for the Future / 34

Strategic Thinkers Ask Questions and Evaluate Progress / 36

Profile: Tualatin NWR—Managing Transitions and Life Cycles Strategically / 37

Key Element 3: A Well-Managed Organization / 41

Organization Life Cycles / 42

Profile: Tennessee NWR—On the Road to Performing / 45

Board and Structure / 50

Profile: Squaw Creek NWR—Managing Transitions / 55

Profile: Friends of Willapa NWR—

A Strategic Approach for Creating a Vibrant Board / 57

Committees / 59

Meetings / 61

Communications Systems / 64

Membership Development / 66

Finances / 67

Weathering the Storms—The Resilient Organization / 69

Profile: Black Bayou Lake NWR—Vision, Trust and Education Spells Success / 74

Inside
Key Element 4: Understand FWS Systems & Nonprofit Management / 77

The Refuge Manager’s Job Is a Balancing Act / 79

Profile: Parker River NWR—A Day in the Life of a Refuge Manager / 80

Key Element 5: Celebrate and Evaluate / 83

Evaluation / 84

Profile: San Luis NWRC—Evaluating Friends/Refuge Accomplishments / 86

Celebration and Rewards / 87

Profile: Blackwater NWR—Putting it all Together, The Sustainable 

Friends/Refuge Collaboration / 88

References / 91

Appendices / 95

A: Guiding Principles for the Friends/FWS Relationship / 96

B: Rocky Mountain Nature Association: Best Practices for an 

Accountable Organization / 98

C: Decision-Making Process Steps / 103

D: Finding People to Help / 104
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 5

Friends & National 

Wildlife Refuges

The Value of

Collaboration

Prairie dogs at 

Wichita NWR, Kansas

www.jamescrossman.com © 2008–2010
6 Soaring to New Heights

Friends & Refuges The Value of Collaborations

The average membership per organization 

is approximately 260 members, totaling 

about 65,000 citizens who are dedicated 

to supporting the mission of our National 

Wildlife Refuge System. To fully 

appreciate the significance of this support, 

you must look beyond the quantifiable 

results, such as funds raised and volunteer 

time donated, and appreciate the less 

tangible outcomes, such as changes in local 

culture and attitudes toward our National 

Wildlife Refuges. Indeed, successful 

Friends/Refuge collaborations have 

resulted in a wide range of benefits:

■ Positive relationships with local 

communities

■ Increased awareness of Refuges at 

the local level

■ A better informed public

■ Increased visibility, support and 

understanding of Refuges as part of 

a national system

■ Increased funds and volunteers to 

help achieve Refuge management goals

■ Positive relationships with legislators

■ Ability to plan for and seek out new 

opportunities that weren’t possible before 

the collaboration

The National Friends 

Partnership

In 1996 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service (FWS), National Wildlife Refuge 

Association (NWRA), National Fish and 

Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and National 

Audubon Society (NAS) initiated an 

ambitious national partnership designed 

to facilitate the growth and effectiveness 

of Friends organizations with National 

Wildlife Refuges across the country 

(Friends/Refuge collaborations). Together 

the national partners developed an array 

of programs that have included national 

conferences and regional workshops, 

training, publications, grants, internet 

support and a mentoring program. On 

the local level, Friends organizations and 

Refuge staff have also been supporting 

each other and sharing vital information 

for creating sustainable collaborations.

These efforts, supported by the enactment 

of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997, led to a 

tremendous growth in the number of 

Friends organizations across the country. 

In 1996 there were about 50 organizations. 

Today more than 230 organizations 

exist—a more than 350 percent increase. 

In every state, caring people have formed nonprofit Friends organizations that are dedicated 

to supporting the mission and work of National Wildlife Refuges. Wildlife refuges are an 

asset to the communities that surround them. The hard work of Friends allows refuges to 

thrive and continue to provide resources, information and events to the public. The ideas and 

inspiration in this handbook will take your organization to new heights of success. 
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 7

Friends & Refuges The Value of Collaborations

Assisting Collaborators 

to Solidify Their 

Partnerships

You can see the benefits are tremendous, 

thus a widespread incentive to establish 

Friends/Refuge collaborations at as many 

National Wildlife Refuges as possible. Yet 

creating a solid, sustainable collaboration 

is a complex process that takes time, 

commitment, skill, patience, flexibility 

and enthusiasm from everyone involved. 

Although Friends/Refuge partners report 

many achievements, there can be many 

potential stumbling blocks. Partners may 

still have questions about how to manage 

the difficulties inherent in collaboration 

and still accomplish their objectives.

This handbook offers guidance on creating 

a successful and sustainable Friends/

Refuge collaboration. It is based on the 

collective experience of successful Friends/

Refuge partners across the nation and on 

the wide range of literature available about 

nonprofit organizations and collaborations. 

It recognizes that it may be challenging 

to enter into such a partnership. Indeed, 

as recognized collaboration expert Karen 

Ray (2002) writes, “[F]or many of us, the 

collaboration process is a pain in the neck.

Collaboration can mean frequent, irritating 

meetings, arduous task completion and 

snail-paced decisions.”

The goal of this handbook is to help 

partners solidify their partnerships 

and manage the bumps along the way. 

Experts in Refuge Friends and Refuge 

partnerships agree that focusing on a 

handful of areas can ensure the success of 

the collaboration. The following chapters 

detail these keys to success.

“Even when it’s not perfect, the benefits 

are so incredible, it’s amazing!

Kathy Woodward, NWRS Friends Mentor, Friends of Great Swamp NWR

The Friends 

Organization 

Mentoring Program

In 1997 the Service established a 

National Wildlife Refuge System Friends 

Organization Mentoring Program. This 

program is staffed by Friends members 

and Refuge Managers who voluntarily 

share their expertise with people involved 

with Friends/Refuge collaborations at 

refuges around the country. Through this 

program, mentors offer guidance and 

assistance as Friends/Refuge partners 

form collaborations or deal with transitions 

or challenges.

These experts have visited close to 100 

refuges and communities around the 

country. The areas visited have been 

diverse (rural, suburban and metropolitan, 

poor, affluent and retirement communities), 

as have been the needs presented by the 

local Friends/Refuge partners.

NWRS Friends Mentors have recognized 

that there is no model Friends organization 

and the definition of success at any 

one refuge will depend on local needs.

Trying to make a Friends organization 

and a Friends/Refuge collaboration 

fit a perceived model is a mistake that 

can lead to unrealistic expectations 
8 Soaring to New Heights

Key Elements 

to a Successful 

Collaboration

1 A Solid Collaboration

Hallmark features of a solid Friends/

Refuge collaboration include:

■ Communicate, communicate, 

communication, with communications 

systems in place.

■ The manager provides leadership and 

takes a personal interest in the Friends 

organization and its members. While 

day-to-day activities may be delegated to 

staff, the manager attends most Friends 

meetings and events, and is readily 

available to the Friends leaders.

■ The Friends leaders, Refuge Manager 

and Refuge staff create a culture that 

provides an opportunity for everyone to 

get to know each other on a personal level.

■ The Friends/Refuge partners trust each 

other. Everyone feels honored, valued and 

respected. Partners recognize this type of 

relationship doesn’t happen overnight, and 

they work hard to build trust and respect.

■ Expectations created together are clear 

and realistic.

■ Everyone in the relationship (manager, 

all the staff, the Board and committee 

members) takes responsibility for making 

the collaboration succeed.

■ Roles and responsibilities of the 

partners are clear and respected.

and disappointment. Every situation is 

different, and effective partnerships need 

to reflect local needs and interests. Success 

must be measured against local visions and 

plans, not in comparison with the outcomes 

of other Friends/Refuge collaborations 

around the country.

Mentors report there is a model for 

crafting a sustainable Friends/Refuge 

collaboration, one that weathers the 

storms, adapts with changing needs and 

sustains itself over time. This model 

includes five key elements that are 

common to all successful Friends/Refuge 

collaborations.

Friends & Refuges The Value of Collaborations

The Mentoring Program

Sponsors The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge 

System, Division of Visitor Services and Communications through the 

National Friends Coordinator.

Established 1997

Purpose To help Friends Organizations flourish

Program Model The Mentoring Program is a form of advanced education 

and information sharing between the Mentoring Team, the Refuge Staff, 

and the respective citizen members of a forming Friends organization or 

Friends organization needing assistance. Mentoring visits are designed 

to help form new Friends collaborations, and nurture and advise the 

groups beyond their earliest stage of forming.

Visits Completed 96

Mentors

n Experts in Friends/Refuge collaborations

n Friends leaders and Refuge Managers

n Receive regular training
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 9

 2 Strategic Thinking

The partners have jointly defined a vision 

for what they want to achieve. For meeting 

that vision, they are guided by a plan 

that is regularly evaluated and updated 

as needs change. In addition, partners 

regularly consider the future: they position 

themselves to seize opportunities as they 

arise and plan for the inevitable transitions 

that occur over time.

 3 A Well-Managed Organization 

Well managed Friends organizations 

use good business practices, nurture 

leadership skills, hold efficient meetings 

and use a committee structure. An 

effective Friends organization is critical to 

the long-term success of the collaboration. 

Funds, volunteers and members come to 

organizations that demonstrate they are 

a good investment. Sound business and 

non-profit management practices ensure a 

solid organizational future.

 4 Understand FWS Systems 

& Nonprofit Management

To effectively collaborate, Friends and 

Refuge partners must be knowledgeable 

about each other. Friends must learn about 

Refuge systems, and the Refuge Manager 

and Refuge staff must understand 

nonprofit governance. Partners do not 

need to become experts in each other’s 

realm of work, but they should educate 

each other in order to build mutual respect 

and understanding.

Friends & Refuges The Value of Collaborations

5 Celebrate and Evaluate

The importance of celebrating cannot 

be underestimated. Celebrations 

provide opportunities to build personal 

relationships while recognizing personal 

and professional achievements. Successful 

collaborators consciously integrate 

celebrations into their strategic plans. 

The partners discuss anticipated 

accomplishments, allowing them to 

be well defined before they happen. 

Acknowledgements readily flow between 

partners, with each recognizing the 

contributions of the other. Rewards are 

given that are personally meaningful. And 

partners celebrate the collaboration itself, 

as well as its achievements.

The following chapters discuss each of 

these five keys to a successful Friends/

Refuge collaboration in detail. 

flickr / teddyllovet
10 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 11

T he M o d el Partnersh i p

Quivira NWR, Kansas

Key Element 1

A Solid

Collaboration

flickr / jslater316 

T he M o d el Partnersh i p
12 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

There are many reasons for Refuge Friends organizations and the Refuge to enter into 

a collaboration or partnership. Often, a primary reason is to build a strong, positive bond 

between the Refuge and community. Collaboration is required because relationship building 

cannot be accomplished alone. Other reasons for partnering include raising the visibility of 

and advocating for Refuges, establishing and expanding broad education and outreach and 

programs, fundraising and resource development.

Regardless of the reasons for entering into a partnership, building a solid 

collaboration takes time and requires a 

mutual effort by the Friends members, 

Refuge Manager(s) and Refuge staff. 

According to mentors, success may elude 

partners because they fail to identify 

and take the important steps required to 

build a solid collaboration. On this subject 

Friends Mentor Molly Krival, “Ding” 

Darling Wildlife Society, writes:

Once the initial enthusiasm of formation 

dissipates, board members and refuge 

staff have only a vague idea of how to work 

together. Frequently, Friends do not know 

how to collaborate for each project. Or staff 

do not realize they have to collaborate on 

Friends projects in order to ensure they 

fall within refuge and Service parameters. 

Managers may not understand the kind 

of collaboration they and their staff need 

to provide...

In this section we’ll examine four key 

elements Friends/Refuge must work on to 

ensure a solid collaboration:

■ A positive, well-defined relationship

■ Trust between the partners

■ A mutually defined vision

■ Shared power

The reasons for collaboration are to achieve 

some result your organization cannot 

achieve alone, and to achieve that result in a 

complex environment.

Karen Ray (2002), form: The Nimble Collaboration: Fine-Tuning Your 

Collaboration for Lasting Success
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 13

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

Creating a Positive, 

Well-Defined 

Relationship

According to collaboration expert Karen 

Ray, much of the frustration people endure 

at the start of a collaboration involves 

defining relationships among members. 

The more each entity knows about this 

relationship at the outset, the easier it is 

to nurture a collaboration that rewards all 

the members.

Over the past decade, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service and Refuge System, National 

Wildlife Refuge Association, and National 

Fish and Wildlife Foundation have 

sponsored a wide array of programs and 

materials to assist Friends organizations 

and Refuge Managers and staff in 

establishing collaborations. They have 

produced books, created networking 

tools, offered workshops, conferences and 

training, provided grants and managed 

the Mentor Program in what has become 

a national model for Friends organization 

development. Each of these tools has 

proven critical to the growth and success 

of Friends/Refuge collaboration on refuges 

across the country.

Among these tools is the Guiding 

Principles for the Friends/FWS 

Relationship created by a group of Friends 

experts at a pivotal 1997 meeting held in 

Virginia Beach, Virginia (see Appendix A). 

The Guiding Principles form the basis for 

establishing the relationship — providing a 

foundation upon which Friends and Refuge 

partners can build their collaboration.

In Collaboration: What Makes it Work, 

2nd Ed, authors Paul W. Mattessich, Marta 

Murray-Close, and Barbara R. Monsey 

(2004) describe 20 factors that influence 

the success of a collaboration. The Guiding 

Principles document closely matches 

many of the twenty factors identified 

by Mattessich, Close and Monsey 

(see table, p. 17).

Build a positive, trusting, respectful 

relationship at the outset to put your 

collaboration on solid footing. Relationship 

building takes time. A good relationship 

provides the solid foundation necessary 

for working well together, especially when 

difficult issues arise. To reach the goals of 

the Guiding Principles, Friends/Refuge 

partners should allow time to get to know 

each other well before venturing too far 

into collaborative efforts. Spend meeting 

time learning about each other, plan social 

time outside of regular meetings, schedule 

fun activities — all of these efforts will lay 

a foundation upon which trust and respect 

can develop, making it possible to create 

a shared vision and to share power in 

reaching toward the vision.

The value of personal relationships cannot 

be stressed enough. In a world of e-mail, 

portable communication devices and 

increasing technological advances, we must 

remain diligent and committed to face-toface meetings. Without it, even the most 

worthy and successful collaborations are 

prone to challenges and even failure.
profile

quivira nwr

Working Together to Increase the Visibility of the Refuge

quivira nwr

Quivira at a glance

The Refuge

n Established in 1955 to provide wintering 

and migration stopover habitat for 

migratory birds along the Central Flyway 

of North America.

n 7,000 acres of wetlands with slight to 

moderate saline water.

n Thousands of Canada geese, ducks, 

and other migratory birds, such as 

sandhill cranes and shorebirds, use these 

wetlands as they pass through the Refuge 

on their annual migrations.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/quivira>

Community

Stafford County is located in south central 

Kansas and has a population of about 

5,000 that reside in a 788 square mile area.

The Friends

Established: 1997

Membership: 132

Annual budget/expenses: $5,000–10,000

Visit <www.friendsofquivira.org>

Mission

To promote the refuge, support its mission, 

education and wide use by visitors.

Recent Accomplishments

n Annual events, especially monarch 

mania, and the October celebration

n Hosting two statewide eco-meets

n Supporting the Ramsar designation

n Fishing clinic and derby

The Manager’s Story

In 1997 the Friends of Quivira NWR was established. The group got 

its start during a mentoring session when manager David (“Dave”) 

Hilley asked the community to join him in creating a collaborative 

partnership. He saw a need to increase the visibility and community 

awareness of the Refuge and believed a Friends partnership was the 

best way to accomplish this.

Nine years later, Dave reports three key accomplishments that place 

this Refuge/Friends collaboration in the big leagues:

■ The Friends have increased awareness of the Refuge. Indeed, the 

Friends have not only improved the image of the Refuge within the 

community, they have succeeded in building awareness statewide.

■ Visitation has increased from about 50–60,000 a year a few years 

ago to nearly 100,000 today.

■ The Friends have made a strong connection with the community. 

They sponsor an annual calendar of events that draws people from all 

over the area. They have been the proud winners of the community’s 

annual Octoberfest chili cook-off three years in a row. These and 

many other activities have built community relations, making the 

Friends and the Refuge valued neighbors.

Why has this partnership been so successful? Dave Hilley lists 

a number of factors.

The Manager’s Role is Pivotal

When he visits other refuges under the mentoring program, Dave 

advises that the Friends partnership is the Manager’s job. Managers 

may delegate day-to-day coordination of partnership activities 

to a staff member, but it remains their responsibility to maintain 

the relationship by providing support, guidance and leadership. 

One way Hilley does this is by attending all meetings and events. 

He acknowledges that it’s not always possible for Managers to 

participate in every Friends function. However, by being present, 

a Manager sends a powerful message to the Friends that s/he is 

committed to the collaboration.

flickr / jslater316 

14 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 15

A Clear, Shared Vision

A clear vision for the partnership is necessary, one 

that is realistic and responsive to the interests and 

needs of all the partners. Dave Hilley understood 

what he wanted from the Friends collaboration 

before he asked for help. He reports that he wasn’t 

interested in having the group talk with public 

officials, raise money or be involved in a lot of 

Refuge projects. His personal vision was to increase 

awareness of the Refuge.

He understood that he could share his vision with the 

group, but that they had to agree, on their own that 

this was also their vision. He notes, “We discussed 

things for a long time.” As a result, the partners 

agreed to take on the task of building Refuge 

awareness and decided to reach their vision by 

focusing on events.

Good Communication a Must

Good communication is critical in order to build 

trust, set expectations and establish boundaries. 

When asked how the partners have built trust 

and established boundaries, Hilley says, “The big 

thing is communication; it reduces the problems. 

There are no secrets with the Friends. The Friends 

President knows she can call us and we’ll be perfectly 

straightforward with her.” Communication goes both 

ways, with partners checking in with each other on 

rumors they hear in the community and discussing 

how everyone should respond. There have been 

times when Hilley needed to talk with the Friends 

President two or three times a day. Right now they 

chat at least weekly. He says that he’s seen situations 

where managers never talk to the Friends group and 

it has proven to be a big mistake.

Because the partners regularly communicate, they 

can assure that everyone is on track—they learn 

about each other, reaffirm values, set expectations 

and build relationships. New board members know 

what’s expected of them, and they are not accepted 

onto the board if they have a different agenda. Hilley 

reports that there was one instance where a board 

member had some trouble, but the group was strong 

enough to say, “your agenda isn’t our agenda,” and 

the board member withdrew. This would not have 

been so easy to do if communication was poor or 

expectations were unclear.

Fostering Relationships

Building personal relationships has big payoffs. The 

partners have invested great energy in building 

personal relationships—with each other and the 

community at large. They see relationship building 

as an important tool for achieving their vision. 

Hilley notes that while staff was initially worried at 

first about what the Friends were going to do, they 

supported the collaborative vision and spend lots of 

time working with the Friends on events. He says the 

staff sees the value of wildlife education and making 

the public aware of the Refuge’s habitat and wildlife. 

“Without this awareness, we don’t have support. 

If the Refuge were threatened, more people would 

support us now that we have the Friends than would 

have prior to their existence. And that’s a secure 

statement from a manager.”

Hilley almost jokingly shares that one of the most 

important tools they use to build relationships at 

Quivira NWR is food. “We always have food. People 

might not like to come to meetings, but if we have 

food, we have a great turn-out.” Indeed, while the 

Refuge was being considered for designation as a 

Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance), 

the Friends financed and served 1,100 meals for 

meeting attendees.

Motivating the Team

Personal rewards and appreciation are important 

to sustaining the relationship. While tokens of 

appreciation are used, Dave Hilley thinks these are 

less important than a personal approach. He says, 

“We make a big effort to say thank you. I never 

send an e-mail to the Friends without saying ‘Thank 

you for your effort.’” Every year, the staff takes the 

Friends on a spotlight tour, visiting places at night 

that most people don’t get to see.

Appreciation goes both ways. The Friends make a big 

thing about recognizing staff when they put together 

their staff appreciation dinner. This mutual gratitude 

means there is an atmosphere of harmony in working 

together. Staff members go out of their way to work 

with the Friends because they appreciate them. >>
16 Soaring to New Heights

The Friends Story

If you heard about the successes and visibility of the 

Friends of Quivira NWR, you might think that this 

was a sizeable group with a long history in a large 

community. Up close, the story is quite different.

Stafford County is a small farming community in 

Kansas, with a population approaching 5,000 people 

spread across a 788 square mile area. In the 2006 

Friends Organization Survey conducted by the FWS, 

the Friends reported a membership of 80 people 

and an annual budget of $5,000 to $10,000. They 

do not operate a sales outlet, although they are 

considering this option.

This is a small Friends organization located in a 

small farming community, yet the Friends of Quivira 

NWR reports big results since the organization was 

established in 1997:

■ Increased awareness of the Refuge statewide.

■ Purchased a tram to carry visitors around the 

Refuge.

■ Increased annual Refuge visitation by 50,000.

■ Developed a strong connection with the community.

■ Held many highly successful events each year that 

draw people from around the state.

One reason the Friends of Quivira can report such 

success is that their primary objectives are simple 

and clear:

■ Get people—primarily families—to the Refuge.

■ Increase awareness of the Refuge in the state.

Friends of Quivira report successes that are 

appropriate to the Refuge and community, successes 

that fulfill a vision developed as a collaborative 

effort between the Friends and the Refuge. This 

partnership has found a formula that works well. 

The Friends report these keys to their success:

■ Focusing on children and their families as a target 

audience.

■ Deciding what they want to accomplish and 

finding a way to do it.

■ Focusing on fun.

■ Having a hard working board that puts the 

needs of Quivira NWR first.

The emphasis of this organization has not been 

fundraising, but education. Members have focused 

their attention on activities that draw people to the 

Refuge. Since its inception, the organization has 

sought to create enjoyable events that interest the 

community while educating them about the Refuge. 

Here’s a recent sampling from their website:

Peeps & Pastry Morning Tour

Sign up for a Peeps & Pastry Morning Tour. See 

the Refuge in spring all abloom as only a Friends of 

Quivira member can!

Father’s Day Out

Give Fathers some quality time with children in 

preparing for Mother’s Day (and give Mom a 

morning off!).

Fishing Clinic

Work with Quivira staff to teach kids a love of fishing 

and how to do it safely.

Monarch Mania

Learn about flora and fauna of the plains while 

helping the Quivira staff tag monarch butterflies.

The Friends report that staying with “the tried and 

true” has been important to the group’s success. 

However, as the organization matures, members 

are beginning to think more strategically about the 

future. They are concerned about programs and 

activities getting stale and worry about inevitable 

transitions in leadership, both within the group 

and on the Refuge. They recognize the need to 

nurture new leaders and are considering ways to 

engage more of their membership in the workings of 

the organization. A rural location and small population 

base have not been handicaps for this hard-working, 

ambitious group. 

quivira nwr
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 17

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

Factors Influencing the Success 

of a Collaboration

A Selection From Mattessich, 

Murray-Close and Monsey (2004)

■ Use consistent, regular, honest 

communication. 

■ To be independent advocates, 

work to protect the natural 

resource, assist in accomplishing 

refuge projects.

■ Respect and trust USFWS 

employees and have reasonable 

expectations.

■ Agree to always discuss 

differences of opinion.

■ Become educated and know 

the refuge mission 

■ Fully commit to keeping up 

the partnership. To not undercut 

agency and refuge management.

■ To buy into a shared vision that 

both sides work to create.

■ To help the Service personnel 

to be and feel productive.

■ To understand and respect 

the operational pressures and 

boundaries that affect the Service.

■ To provide a positive community 

influence. Be the doorway to 

the public.

■ Use consistent, regular, honest 

communication.

■ Have a true sense of partnership 

with a “no surprises” philosophy 

and a full sharing of information. 

■ Work to protect the natural 

resource and fulfill FWS mission 

as mandated by Congress.

■ To trust and respect the Friends.

■ Agree always to discuss 

differences of opinion.

■ To understand what it takes to 

have a Friends group.

■ View the Friends groups as a 

long-term, personal friendship.

■ Work to infuse support for 

Friends throughout the agency.

■ Help the Friends to be and 

feel productive.

■ Teach Friends about the 

government systems to make the 

job easier.

■ Provide consistent followthrough and active support 

(training, mentoring and providing 

the resources) of Friends groups 

from the Washington office, the 

regional offices, and the field.

Guiding Principles for the Friends/FWS Relationship

Abbreviated version—see Appendix A for full text 

Friends Role FWS Role

■ Communication is open and 

frequent

■ Unique purpose

■ Mutual understanding, respect, 

trust

■ Members share a stake in 

outcomes and process

■ Collaboration is in the 

self-interest of members

■ Established informal 

relationships

■ Shared vision

■ Members are flexible, adaptable, 

able to compromise

■ Clear roles and policy guidelines

■ Skilled leadership, adequate 

funds, materials, time
18 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

■ Will they be patient with the system 

and what may appear to be bureaucratic 

hurdles?

■ Will they work with us?

■ Will they speak out against us?

■ Will they represent the Refuge 

well in public?

About FWS, Friends members wondered:

■ Do they understand our limitations?

■ Will they work with us?

■ Will they respect us?

■ Will they keep us informed?

■ Do they understand our rights as 

independent organizations?

■ Do they understand our need to be 

productive and useful?

These fears are all related to issues 

of trust. One way to build trust is for 

members of the collaboration to reveal 

their self interests, which Karen Ray 

defines as “a code word for passion. Once 

a person’s passion is hooked, that person’s 

commitment is hooked.” Ray also notes 

that when self-interests are not revealed, 

people get secretive and look for hidden 

agendas:

When you talk about your organization’s 

self-interest, you are exposing what used 

to be its hidden agenda. You legitimize 

concerns and create an atmosphere that 

invites discussion about important issues. 

One of the first dramatic changes that 

people observe in healthy collaborations is, 

“We have no secrets.”

Key Element 1: Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration A Solid Collaboration

“ ‘Trust the Friends and Turn Them Loose’ 

This is hard to do. We try to hold things 

close to our chests, particularly those of us 

with law enforcement backgrounds. But, it 

is important to do. Once you educate them, 

trust them and turn them loose.”

Kelby Ouchley, Manager, Black Bayou Lake, NWR

Building Trust Between 

Partners

The Guiding Principles provide a 

conceptual template to apply to the 

realities of the Friends and Refuge 

cultures. By nature these cultures are 

very different: the FWS is a federal 

agency in the Executive Branch, subject 

to numerous laws and regulations, as 

well as Congressional oversight. Friends 

organizations, conversely, represent the 

grassroots approach and are governed by 

mission statements and bylaws developed 

by their members. Friends are not held to 

the same regulatory framework as Refuge 

staff. It takes time to build trust between 

these very different entities, but this a 

critical step in establishing a successful 

collaboration.

In a 2000 FWS survey, Friends members 

and Refuge Managers identified their fears 

about entering into a partnership:

About Friends, Managers wonder:

■ Will they expect special privileges?

■ Will they help us or add to our burden?
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 19

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

It is frequently helpful to place a 

discussion about self-interests on the 

meeting agenda, and then to revisit the 

topic every six months or so as ideas and 

interests change. Interests also need to be 

discussed anytime new members join the 

board or subcommittees, and as Refuge 

managers and staff change.

Creating a Mutually 

Defined Vision

Most experts on collaboration and 

partnerships agree that vision plays an 

important role not only in the start-up 

phase of an organization but throughout 

the organization’s entire life cycle. Vision 

is what points the way for all who need to 

understand what the organization is and 

where it intends to go. Inevitably, a time 

will come when an organization needs to 

refocus that vision to address changing 

needs and realities.

The Friends/Refuge collaboration needs 

a mutually defined vision. It is through 

an understanding of this shared vision 

that reasonable goals and plans can be 

developed.

Defining the vision takes time. It is an 

outgrowth of a mutual understanding 

of the needs of the refuge, the Friends 

and the interests and abilities of the 

collaboration’s leaders. The vision helps 

define boundaries for the relationship, 

and may help motivate the collaborating 

partners to resolve conflicts and strive 

toward common goals.

“The refuge manager who interacts 

with the Friends has to be a leader. 

There is a big difference between being a 

manager and being a leader and it has to 

do with vision. Charlie has a vision; the 

Friends have that vision; and the vision is in 

alignment with the purposes of the refuge.”

Beverly Arnoldy, President, Friends of Willapa NWR

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

Successful collaborations have a clearly 

stated vision, one that is written into 

the partners’ governance agreements 

or bylaws. This ensures that everyone 

understands and agrees to the same vision. 

Or, stated another way, without a vision 

statement, separate self-interests can 

defeat collaborative interests.

Gregory Paul Johnston

Teal Slough at Willapa Bay NWR in Washington
20 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

The ability to share power stems from a 

trusting relationship, an understanding 

that each of the collaboration’s members 

is committed to the Guiding Principles 

for the Friends/Refuge Relationship 

(Appendix A). As many have noted from 

past experience: “Empowerment means 

not simply that you have freedom to act; 

it also means you are accountable for 

results.” The stories at Black Bayou Lake 

and Willapa NWRs illustrate how building 

trust, having a vision, and sharing power 

can lead to amazing achievements. See 

these stories within this handbook and the 

advice offered by Mentors for more details 

on building a solid collaboration.

Nurturing a Solid 

Collaboration: Mentor 

Advice

NWRS Friends Mentors have identified 

the following key ingredients to nurture a 

successful and sustainable Friends/Refuge 

collaboration:

Refuge Manager Is Directly 

Involved in the Partnership

The manager serves as a leader and 

visionary—and sets the stage for the 

collaboration. The manager helps create a 

cooperative environment, engages the staff 

and shows Friends that they are valued 

partners. While a manager may sometimes 

necessarily delegate day-to-day projects to 

a staff member who acts as Friends liaison, 

the manager cannot delegate his or her 

leadership role. When the manager is not 

directly involved, it sends a message to the 

Friends and staff that the collaboration is 

not important. Charlie Blair, FWS Mentor 

and Manager of Maine Coastal Islands 

Sharing Power

Power in a successful Friends/Refuge 

collaboration is shared, but this does 

not imply that it is equal. In their book 

Collaboration Handbook: Creating, 

Sustaining, and Enjoying the Journey, 

Michael Winer and Karen Ray (1994) 

write: “Power is always present and is 

never equal. However, in a collaboration we 

do not seek equality. Instead, we search 

for equity; we acknowledge and value the 

different types of power each person and 

organization bring to our joint effort.”

Shared power for the collaboration 

does not mean that Friends manage 

Refuges or that the Refuge manages 

the Friends. Indeed, when it comes to 

refuge management, the buck stops 

with the Refuge Manager, who holds 

the legal authority for ensuring refuge 

mandates set by the U.S. Congress are 

met. Likewise, the Friends board holds 

a legal responsibility for managing the 

organization according to nonprofit laws 

and regulations. The imbalance of power 

needs to be discussed openly—and not 

allowed to stop the group from developing 

a truly shared vision.

Shared power means that 

everyone—Friends members and Refuge 

management and staff alike—holds the 

responsibility for creating the vision and 

ensuring the success of the collaboration. 

There must be a commitment to shared 

goals, a jointly developed structure and 

shared responsibility.

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

flickr / jslater316 

Trial signs at Quivira 

NWR
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 21

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

NWR Complex, advises: “Managers need 

to be involved—intensely. A bad start is 

worse than no start. It takes much more 

energy to recover from a bad start than to 

put the time in to make everything work 

well from the beginning.”

Mark Musaus, Manager of the Arthur 

R. Marshall Loxahatchee NWR and 

FWS Mentor, agrees that a manager 

cannot delegate vision and leadership, 

but notes that once the relationship 

is well established, delegating certain 

responsibilities to staff (e.g., monthly 

meetings) can be a healthy step. He writes:

“I agree this is critical (for managers to 

attend every meeting and function) when 

a manager first comes on board and when 

starting up a Friends group. I believe this 

was a critical step in helping the Friends 

of A.R.M. Loxahatchee NWR move from 

a Cooperating Association to a Friends 

group and to be successful. When they saw 

my belief in them and my support they 

responded accordingly. However, over the 

last couple of years I have handed over 

the monthly meeting participation to my 

deputy, for two reasons. One, I travel a 

good bit due to the complexity of the job 

and off site meetings. Secondly, it gives my 

deputy a chance to interact with the Board 

and for him to appreciate and know what 

the Board is doing. He fully speaks for me 

and makes decisions, so the board is not 

waiting to get back with me.

That said, I attend several board meetings 

a year, have contact throughout the 

month with the Friends President and 

make myself available for any discussions 

the board wants, or for critical decision 

making. I guess what I am saying is that I 

am still committed to the Friends and they 

know it. I just don’t attend every meeting.”

Refuge Staff Is Engaged in 

Collaboration

In order for the Friends/Refuge 

collaboration to succeed, the relationship 

must be nurtured at all levels of each 

organization. Refuge staff spend a lot 

of time working with the Friends—

on events, work projects, educational 

programs—everything that they do. 

Staff play key roles in making volunteers 

feel welcome and valued. By interacting 

with staff, Friends members learn about 

the refuge and begin to see resource 

management through their eyes. As staff 

members experience the direct benefits 

Friends bring to the refuge, they learn to 

value these contributions. This two-sided 

process builds mutual respect.

Dave Hilley, FWS Mentor and Manager 

at Quivira NWR, notes that when their 

Friends/Refuge collaboration began, the 

staff was worried: “what are they (the 

Friends) going to do?” Dave says he “never 

required staff to attend Friends activities, 

but asked if they would. They did, and 

everyone was professional. Staff saw how 

great it was and bought into it. Today 

staff spends a lot of time working with the 

Friends and see the value of it.”

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

A key role of refuge managers is 

to provide vision and leadership to the 

Friends/Refuge collaboration.

From an interview with Charlie Stenvall, Manager, Willapa NWR
22 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

Be Educated About Each Other

Many partnership experts advise that, 

right from the start, the group needs to 

devote energy and time to developing 

mutual respect, understanding and trust. 

It all begins, they tell us, with simple, 

common courtesy: take time to learn 

about the others around the table—

both the individuals and the organizations 

they represent.

From the outset, members of the Friends 

of Tennessee NWR recognized they 

needed to be better educated if they were 

to be effective “ambassadors” for the 

refuge. As a result one goal for their first 

year was as follows:

Friends will have a clear understanding 

of the National Wildlife Refuge System 

and Tennessee NWR and how the 

Friends fit with the refuge. As a result, 

well-trained Friends Board members will 

be able to develop and deliver a clear and 

consistent message.

To accomplish this goal, meeting agendas 

included staff member presentations. 

Board members have also attended 

national and regional Friends conferences. 

These efforts have helped build trust 

and strengthen the bonds between these 

partners. They are also preparing the 

Friends to become effective advocates 

and educators.

This type of education is critical to the 

Friends/Refuge collaboration, as NWRS 

Friends Mentor Molly Krival notes: 

“Lack of knowledge severely hampers the 

effectiveness of Friends and often leads to 

loss of goodwill.” She offers the following 

list of areas where Friends need to become 

educated.

Friends need to learn about or upgrade 

their understanding of:

■ The entire Refuge System.

■ The FWS, including Regional Offices 

and general offices of the Department 

of the Interior.

■ Regulations governing how FWS 

staff work

■ The ecosystems and wildlife locally and 

regionally

■ How to intervene on behalf of 

refuge funding and regulations with 

decisionmakers

■ How to become acquainted with their 

congressional representatives and be 

effective advocates.

■ How local and state governments 

(Planning and Zoning in particular) can 

affect refuges.

It is equally important for Refuge 

managers and staff to learn about what 

it takes to develop and sustain a Friends 

organization. Gaining an understanding of 

such topics as volunteerism, membership 

development, nonprofit regulations, 

advocacy and Board development, will help 

the Refuge partner better support the 

growth of the Friends group.

Clarify Goals, Roles and Expectations

In successful collaborations the partners 

clearly understand what is expected of 

them and what they can expect from the 

group. These things have to be addressed 

and discussed directly, and not simply 

assumed. A letter of agreement can be 

valuable tool, spelling out the roles, rights 

and responsibility of each partner. This 

letter could also state the basic values and 

philosophy of the group.

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 23

Key Element 1: A Solid Collaboration

It’s important for Friends and Refuge 

partners to consider what they expect of 

each other in the relationship, what they 

want to achieve together, and what each 

partner’s roles are. These discussions take 

time and need to be revisited regularly 

(i.e., as part of the annual planning 

process) and revised as appropriate.

It is also important to recognize, 

however, that sometimes members of the 

collaboration can become swept up in the 

excitement of doing—and to forget to 

take the time to have these discussions. 

The danger, in the long run, is increasing 

confusion about roles and expectations. 

This confusion could lead to mistrust and 

lost of respect, and it could ultimately 

damage the relationship.

Mentors highlight the importance of 

creating a written agreement to guide the 

collaboration. Many Friends organizations 

have agreements with the FWS that 

allow them to manage sales outlets on the 

refuge. This agreement should clearly 

define roles as they relate to the store, but 

might not define the relationship overall. 

To create a sustainable relationship, it is 

important to define the mission, vision and 

goals of the overall collaboration.

Curt Buchholtz, FWS Mentor and 

Executive Director of Rocky Mountain 

Nature Association, recommends creating 

a “best practices” document that sets the 

operation standards and establishes a basis 

for expectations. For an example, see the 

Rocky Mountain Nature Association’s 

best practices document in Appendix B. 

These practices were designed for an 

institution that is larger than most Friends 

organizations; however, the document 

provides useful tips for assessing how the 

partnership is going.

Clarify Communication System

Good communication is the basis for 

building trust and understanding between 

Friends and Refuge partners. A “no 

secrets” policy is a critical element in 

creating trust and is part of the formula 

for good communication. Everyone needs 

to take responsibility for establishing 

a good system for communication and 

ensuring that the process is working well. 

Without a good system in place, the 

rumor mill will prevail and the relationship 

will deteriorate.

To facilitate good communications, 

NWRS Friends Mentors recommend 

locating Friends’ offices in the Refuge 

Headquarters office. They also recommend 

having Friends members and Refuge 

managers and staff attend each other’s 

meetings, whenever appropriate. The 

Friends/Refuge partners at Tennessee 

NWR have followed this advice and report 

very positive outcomes. In places where 

travel distances can create barriers to 

communications, tools such as e-mail and 

conference calls can effectively bridge the 

gap. In an extreme example, since Friends 

members live all around the country and 

the Refuge is so remote, the collaboration 

between Friends and FWS for Midway 

NWR and Friends of Alaska NWRs are 

managed almost exclusively through the 

telephone and e-mail.

“I don’t have any secrets from my Friends. 

We have frank discussions and I don’t hold 

anything back.”

Charlie Stenvall, Manager, at Willapa NWR

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration
24 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 1 A Solid Collaboration

Collaboration assessment tool

Assessing Your Collaboration: A Self 

Evaluation Tool by Lynne M. Borden at 

<www.joe.org/joe/1999april/tt1.html>

Additional Resources

The Fieldstone Alliance at 

<www.fieldstonealliance.org> offers a 

wide array of tools and publications (for 

purchase and online viewing), including 

these excellent books:

Mattessich, Paul W., Murray-Close, Marta, 

Monsey, Barbara R. (2004). Collaboration: 

What Makes it Work, 2nd Ed. St. Paul: 

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.

Ray, Karen (2002). The Nimble 

Collaboration: Fine-Tuning Your 

Collaboration for Lasting Success. 

St. Paul: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.

Winner, Michael, Ray, Karen. (1994). 

Collaboration Handbook: Creating, 

Sustaining, and Enjoying the Journey.

St. Paul: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 25

T he M o d el Partnersh i p

Key Element 2

Strategic Thinking

Willapa NWR, 

Washington

flickr / 2thegalapagos
26 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

road. This creates angst because they 

can’t see where they’re going together.” 

He notes that the “opportunities for 

Friends within the Refuge System are 

incredible” and groups need to work on 

positioning themselves to seize these 

opportunities. And while some bright ideas 

can indeed reinvigorate a stagnant group 

and recruit new members, they should be 

carefully weighed and measured against 

the long- term vision.

Strategic thinking allows preparation to 

seize opportunities. It is a continual process 

of considering where the collaboration is 

today, where the partners want it to be, 

what is needed to get there and where 

the needed resources may be to make 

the necessary steps. Strategic thinking 

also helps a collaborative effort weather 

the storms (e.g., transitions in leadership 

and staff, losses in funding, community 

controversies), because a plan of action is in 

place before the storms hit—an important 

factor in sustainability.

Collaborators who think strategically follow 

these actions:

■ They have a vision

■ They plan for the future

■ They ask questions and evaluate progress

Friends organization members are action-oriented people. They want to “do” something to 

make a difference on refuges. Some resist the idea of making plans, developing visions and 

evaluating progress. They worry that all that planning will take too much time. They know 

what they want to do and simply set out to make it happen. This type of approach may place 

the organization at risk of failure in the long run.

What Is Strategic 

Thinking and Why Is it 

Important?

In his 1993 work, The Board Member’s 

Book, Brian O’Connell wrote that: “In the 

absence of more realistic planning, most 

voluntary agencies are governed, and 

badly so, by the bright idea. A president, 

committee chairperson, board member, or 

staff member gets a bright idea about what 

should be done, and off the agency zags.” 

He further noted that the organization 

is almost defenseless against the bright 

idea “because it sounds so good or might 

help so many people.” But, as O’Connell 

emphasized, there is no mechanism to put 

it in competition with all the other things 

that might be done.

Many Friends/Refuge partnerships 

fall victim to the bright idea and miss 

opportunities that will help them create 

a sustainable collaboration and future. 

FWS Mentor and Executive Director 

of Rocky Mountain Nature Association, 

Curt Buchholtz, lists the “vision problem” 

as one of five burning issues affecting 

Friends/Refuge collaborations. He says 

the Friends and Refuge partners “have an 

indistinct view two to three years down the 
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 27

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

Strategic Thinking 

Starts with a Vision

Many specialists in the field of 

partnerships and collaboration have 

observed that vision is a clear picture of 

what can be. It creates the focus of what 

a collaboration can accomplish. Vision 

is what motivates and requires the 

partners to act.

Creating a vision for the Friends and 

Refuge collaboration is a key element to 

setting the stage for the future. The vision 

guides decision making and evaluation, 

and it creates the boundaries for the 

relationship. The questions are: How do 

you create that vision? And How do you 

know you have the right vision?

The Right Vision

Burt Nanus observed in his 1992 book, 

Visionary Leadership, that:

“The vision’s power lies in its ability to 

grab the attention of those both inside and 

outside the organization and to focus that 

attention on a common dream—a sense 

of direction that both makes sense and 

provides direction.”

Nanus pointed out that the right vision 

transcends the status quo and provides 

the all-important link between what is now 

taking place and what the organization 

aspires to build in the future.

Nanus says that powerful and 

transforming visions have special 

properties, including:

■ They are appropriate for the organization 

and for the times.

■ They set standards of excellence and 

reflect high ideals.

■ They clarify purpose and direction.

■ They inspire enthusiasm and encourage 

commitment.

■ They are well articulated and easily 

understood.

■ They reflect the uniqueness of the 

organization, its distinctive competence, 

what it stands for, and what it is able to 

achieve.

■ They are ambitious.

He continues with: “Visions that have 

these properties challenge and inspire 

people in the organization and help align 

their energies in a common direction. 

They prevent people being overwhelmed 

by immediate problems because they help 

distinguish what is truly important from 

what is merely interesting.”

A strategic thinking board asks questions 

and looks at ramifications...It wants to 

understand why each issue matters and how 

each decision will reflect on the organization. 

Such a board frames every decision against 

the organization’s mission, vision and 

values. Further, and equally important, it 

sees planning as part and parcel of every 

action the organization takes rather than as 

a discrete activity.

Terrie Temkin, “Nonprofit Boards and Governance Review,” (2003)
28 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

NWRS Friends Mentors have visited 

a number of refuges where partners 

felt stuck and exhibited many of the 

aforementioned signs, suggesting the need 

for a new vision. It is also not uncommon 

for Friends/Refuge partners to have 

unstated visions—indeed, in these cases, 

individuals in the partnership may have 

several different visions that sometimes 

conflict. Partners may ultimately end up 

working at cross purposes because they 

failed to use a strategic process to define a 

clear vision.

Creating a sustainable Friends/Refuge 

collaboration requires that partners define 

a mutually accepted vision. Friends/Refuge 

partners can use the guidelines provided 

to determine if they have described the 

best vision for their collaboration. As part 

of an annual planning process, partners 

revisit the vision to ensure that it is still 

timely. If not, it’s time to return to the 

visioning process.

What visions are not (from Nanus):

■ Prophecies—They state a desired 

future, but do not predict that future.

■ Missions—A mission states the 

organization’s purpose, not its direction.

■ Factual—Visions deal with “possible 

and desirable futures” and may “never be 

realized as originally imagined.”

■ True or false.

■ Static—Vision development is a dynamic 

and ongoing process.

■ Constraints on action—Unless the action 

is inconsistent with the vision.

Here are some warning signs that suggest 

a new vision is needed (from Nanus):

■ Confusion abou purpose—

disagreements about priorities, directions.

■ Complaints, pessimism, 

cynicism—people feel a lack of challenge 

or say they are not having fun anymore.

■ The organization is losing legitimacy 

or reputation.

■ The organization seems out-of-tune 

with trends.

■ Signs of decline in pride with the 

organization.

■ Excessive avoidance of risk, resistance to 

change, unwillingness to accept ownership 

or responsibility for projects.

■ Absences of a shared sense of progress 

or momentum.

■ A hyperactive rumor mill or lack of trust.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 29

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

Create the Vision Statement

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management 

(2003–2004) suggests that creating a vision 

statement is much like creating a strategic 

plan. It begins with brainstorming ideas 

but “relies heavily on intuition and 

dreaming.” They offer an important 

distinction on how a vision differs from 

a mission: A vision is a guiding image of 

success formed in terms of a contribution 

to society.. The mission statement answers 

the questions: Why does our organization 

exist? What business are we in? What 

values will guide us?

In brief, a vision is more encompassing, 

and answers the question, “What will 

success look like?”

Below is a simplified process much like the 

Decision Making Process Steps used by 

NWRS Friends Mentors (see Appendix C). 

A group may frame the process by asking 

the following questions:

■ How do you want your community to be 

different?

■ What role do you want your organization 

to play in your community?

■ What will success look like?

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management 

suggests a step where each group decides 

on a metaphor for the collaboration and 

draws a picture of success (e.g., a mariachi 

band, a train pulling important cargo). 

“The value of metaphors is that people 

get to stretch their minds and experiment 

with different ways of thinking about what 

success means to them.”

Once the vision is developed and approved, 

the partners write it down and use it to 

guide future discussions and actions. The 

collaborative vision should become central 

to everything the Friends/Refuge partners 

do together.

Having a clear vision is a key element 

to thinking strategically. Going through 

the process of creating a vision can 

seem arduous to some, but it provides 

the solid foundation needed to create a 

sustainable future.

In brief, a vision is more encompassing, 

and answers the question, “What will success 

look like?”
30 Soaring to New Heights profile

willapa nwr

Vision, Leadership and 

Mutual Respect = Success

The Manager’s Story

Refuge Manager Charlie Stenvall is proud of what the Friends/Refuge 

collaboration has achieved at Willapa NWR and has personally seen 

significant benefits accrue as a result. He says, “The dynamics have 

changed tremendously in the community since the Friends partnered 

with us. Before the partnership, tensions existed and support from the 

community was limited. Now, attitudes have turned around and the 

community provides incredible support to the refuge.”

Charlie Stenvall has built a relationship with the Friends based on trust, 

respect, well-defined boundaries and expectations, vision and leadership. 

He says that there are many variables that affect a Friends/Refuge 

collaboration. To create a successful Friends/Refuge partnership, 

he believes managers are faced with some important challenges.

Feeling Comfortable with Board Members as They Are

Boards need to change continually, grow and bring in new members. 

When things are going well, it’s difficult to encourage change; but 

diversity is critical and being dynamic is a function of the board. As new 

members come on a board, they bring new ideas and interests to the 

group. Some managers worry about how these ideas could change the 

focus of a Friends organization. Stenvall says that managers need to feel 

comfortable with board members just as they are and also give them 

space to change. He notes that what brings strength and stability to the 

partnership, despite changing members, is vision—everyone needs to 

have the same purpose.

Understanding the Difference Between Providing 

Leadership and Providing Oversight

A key role of refuge managers is to provide vision and leadership to 

the collaboration. Some managers provide too much oversight, which 

is unhealthy for the relationship because then the success of the 

collaboration is dependent primarily on the manager. This puts the 

Friends at risk of failure if the manager should move or retire. Friends 

may also resent a manager that micromanages. However, what Stenvall 

finds more commonly occurs is that Friends/Refuge collaborations 

Willapa at a glance

The Refuge

■ Located along the southwest coast 

of Washington

n Established in 1937 to protect 

migrating and wintering populations of 

brant, waterfowl, shorebirds, and other 

migratory birds.

n Includes over 15,000 acres of tidelands, 

temperate rainforest, ocean beaches, 

small streams and several rare remnants 

of old growth coastal cedar forest.

n Preserves habitat for spawning wild 

salmon, hundreds of thousands of 

migrating shorebirds, and threatened 

and endangered species, such as the 

marbled murrelet.

The Friends

Established: 2000

Membership: 350

Annual Budget/Expenses: $5–10,000

Visit <www.friendsofwillaparefuge.org>

Mission

To provide assistance to Refuge 

programs and to enhance awareness and 

appreciation of the Willapa NWR.

Accomplishments

n 4th and 8th grade environmental 

education programs

n Scholarship program for high school 

seniors

n Staffing of Refuge’s chum salmon 

interpretive trail on weekends in spawning 

season

n Volunteering on refuge projects

n Advocating for continued Federal funding 

for the Spartina Eradication Program.

flickr / Baha’i Views
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 31

flounder because the manager is not providing 

enough vision or leadership. Managers need to 

recognize their importance in the success of the 

collaboration and should work with Friends members 

to develop their organization’s strengths while 

meeting the needs of the refuge.

Realizing that All Friends Efforts Are 

Refuge Efforts

Stenvall says it’s essential to realize that everything 

must be blended—all Friends’ efforts are Refuge 

efforts. This is very time consuming for a manager, 

but his perspective is that the Friends are volunteers 

and you must always value their contribution of 

time. “It should never appear that a Friends group 

failed. If you work together collaboratively, you 

can’t place blame on one partner or the other, 

because responsibility for successes—and 

failures—is shared.”

Building Trust and Striving for 

Group Independence

“I don’t have any secrets from my Friends. We have 

frank discussions and I don’t hold anything back.” 

reports Stenvall. As the group became established, 

he took a very active role and met weekly with board 

members. With time, they’ve developed a high level 

of trust and the board has become so active that he 

has been able to step back.

The Willapa NWR Friends/Refuge partnership has 

matured and is now prepared to seize opportunities 

that were only dreams a few short years ago. For 

example, Stenvall hopes to begin changing attitudes 

and building a positive community perspective 

around another refuge in the complex. He knows a 

Friends partnership is the best way to accomplish 

this goal and plans to ask the board to consider 

establishing a new Friends group at the Julia Butler 

Hanson NWR. He also wants to capture the interests 

and passions of today’s youth, so they will become the 

refuge’s protectors and supporters of the future. He 

will ask the Friends to start a youth summer camp. 

This is a project that will take “lots of time to build, 

but will have a huge impact on the kids and the future 

of the refuge.”

Stenvall notes that establishing a Friends partnership 

isn’t always “the” answer. If managers have a need 

to fill, they need to look at all of the options available 

for fulfilling that need. The answer may be a Friends 

group, but building a successful and sustainable 

collaboration takes a lot of manager time. The 

commitment normally decreases as the partnership 

develops, but it can still place significant demands on 

a manager’s time. Spend a few minutes with Charlie 

Stenvall and you’ll have no doubt that the time he 

feels he has invested in his Friends organization has 

been richly rewarding.

The Friends Story

A common misconception by many Friends/Refuge 

partners is that a visitor center is necessary in 

order to reach the public. The lack of a center has 

been used as an excuse for being “stuck,” or being 

unable to accomplish goals. In other cases partners 

have pursued building a center with some notable 

successes, but the process for achieving the progress 

has been fraught with difficulties and drained the 

energies and talents of Friends volunteers and Refuge 

staff alike.

Beverly Arnoldy, President of Friends of Willapa 

NWR, says, “We have no visitor center. We’ll probably 

never have a bookstore, and it’s not important now 

to have one here, either.” This Friends/Refuge 

partnership understands that their small, tourist 

community (population 21,500) could probably not 

support a bookstore or visitor center. Yet these 

partners have made tremendous progress reaching 

the public and building the Friends organization in 

ways suited to their small community.

“We are entrenched with the 

community. Our partnerships 

are key.”

Beverly Arnoldy, President, Friends of Willapa NWR

Friends President Arnoldy explains their success by 

saying that they have deep roots in the community 

and that their partnerships are key. From their 

environmental education programs to work projects 

and advocacy, it seems everything this Friends/

Refuge collaboration does makes a connection to the 

community and engages partners. >>
get people outside, such as trail or butterfly garden 

maintenance. She notes, “The Friends provides a 

venue for people to take advantage of their skills and 

match those with what is needed on the refuge.”

Just as Charlie Stenvall seizes his leadership role 

with the Friends and strives for trust and mutual 

respect, Beverly Arnoldy and the Friends’ board 

understand his position and respect “I may be 

President, but I view Charlie Stenvall (the refuge 

manager) as CEO of the Board—I always use 

Charlie for guidance.” She concludes with, 

“I really respect Charlie and I know he respects 

me too. I think it’s the best working relationship 

I’ve ever had.” 

The Friends’ first priority has been environmental 

education (EE). Refuge Manager, Charlie Stenvall 

notes, “When we started the Friends, we made a 

strategic decision to build an EE program. The 

Refuge didn’t have a strong focus and we felt the 

community could rally around this—like ‘mom and 

apple pie.’”

The Friends second priority has been advocacy, 

particularly regarding spartina control (see sidebar 

story). Their work in this area has helped create 

strong partnerships that bring both funds and talent 

to the organization.

Arnoldy says their EE programs “cut across all levels 

of the community.” An eighth grade program teaches 

students about wetlands. The Friends offers $500 

scholarships to graduating high school seniors who 

are pursuing degrees in natural sciences. They also 

sponsor an adult awareness program.

The longest running EE program, involving fourth 

graders, is now in its sixth year.The fourth graders 

spend the school year learning about the refuge and 

end the year with a field trip to the refuge. Half the 

volunteer teachers are high school juniors and seniors 

who earn community service credit. Oyster growers 

staff one of the seven science stations set up during 

the field trip. This EE program makes connections 

between many different people and age groups 

in the community. Arnoldy says, “I find it so 

gratifying; we have this cycle (of connecting people) 

that is amazing.”

Beyond their EE programs, Friends design activities 

to tap into local interests. Arnoldy notes that people 

move there to get away from the big cities and 

there are many who have a love of the outdoors. 

The Friends engage these people by offering a wide 

range of programs and activities that meet their 

interests, from wintertime lectures to hikes and 

barbecues. The Friends sponsor work projects that 

willapa nwr

flickr / 2thegalapagos

32 Soaring to New Heights

Pelicans at Willapa Bay NWR
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 33

Spartina Eradication Kills 

Invasive Plant and Nurtures 

Community Ties

In addition to their environmental education 

programs, the Willapa Friends/FWS collaboration 

has received national recognition for their efforts 

to eradicate the non-native species, spartina, from 

the refuge. The Friends have received grants and 

successfully advocated for federal funding for the 

six-year eradication program. Along the way, they 

have made strong connections in the community and 

established solid partnerships. These connections 

and partnerships will help sustain the Friends/FWS 

collaboration for a long time.

Spartina alterniflora (commonly called smooth 

cordgrass) is a salt-water marsh grass native to the 

east coast; on the Pacific Coast, it is a non-native, 

invasive species. The grass was probably introduced 

to the area about 100 years ago. The oyster industry 

had farmed native oysters out of existence and used 

east coast oysters to replenish the system. It is 

believed that spartina came in the packing materials 

used to transport the oysters. Over the last 

20 years, small clumps of spartina began turning 

into meadows; this changed the pH of Willapa Bay 

and destroyed the salt marsh habitat on which 

wildlife depended. The oyster industry was 

also seriously affected since spartina destroys 

oyster-growing habitat.

For a number of years, the refuge tried 

unsuccessfully to eradicate spartina using a variety 

of techniques, such as mowing and roto-tilling. The 

tide figuratively turned in 2002, when the Friends 

applied for and received a $60,000 grant from the 

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to treat an 

experimental test plot with herbicides. The grant 

paid for purchasing herbicide to spray 600 acres of 

wetland that had become a spartina meadow. The 

FWS selected a GPS-controlled, computer-assisted 

precision sprayer on an amphibious tractor to 

selectively spray the spartina, a method that proved 

to be more successful that any other.

This success led to a six-year collaborative project 

(through 2008), envisioned by Manager Charlie 

Stenvall, to eradicate spartina on the refuge. Major 

partners include the oyster growers and state 

agencies that contribute funds and support to the 

project. Congress has appropriated about $1.5 

million for the project every year since 2003. Friends 

visited their senators’ and congressmen’s’ offices 

in Washington, DC and met with members of the 

Appropriations Committee and Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) in 2003, 2004, and 2005 to 

explain the benefits and success of the spartina 

project to date. Through the support of the Friends 

and 15 other organizations, the collective efforts 

have been instrumental in ensuring the funds were 

appropriated.

The spartina project has been important to the FWS/

Friends collaborators on a number of levels—they 

have built goodwill in the community, particularly 

with oyster growers. They have gained national 

visibility, and established ties with private and public 

organizations at local and state levels.

Especially in this small community, partnerships have 

been the key to sustaining the Friends organization. 

For example, the oyster growers have been affiliated 

with the Friends since its inception and many are 

long-term members of the organization. These people 

volunteer to assist with educational programs and 

will continue to contribute valuable resources to the 

organization in the future. The efforts of the Friends 

have made the refuge a “good neighbor.”

Partnerships have brought strength to the Willapa 

NWR Friends/FWS collaboration. The community 

has directly benefited from its success and will work 

to ensure that its future continues to be a bright one.

The Friends have a wonderful website. 

For more on this story and the Friends see:

<www.friendsofwillaparefuge.org> 
34 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

Create a Plan

Some Friends/Refuge partners set aside 

a day to work on their plans. Others set 

aside a few meetings that focus strictly 

on plan development. NWRS Friends 

Mentors recommend a whole day retreat 

instead of trying to plan during regular 

meeting times. Whole-day planning 

retreats can be difficult to arrange, but 

this highly effective approach provides an 

excellent tool for building cooperation and 

camaraderie between participants.

The Decision-Making Process Steps

(Appendix C) describe one of many 

methods or tools partners can use. 

Although facilitators aren’t necessary, 

they can help the process tremendously 

by encouraging everyone in the group to 

participate fully.

Regardless of the approach that is 

selected, effective planning for a 

sustainable and strategic Friends/Refuge 

collaboration requires the following:

Plan together

Creating a plan is a collaborative process 

that includes Refuge managers and staff 

as well as the Friends Board.

Reach toward the collaboration’s vision

The vision and each partner’s mission 

provide the foundation for the plan.

Take refuge strategic plans into consideration

Many Refuges have completed their 

Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) 

which can be used to identify a clear role 

for the Friends organization and guide the 

collaboration’s efforts.

Strategic Thinkers 

Plan for the Future

Plans provide a map to the future. They 

keep everyone on track and prevent 

“management by the bright idea.” Time 

spent planning is time well spent and 

actually makes it possible to accomplish 

objectives more quickly. A well thought 

out plan will consider necessary 

resources and specify actions, timelines 

and responsibilities that clarify where 

the partnership is headed as well as the 

responsibilities of each partner. Without 

a plan, partners could get stuck in a crisis 

mode—responding to emergencies and 

deadlines. They might be doing more but 

not necessarily doing better.

Plans do not need to be complicated, 

but they do need to reflect the needs 

and abilities of the Friends/Refuge 

collaborators. Initially new Friends/Refuge 

partners may begin with a six month 

or one year plan. As the collaboration 

develops, plans will become more 

strategic and longer term. Plans should be 

realistic, but they also need to be forward 

thinking—strategic thinking collaborators 

will want to be prepared to seize new 

opportunities as they arise.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 35

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

Be realistic

It’s tempting to create a wish list of 

things the Friends/Refuge collaboration 

would like to do and hope to accomplish 

“someday.” When it comes to acting, be 

sure to choose only concrete ideas that you 

know you can accomplish. As you build a 

strong foundation in a systematic way, you 

will find it easier to realize some of your 

bigger, more complex dreams.

Plan for the Friends organization

Many Friends/Refuge collaborators 

forget to create a development plan for 

sustaining the Friends organization itself. 

If resources are exhausted on refuge 

projects, things like membership and 

leadership development, fundraising 

and other organizational development 

activities will be left unattended. This 

can unintentionally set up the Friends 

organization and the collaboration 

for failure.

Plan for transitions and opportunities

Change is inevitable. Managers and staff 

retire or move away, Board terms expire, 

people age and life priorities change. 

Communities, FWS and government 

priorities change. Consequently members 

of the collaboration must consider the 

inevitability of change in their plans 

(e.g., How will new leaders be identified 

and cultured? What happens when a new 

manager comes on board?). Strategic 

thinkers also develop plans that position 

themselves to seize opportunities that 

will arise (e.g., How will we purchase 

that house or that land when it comes 

up for sale?).

Review and update your plans annually

An annual review provides an opportunity 

to reflect, celebrate and plan adjustments 

for the next year.

Tips for a good action plan include:

■ Sets goals and benchmarks

■ Identifies partner roles

■ Decides how to approach the issue or 

opportunity

■ Establishes time lines

■ Determines resources needed—not just 

what is in place

■ Decides what type of evaluation is 

needed

■ Documents agreement with partners 

(from Hogue, 2006)

Use the Plan

As Terrie Temkin noted (2003), plans are 

not “expensive dust catchers.” She added 

that what really destroys the effectiveness 

of strategic plans is when boards fail 

to use the plans as the guides they are 

meant to be. Thus, it is recommended 

that partners should be referencing their 

plans at every meeting, using them to 

frame programmatic, human resource and 

financial decisions

Others have observed that the outcome of 

the planning retreat might be an annual 

agenda that can be posted at each meeting 

(e.g., on large poster board). The annual 

agenda can provide a valuable reference 

to evaluate progress and accomplishments 

during the year. It also helps everyone stay 

on track. It also makes it easier to say “no” 

to the distracting ideas that inevitably will 

surface along the way.
36 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 2 Strategic Thinking

What kind of questions do strategic 

Friends/Refuge partners ask? Here are 

some ideas:

■ Are we going where we planned?

■ Are we meeting our expectations?

■ Do we need to make any changes or 

additions?

■ Is this helping us accomplish our mission 

and goals, and reach our vision?

■ Are we ready to do this given the stage of 

our collaboration and resources available?

■ How well are we working together?

■ Are there changes or opportunities ahead 

for which we need to prepare?

Strategic thinkers focus on these kinds 

of questions at every meeting. This helps 

to create a culture whereby partners 

continually measure progress against 

plans, make course corrections and look 

to the future for new opportunities. This 

environment of questioning and evaluating 

helps to nurture the relationship because 

progress and accomplishments are 

more immediately apparent to everyone 

and create opportunities for regular 

celebration. 

Regardless of the system used, Friends/

Refuge collaborators must use their plans 

as living guides for their activities. Plans 

direct the collaboration’s action. They 

must be reviewed and evaluated at each 

meeting. They instruct committees and 

become part of committee reports. They 

define responsibilities and hold everyone 

accountable. Well thought out and well 

implemented plans provide a basis for 

nurturing the relationship: trust and 

respect grow as each accomplishment 

is celebrated.

Strategic Thinkers 

Ask Questions and 

Evaluate Progress

Always questioning is an element of 

strategic leadership. Where have we 

been? Where are we going? Have we 

accomplished what we said we would? 

Terrie Temkin (2003) writes:

“Organizations search out the best and the 

brightest to sit on their boards. However, 

all too many of the organizations then 

ask these talented individuals to do little 

more than listen to a series of reports. 

Questions—the underpinnings of 

strategic thinking—are often discouraged 

either because they lengthen the meeting 

or challenge the leadership. This type 

of behavior must change. We need to 

encourage not discourage questions.”
Managing Transitions and 

Life Cycles Strategically

The Friends/Refuge collaboration at Tualatin River NWR is 

experiencing a new beginning. After 14 years of acquiring and 

restoring land, on June 3, 2006, the refuge opened to the public 

for the first time. In one month, they had already recorded 

7,000 visitors.

Ralph Webber, Refuge Manager, and Norm Penner, Friends 

President, are excited about the future. While opening the refuge 

brings new challenges (such as how to balance the Refuge System’s 

“Wildlife First” mandate with visitor needs), it also brings new 

opportunities. When the refuge was closed to the public, the Friends 

struggled to remain visible and engage the public. With the refuge 

open, the range of possibilities has broadened tremendously.

This Friends/Refuge partnership had been readying for this 

transition for a long time and was prepared to meet the new 

challenges. For years these partners had used a strategic process to 

manage their future—the Friends wrote their first strategic plan in 

1998, which was closely tied to Refuge management plans.

Using a strategic process gave them stability and a sense of direction 

during periods of growth and change. The plan is an essential 

element in making the partnership work, According to Friends 

President Norm Penner and Manager Ralph Webber, along the way, 

the partners learned some valuable lessons.

It is not enough to have a strategic plan—an implementation 

strategy is also essential

Once the strategic plan was developed, the Friends board realized 

they also needed to think strategically about realizing the elements 

of the plan. They identified two big issues to address: who would 

be responsible for various parts of the plan and where would the 

resources come from to support these activities? The partners then 

prioritized—deciding which aspects of the plan could be achieved 

first, determining what was needed for resources and who would 

do the work. To keep on track, they review the strategic plan 

periodically, check off what’s been done and decide what they want 

to do next. Penner says, “We don’t leave it alone, we keep checking 

in.” Finally, the plans need to be updated—the Friends first plan was 

written in 1998; a new three-year plan was developed in 2005. profile

tualatin river nwr

Tualatin river at a glance

The Refuge

n Established in 1992 after a local citizen 

donated 12 acres of land to the FWS. Its 

purpose is to protect, manage, and restore 

floodplain habitats of the Tualatin River 

watershed for the benefit of migratory 

birds and other wildlife, and for the 

enjoyment of people.

n Located near Sherwood, Oregon 

(population ~15,000) about 17 miles 

southwest of Portland within the floodplain 

of the Tualatin River basin. 1,358 acres 

(acquired as of October 2005); 3,060 acres 

(approved boundary)

n When flooded Tualatin River floodplain 

wetlands support thousands of ducks, 

arctic nesting Canada geese, tundra 

swans, and a variety of other water birds. 

The Refuge is an important breeding area 

for neo-tropical migratory birds as well.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/tualatinriver>

The Friends

Established: 1992

Membership: 338

Annual Budget/Expenses: $30,000–40,000

Visit <www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org>

Mission

Protection and restoration of the refuge 

for the benefit of fish and wildlife and for 

public education and recreation.

Accomplishments

n Restoration of over 850 acres of farmed 

floodplain, including seasonal and forested 

wetlands, wet meadow prairie, riparian 

forest, and oak savanna habitats.

n Convincing our Congressional delegation 

that their constituents wanted a visitor’s 

center, opened in 2008.

n Created public awareness of and 

appreciation for the Refuge.

flickr / stuseeger

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 37
Improving Board management and structure 

can transform the organization

The board recently moved to a committee structure, 

which has transformed the way they manage the 

organization. Before they had committees, the 

board would debate everything for hours. Once they 

implemented a committee structure, they realized 

they could refer much of the work to the committees. 

Change sometimes occurs slowly and it was hard 

for board members to let go of debating everything. 

To facilitate the meeting process, Penner developed 

an agenda that included time frames for discussion. 

He added a half-hour pre-meeting social time and 

instituted a definite meeting start and end time within 

which they would stick to business. This change has 

made a difference in meeting efficiency. As President, 

he sees his role as a facilitator to help people move 

on once a decision is made. Penner reports that this 

simple change greatly improved the group’s decisionmaking and organizational management and says as a 

result, “The Friends are really taking off.”

“Don’t ever give up. Most times 

you can work through the problems. 

It takes time to build. You start out 

strong and then reach a plateau 

and it can take several years before 

taking off again.”

Ralph Webber, Refuge Manager, Tualatin NWR

The Friends strategic plans must tie 

to the Refuge’s plans

Because local citizens started the refuge, they have 

a strong sense of ownership. This proprietary sense 

could easily have interfered with the partnership if 

the goals of the Refuge and Friends didn’t agree. 

To prevent that from happening, the Friends and 

Refuge at Tualatin River NWR agreed on a vision 

for the collaboration that is reflected in their 

strategic plans. This vision and the plans set 

boundaries for the relationship, making it possible to 

build mutual trust and respect between the Friends 

group and the Refuge.

tualatin river nwr

Tualatin River NWR Visitor Center and information kiosks

jane pellicciotto

38 Soaring to New Heights
Giving up control isn’t easy, 

but is necessary to keep people engaged

Until recently, board members would try to do 

everything, then burn out and quit. They could 

attract people to the organization, but found it 

difficult to keep people involved. They realized part of 

the problem was that board members were reluctant 

to give up power and delegate to others. They also 

didn’t like asking for help and felt like they were 

“begging.” Friends President Penner states that they 

are changing their thinking and their habits. Asking 

people to become involved is not begging; rather, 

it gives people an opportunity to contribute. Board 

members have learned to relinquish some of their 

work, which has given them time to lead committees 

and engage members in the business of the Friends.

Webber and Penner report that transitions are a 

positive thing. Bringing in new people (staff and 

board members) with a variety of ideas has helped 

move the collaboration forward a great deal. When 

asked what messages he would like to send to other 

Friends/Refuge collaborators, Manager Webber’s 

advice was:

“It is important to build a bridge as a liaison with 

the Friends and attend every meeting. Before we 

attend a Board meeting and as we develop refuge 

work plans, we get input from the staff and then 

bring this information to the Friends. We have staff 

engaged in committee work—you’ve got to engage 

staff with the Friends. I’ve seen situations where 

staff aren’t supportive and don’t want to work with 

the Friends—that’s a death to both the Friends 

and the Refuge. Friends are an extension of the 

staff. We’re happy to see changes in the Friends 

membership because we can only do so much with 

six permanent employees. With volunteers, we’re 

essentially getting the equivalent of another one and 

one half full time employees and we’ll be seeing more 

as a result of the Friends growth.”

Webber also advises, “Don’t ever give up. Most times 

you can work through the problems. It takes time to 

build. You start out strong and then reach a plateau 

and it can take several years before taking off again.”

From the Friends’ perspective, Penner advises that 

it’s extremely important for Friends to focus on 

membership—especially in a place like Portland, 

where there is considerable competition for 

volunteers. He says, “The Friends of Tualatin River 

NWR had an identity problem—folks didn’t know 

about us. We embarked on a publicity campaign and 

it took about a year to get our name in the press on a 

regular basis. But by the time we opened the refuge, 

we had the support of twelve major businesses, 

five local city governments and numerous small 

businesses and service organizations to support the 

opening event. We couldn’t have done this without 

the publicity.” Focusing on membership has brought 

big returns for the Friends—they signed 193 new 

members (more than doubling their numbers) at the 

opening event!

The Friends/Refuge collaboration at Tualatin River 

NWR nicely illustrates how strategic thinking can 

propel the relationship ahead, even while living 

through the inevitable life cycles that affect all 

organizations and partnerships. 

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 39
40 Soaring to New Heights
T he M o d el Partnersh i p

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 41

Key Element 3

A Well-Managed 

Organization

Heron at Squaw Creek 

NWR, Missouri

flickr / jc/pics
42 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Organization Life 

Cycles

All organizations go through well defined 

life cycles. Bruce Tuckman published a 

popular model in 1965, where he describes 

a cycle of stages that involve “forming, 

storming, norming, and performing” and 

notes that leadership styles change as 

teams mature. In 1975, Tuckman added a 

fifth stage, “adjourning,” as an adjunct to 

the stages. The first four stages relate to 

managing and developing a team, while 

this fifth stage is more relevant to the 

people and their relationships as a result of 

participating in the team. Characteristics 

of each stage are as follows (From 

Tuckman, 1965 and Chapman, 1995):

Forming

■ Team depends on leader for guidance 

and direction

■ Little agreement on team aims, 

other than received from the leader

■ Individual roles and responsibilities 

unclear

■ Processes often ignored

Creating a successful Friends/Refuge collaboration is directly related to how well the 

Friends organization is managed, regardless of its size. Poor management predisposes the 

organization and the collaboration to failure. While Board members are responsible for 

managing the organization according to nonprofit principles, everyone in the partnership 

plays a role in assessing the effectiveness of management.

This section highlights topics that mentors have identified as being 

the most common stumbling blocks for 

Friends/Refuge partnerships:

■ Organizational Life Cycles

■ Board Management and Structure

■ Committees

■ Meetings

■ Communications Systems

■ Membership Development

■ Managing Finances

■ Weathering the Storms

Each of these topics will be discussed 

in the following sections. The information 

provided should be viewed as a starting 

point. Readers are encouraged to become 

better informed on these and other 

topics by reviewing and discussing the 

resources listed in greater detail at the end 

of each section.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 43

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Storming

■ Leader coaches

■ Group decisions don’t come easily

■ Team members vie for positions and may 

challenge each other as they establish 

themselves in the team

■ Clarity of purpose increases but 

uncertainties persist

■ Cliques and factions form, and may 

become power struggles

■ Team needs to focus on goals to avoid 

being distracted by relationships and 

emotional issues

■ Compromise may be required to enable 

progress

Norming

■ Leader facilitates and enables; team 

shares some leadership

■ Team forms agreement and consensus

■ Big decisions made by the group; smaller 

decisions may be delegated to individuals 

or small teams within the group

■ Commitment and unity is strong

■ Team engages in fun and social activities

■ Team discusses and develops its 

processes and working style

Performing

■ Leader delegates and oversees; team has 

high degree of autonomy

■ Team has a shared vision, is clear about 

what it is doing and why, and is more 

strategically aware

■ Team focuses on goals and uses agreed 

upon criteria to make decisions

■ Disagreements occur but are resolved 

positively, team processes and structure 

are changed as needed

■ Team members look after each other, 

and attend to relationships, style and 

process issues

Adjourning

■ Team task is completed and the group 

breaks-up.

■ Team members feel good about what is 

achieved and move on to new things.

■ Closely bonded team members may 

sense insecurity from the change

Other team development models have been 

described. Regardless of the model, it is 

clear that teams move through cycles of 

development; and most authors agree that 

there’s no skipping of the steps—teams 

must work through each stage before 

moving onto the next. The stages are 

cyclical, meaning teams will revisit stages 

at various points along the way (e.g., when 

a major leadership change has occurred, or 

when a vision has been met or a strategic 

plan is completed). A performing group 

may go back to storming for a while as it 

revisits its direction.

It’s helpful for Friends/Refuge partners 

to understand where the organization and 

partnership are in terms of life cycle. For 

example, some folks worry when the group 

feels stuck, but if everyone recognizes that 

the group is in a storming stage, they can 

set aside personal frustrations and work 

more readily through the issues at hand. 

If a performing team strategically plans 

for transitions (e.g., completion of major 

goals) and understands that growth means 

revisiting the storming period for a while, 

the team members may be able to more 

quickly move through the stage.
44 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Sustainable Friends/Refuge partners 

understand that life cycles affect 

leadership needs and organization 

performance capabilities. They use 

strategic thinking and planning to manage 

the organization and partnership. To learn 

more about organizational life cycles and 

evaluate the stage your organization is in, 

see the resources listed below.

Additional Resources

Burns, Michael (1997). The Juvenile 

Stage of Governance: What to do 

about Junior? At Brody-Weiser-Burns 

<www.brodyweiser.com/pdf/

whattodoaboutjr.pdf>

Burns, Michael (1997). The Organizational 

Life Cycle and How it Affects Your 

Board. At Brody-Weiser-Burns <www.

brodyweiser.com/pdf/actyourage.pdf>.

Heinze-Lacey, Beverly, Mehaffey, Maggie. 

(1997). Taking Flight: An Introduction to 

Building Refuge Friends Organizations.

Washington, DC: NWRA, p. 48.

Different stages require different styles of 

leadership. Forming/storming groups will 

need a leader that provides more direction, 

while a performing group would be stifled 

by that style of leadership. A storming 

group that has a leader who delegates may 

struggle to move out of that stage because 

the group needs the guidance of a coach. 

Ann Smith, President of Friends of Black 

Bayou Lake NWR, reports that changing 

the style of leadership as the group’s life 

cycle changed has been important to the 

success of her organization. Sustaining 

the collaboration means Friends/

Refuge partners take the life cycle into 

consideration when they seek new leaders 

for the organization.

While we expect to sustain Friends/

Refuge collaborations for the long run, 

the adjourning stage is still relevant 

and must be addressed as appropriate. 

Significant projects come to an end; people 

retire, move or step away; a vision can 

be accomplished—these are all endings 

of a sort, requiring a group to reevaluate 

and reconfigure. Sometimes changes 

are so significant they require partners 

to begin anew. Closure may create 

emotional turmoil for some individuals 

in the collaboration. The feelings must 

be acknowledged—sometimes with 

celebration, sometimes with honest 

discussion, sometimes with both. 

Recognizing adjournment as another stage 

in the life cycle of an organization can help 

members manage the change and move on.
On the Road to Performing

The Friends/FWS Partnership in 2005

In July 2005, the Friends of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge 

was a newly formed organization. The initial steps for establishing 

the organization had been completed and the group’s next question 

was “What’s next?” Mentors were invited to help the Friends/FWS 

partners formulate a plan of action for the future.

Mentors began the process with a period of exploration in order to 

learn about the refuge, the community and the partnership. The 

refuge encompasses more than 50,000 acres in northwest Tennessee 

that stretch for 65 miles along the Tennessee River. The Refuge 

headquarters is in Paris, TN, a farming community of approximately 

10,000 residents (the 567 square-mile county has 30,000 residents). 

The refuge was not well known by residents in the surrounding 

communities. The key goal and challenge for the Friends/FWS 

partners was to engage and educate the community and build support 

for the refuge.

Mentors found the partners had a number of assets that would help 

solidify their collaboration and meet the challenges they faced:

■ Friends and FWS members had established a positive, friendly 

personal relationship with each other.

■ Friends board members had important connections in the 

community (local newspaper and key nonprofit and educational 

organizations).

■ FWS staff and Friends members alike recognized they were 

responsible for helping the Friends to succeed.

Most notable was the willingness of the Friends and FWS members 

to enter the collaboration with an open mind and a desire to learn 

about each other and the possibilities for the partnership. >> profile

tennessee nwr

Tennessee at a glance

The Refuge

n Established in 1945 to provide food 

and protection for wintering migratory 

waterfowl and other migratory birds.

n Located in Paris, Tennessee 

(Pop.~10,000), the refuge’s three units, 

Big Sandy, Duck River, and Busseltown, 

stretch for 65 miles along the Tennessee 

River.

n Diverse habitats include open reservoir 

waters, bottomland hardwoods, high 

quality oak/hickory forests, freshwater 

marsh, agricultural lands and moist soil 

managed impoundments. The refuge 

provides ample feeding, nesting and 

resting areas for many bird species, 

mammals, reptiles and amphibians, 

and fish.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/tennesseerefuge>

The Friends

Established: 2005

Membership: 119

Annual Budget/Expenses: $10–20,000

Visit <www.tnwrfriends.org>

Mission

To promote the natural and historical 

resources of the refuge, foster its use 

and enjoyment by the public consistent 

with the protection and preservation 

of its environment and engage in such 

educational, scientific and civic activities 

that will assist the management in 

carrying out its mandates.

Accomplishments

n Received a $5,000 grant

n Contributed more than $6,500 to 

refuge projects

n Shoreline cleaning project

n Sponsored four major Friends events

flickr / urbanwoodchuck

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 45
tennessee nwr

The Friends/FWS partners spent time learning 

about each other. Those efforts served to continually 

improve their working relationship and ability to 

effectively manage the Friends organization. The 

Friends also developed a newsletter, and established 

their website.

In a group interview with Dan Dziekonski (Friends 

President) and Anne Williams (Vice President), 

John Taylor (Manager) and Joan Stevens (Refuge 

Ranger), these collaborators discussed their first 

year’s journey.

Q: What have been the key elements to the 

collaboration’s success?

Dziekonski: Several board members had prior 

personal ties to the refuge staff and manager, which 

made building the relationship easier. Mentors had 

suggested that the Friends’ mailing address and all 

business be conducted in the refuge office. Sharing 

office space makes it very easy to have contact with 

each other—this has been really important.

Williams: Board meetings have included members 

of the staff who have come in and told us about their 

jobs on the refuge. This has been really helpful—it 

has given Friends members an understanding of 

staff concerns and ideas and made us better aware of 

where the Friends organization could be most helpful.

The focus of the mentors’ visit was to set the stage for 

the future of the collaboration—to help the partners 

begin moving out of the forming stage and toward 

accomplishing their goals (norming and performing). 

During the meeting partners identified what they 

wanted the future to look like, what strategies they 

would use to create that future and what barriers 

might impact their goals. A number of goals and 

related strategies emerged from the session 

(see sidebar). The mentors left the partners with the 

challenge of prioritizing these goals and strategies 

and selecting the first projects to tackle.

As the mentors departed, the Friends/FWS partners 

at Tennessee NWR knew they had successfully 

moved out of the forming stage and into the 

storming stage.

The Friends/FWS Partnership —One Year Later

In the year after the mentoring session, the Friends/

FWS partners at Tennessee NWR experienced 

tremendous success and growth. First year 

membership goals were nearly met. Together they 

completed a major shoreline-cleaning project. The 

partners developed an effective relationship with 

their elected officials (US Congressman John Tanner 

and State Senator Roy Herron) who officiated at a 

new trail opening.

“What a great year we have had! Starting its second year the Friends of 

Tennessee Refuge already has over 60 members, thousands of dollars in the 

bank, has been awarded a $5,000 grant, and Joyce (a Friends board member) 

is putting the final touches on a huge grant to restore the Chickasaw Trail. 

The Friends Group has already contributed more than $6,500 to refuge 

projects and law enforcement support, and we have had two great Friends 

get-togethers. What can I say but ‘wow...you guys are awesome!’”

John Taylor, Manager, Tennessee NWR, Friends Newsletter, January 2006

46 Soaring to New Heights
Taylor: Engaging the staff in the mentoring session 

helped them accept the Friends. Before that, the 

staff wasn’t really sure what to think about the 

Friends. Having staff attend Friends meetings 

gives them an opportunity to “toot their horn” and 

also gives them ownership in the success of the 

partnership. Also, in meeting with the board, 

I discuss things others may want to keep close to 

their chest. This brings trust into the relationship. 

Our Friends group is doing great things and it gives 

me lots of pride. I enjoy bragging about our Friends 

and staff to my superiors!

Q: What have been the most difficult challenges?

Stevens: The collaboration is evolving. We’re still 

trying to figure out roles and how the Friends mesh 

with the Refuge. We’re still going from project to 

project, but we’re looking at exactly where we want 

to be in the future.

Dziekonski: One issue with start-up is trying to 

find expertise in different areas. We’ve had some 

frustrations with pulling together the newsletter and 

website. Things will get easier, and we know it takes 

time to see results.

Taylor: Developing a clear vision and becoming more 

noticed in the community. Membership development 

is, in itself, helping with this. We just have to work 

harder at making it such a fun group that everyone 

wants to join.

Q: What are the two or three best things they’ve 

done over the last year?

Williams: Getting the word out. When I talk about 

the organization, people have heard of us. We’re 

getting the word out better than we thought.

Dziekonski: I’ll second Anne. People who weren’t at 

the trail dedication asked how it went—and these 

were people who aren’t members.

Stevens: Attending the national and regional 

workshops. Board members that have attended have 

gained a much better and broader perspective for 

the Friends.

Taylor: As managers we’re apprehensive about 

new things—we worry about time, the burden on 

staff—but the effort with the Friends has been 

value added. Opportunities have been presented and 

avenues have opened that up I wouldn’t have expected 

before. We’ve let go of our fears!

“‘Don’t fear.’ As managers we’re 

apprehensive about new things—

we worry about time, the burden 

on staff—but the effort with the 

Friends has been value added.”

John Taylor, Manager, Tennessee NWR

Q: What’s next?

Dziekonski: We want to do more with environmental 

education. Joan’s specialty is education and she is 

getting into the school system. We want to look for 

grants to bus kids out to the refuge for field trips. 

That’s an immediate and attainable goal for the next 

six months.

Stevens: Our challenge is to broaden our scope, to 

expand the board or build more committees. We have 

a small pocket of people doing all the work and we 

need more to help.

Q: What advice would you give others?

Dziekonski: Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid 

to try something new. If you do fail, chalk it up to 

learning. Writing down what went well and what could 

be done better will help with planning and improving 

things for the future. I was in the military and we had 

a motto: “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” I think 

that’s a good message for Friends—don’t just sit still.

Taylor: Be very open and the Friends will do good 

things. Keep new and exciting things happening and 

build diversity. >>

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 47
tennessee nwr

Tennessee NWR Friends 

Collaboration First Year Goals 

and Accomplishments

During the mentoring session, Friends members 

and FWS staff and managers developed goals and 

strategies to focus on during their first year. The 

prioritized goals are listed below, along with action 

items accomplished or nearly completed during the 

partnership’s first year.

1. Work on a variety of projects to develop or 

improve trails, photo blinds and habitat.

■ Completed Britton Ford Trail

■ Renovated Chickasaw trail

■ Publicized the two trails

■ Developed and printed refuge maps for sale

■ Completed an outdoor classroom for environmental 

education programs

■ Developed frequent “refuge helping” projects for 

members and community to become involved in

2. Develop a big roster of members and volunteers.

■ Raise local awareness of refuge issues

■ Hold Friends special events four times a year

■ Develop strong attendance for annual 

membership meeting

■ Involve local college students to help with activities

Other anticipated accomplishments:

■ People in the community participating in some 

refuge activity and reporting a pleasant experience 

that they look forward to repeating

■ 100 members —20 corporate sponsors; 

5 benefactors: increased membership, steady fund 

building and continued growth as an organization

The Friends/FWS Partnership—

Stepping into the Future

The Tennessee NWR Friends/FWS partners clearly 

have much to celebrate. They are well on the way to 

creating a vibrant, sustainable collaboration. They 

have begun norming and performing at many levels, 

but the partnership is still very much in the storming 

stage of development.

Friends President Dziekonski believes the next step 

is to prepare members to transition into a strategic 

thinking Board and partnership. He states, “Right 

now when we get to the point that we have checked 

all the boxes on our list, there isn’t a good method 

for adding new items and ensuring that they are 

consistent with the direction that we want to travel.” 

He worries about being too focused on the things 

that are finite and quantifiable. He states, “We could 

lay out goals based solely on [actions]...such as 

recruit 100 new members or develop 1.5 miles of new 

trails per year. We might accomplish every single 

one on the list, and yet be totally ineffective and 

dysfunctional as a group.” Dziekonski acknowledges 

the importance at this point in the organization’s 

history to develop capabilities: “I want a set of 

guiding principles or tenets that focus the efforts of 

the group. From that we can develop the specifics.... 

As the list gets completed, we have our principles to 

guide us as we explore new projects and goals.”

Doing the “process work” to become strategic is 

an important step in the evolution of a sustainable 

collaboration, one that may challenge members who 

feel more comfortable with tangible projects. The 

transition for these partners (and many other new 

Friends/FWS collaborators) will require a blend of 

continued work on concrete actions with regular 

discussion about the future. The transition into a 

fully performing collaboration may take a number 

of years, and will require persistent attention to 

vision, goals, relationship building and organizational 

development. 

48 Soaring to New Heights
3. Friends will have a clear understanding of 

NWRS and TN-NWR and how Friends fit with the 

refuge. As a result, well-trained Friends board 

members will be able to develop and deliver a 

clear and consistent message.

■ Educate the Friends board: include training in 

the board meetings; offer field trips to the refuge; 

provide information about staff positions and 

refuge issues; have board members attend Regional 

workshops and Friends Conferences and training at 

NCTC for continuing education.

■ Educate the Public:

Invite the public in for interesting and educational 

activities (3-4 times a year)

Increase involvement with local school/civic 

groups to promote the refuge and environmental 

education

Other anticipated accomplishments:

■ Develop educational activities on the refuge for 

Boy and Girl Scouts, 4H and Explorer Club groups

4. Advocacy.

■ Help the refuge gain better Congressional visibility 

and community support

■ Congressman Tanner and State Senator Roy 

Herron officiated at Britton Ford Trail Dedication

5. Transmit Refuge/Friends information to a wide 

audience. Establish communication between staff/

Friends/public to promote membership, outreach, 

education, and projects.

■ Print quarterly newsletter by Friends 

group members

■ Create membership mailing database

■ Establish full service website

■ Establish weekly communications between Friends 

group leaders and refuge staff

■ Get weekly columns about refuge events and 

animals printed in local newspaper

■ Develop outreach materials for the public 

(newsletters, leaflets, etc.)

6. Raise funds.

■ Secured startup grant and applied for additional 

project grants

■ Developed and printed refuge maps for sale

7. Build and maintain a collaborative 

relationship between the Friends group and 

staff with common goals.

■ Become a sounding board for refuge ideas

■ Have ownership in the refuge and its management

■ Participate in planning quality “Big Six” activities to 

make citizens more aware of refuge mission

■ Facilitate a joint Friends/refuge event/festival

■ Provide activities for members that are fun, 

but allow them to appreciate the refuge and its 

operations.

■ Work with Refuge and Friends towards 

common goals

Other anticipated accomplishments:

■ The community of Paris loves Friends of TN-NWR

■ Friends shows signs of stability and growth: more 

than 100 members; financially stable with funds 

allocated to finish projects begun; work on projects 

under way, and planning projects to come. All board 

members will know all refuge staff and all refuge staff 

will know all board members.

7. Develop partnerships that will help the 

Friends and the Refuge.

Although no specific action item has yet been 

accomplished in this area, relationships are 

being nurtured and partnership opportunities are 

being explored with local schools and a variety 

of environmental nonprofits and state agencies 

in the area. 

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 49
50 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Nurturing and Transitioning Leaders

Finding good leaders for the board is 

cited as a common challenge facing 

Friends organizations. Rather than think 

strategically about how to attract and 

nurture appropriate leaders, many groups 

make the mistake of accepting whoever is 

willing to serve.

Attracting good leaders takes time, 

patience and planning. First, the Friends/

Refuge partners must understand what 

qualities they need from their leaders.

Depending on the organization’s life 

cycle, different styles of leadership will 

be necessary: younger organizations 

generally need a President who can take 

charge, while older organizations will 

want a President who delegates and acts 

as a coach, with board members who hold 

themselves accountable.

Another step is to decide what jobs need 

to be completed and the specific skills 

required to complete them. Having a 

vision, goals and a plan in place will help 

determine the type of people needed for 

the board. O’Connell (1993) has suggested 

charting what skills are needed and then 

to seek people with the required skills. 

He writes:

“Effective people turn down appointments 

[to boards or committees] not because 

they are uninterested, but because the 

assignments are put to them in such a 

vague way that saying yes could lead into 

a bottomless pit of responsibility. Often 

we ask a person to come aboard without 

making clear exactly why we want him 

to her and without breaking the task into 

reasonable proportions...The greatest 

temptation in recruiting volunteers is to 

Board and Structure

A well-functioning, well-organized, 

dynamic board is important for creating 

and sustaining a successful organization. 

Board development is an ongoing 

process that must be high on everyone’s 

priority list.

What Does the Board Do?

While overall success of the Friends 

organization is a partnership effort, 

the Board of Directors holds “the 

principal responsibility for fulfillment 

of the organization’s mission and the 

legal accountability for its operations.” 

(O’Connell, 1993, p. 20).

Each board member is personally 

responsible for managing and leading 

the organization, according to O’Connell. 

He observes that:

“On the most basic level, a board member 

should understand the mission of the 

organization, attend board meetings, 

serve actively on at least one committee, 

be certain that [he/she] and the board 

as a whole are in control of planning 

and evaluation, contribute to a sense 

of camaraderie and teamwork, and 

ask questions. It is fair to ask all board 

members, within their means and spheres 

of contacts, to contribute as much as they 

can and to help raise money.”
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 51

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

make the job sound easy...It is better to 

give the individual a clear picture of the 

assignment, so that when you get a yes, 

you will know you’ve got someone who 

is committed to getting the job done.

It’s better to get a few no’s than to end up 

with someone who isn’t likely to produce 

or who can’t be held accountable because 

there is no mutual understanding of 

what is to be done.”

Friends/Refuge partners must have a 

system in place to nurture new leaders. 

The approach taken by the Friends of 

Willapa NWR has been to build three 

tiers of membership—The Board, Active 

Members, and General Members. This 

Friends organization nurtures leaders by 

providing many opportunities to engage 

and build relationships with its regular 

volunteers or Active Members. Active 

Members show they are committed to 

the organization’s principles and the 

collaboration’s vision—they become future 

board members.

The board needs to institutionalize 

regeneration of its members by restricting 

board terms in the organization’s bylaws. A three-year term with a year off 

in between terms is a fairly common 

practice. Staggering terms is important 

to maintaining institutional memory. FWS 

Mentor Molly Krival writes, “Friends that 

do not restrict terms become overworked 

and seriously restricted in how they will 

choose and develop projects.”

Thus board development should be high 

on every current board’s agenda. Too 

often Friends/Refuge partners leave this 

to chance, and that may lead to an array of 

preventable problems. A stumbling block 

seems to be that partners have trouble 

deciding where to begin. Members may 

say “but we don’t know where to find 

anyone!” Molly Krival has defined a 

process (using an “Acquaintance Map,” 

p. 105), based on work done by Terrie 

Temkin, Nonprofit Management Solutions, 

that will help identify potential candidates 

(Appendix D). For the longer term, 

partners need to establish ways to 

build the middle tier—active members 

who will become the source of new 

board members for the future.

Current board members should be 

encouraged to regard almost everyone 

with whom they come in contact as possible 

recruits. They can, start the cultivation 

process by sending these individuals 

newsletters and invitations to events. Thus, 

when it’s time to nominate future board 

members, they should have a wide range of 

individuals from which to choose, based on 

the responses to their cultivation efforts.

One of the most important committees 

Friends Boards should establish is the 

nominating committee—a first step 

toward creating a culture of ongoing 

leadership development and transition.

A Well-Functioning Board

The sustainability and success of a board 

is closely tied to the culture it creates. 

First, let’s take a look at some board 

cultures that are not sustainable:

■ The President (and maybe one or two 

others) does all the work. Board members 

rarely offer suggestions or agree to lead 

initiatives. Long-term outcome—The 

leader burns out and steps down, and 

no one is willing or able to lead the 

organization.

A Guide for 

Defining Board 

and Committee 

Member Roles

n Does everyone 

have a job?

n Does every job 

have a title?

n What is the purpose 

of the position?

n What are the key 

responsibilities?

n What are the 

qualifications 

required?

n How much time must 

be committed?

n What does the 

organization commit 

to the individual?

n Is there an 

agreement form?

From Molly Krival, 

FWS Mentor, “Ding” 

Darling Wildlife Society 

adapted from NonProfit 

Management Solutions, 

Inc. 1999
52 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

It’s easy to fall into one of these 

(or other similarly destructive) board 

cultures. Each person brings different 

talents, personalities, communication 

styles, values, and interests to the 

organization. The challenge is to create a 

setting that support each person’s talents 

and brings out his or her best while setting 

limits on unproductive or damaging 

individual behaviors.

Here are some key areas partners 

can work on to move toward a 

well-functioning board:

Give everyone a job

The executive team (President, Vice 

President, Treasurer and Secretary) have 

specific roles regarding the leadership of 

the organization (for more information, 

see resources below). The other board 

members also need well-defined jobs. 

These should be described in writing and 

provided to prospective members before 

they join the board. Board members 

should be expected to lead a committee, 

which includes identifying committee 

members and finding a replacement for 

themselves if they need to step down. 

Giving board members specific jobs and 

holding them accountable helps sustain 

the organization. Clearly defined jobs will 

also help attract and identify new leaders 

and ultimately should help increase job 

productivity.

Nurture relationships

Nurturing relationships is as important 

to board functioning as it is for the 

collaboration overall. Board members 

who don’t know each other will have 

difficulty working together. Set aside 

some meeting time for board members 

■ Meetings drone on for hours, few 

decisions are made, no one is held 

accountable for following through on 

actions, and little is accomplished. Longterm outcome—board members drift 

away, no prospects can be found to fill 

their places, enthusiasm is lost and the 

organization crumbles.

■ One or two board members are 

demanding and outspoken while others 

rarely voice their opinion. Decisions are 

driven by the most outspoken. Diversity 

is lost. Long term outcome—the 

organization is viewed as an elitist club, 

Board members drop out, the remaining 

board loses sight of its mission and vision, 

and the collaboration suffers or collapses.

■ Meetings are spent criticizing plans and 

programs that never meet the particular 

standards of various board members. 

Members feel attacked and unappreciated. 

Long-term outcome—new initiatives 

disappear, board members quit and a 

negative culture prevails that prevents 

realization of goals.

“Emphasis needs to be placed on respect 

for everyone’s accomplishments and ideas. 

Personal attacks should not be tolerated. 

We accept that people have differences but 

discussions...should seek diversity rather 

than punishing it so that decisions will be 

made with the widest available options. 

Many boards and committees seek quick 

decisions by an ‘in group’, ostracize those 

with different ideas, and end in serious 

conflict and less effective decisions.”

Molly Krival, NWRS Friends Mentor
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 53

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

to learn about each other. This should 

be done when new members come on 

board and at regular intervals throughout 

the year. Understanding each other’s 

personal interests (“What’s in it for me?”), 

personalities, talents and working styles 

helps everyone work better together. 

Celebrating is an especially helpful tool 

for building camaraderie and should be 

integrated into the board culture as a 

regular activity. Plan enjoyable outings 

together (e.g., hiking the refuge, birding) to 

learn more about the refuge and each other.

Leading an organization demands a lot 

of board members. Successful partners 

create a culture where everyone agrees that 

nurturing board relationships is a priority.

Expect accountability

Everyone must agree to hold him/herself 

accountable to the organization and to each 

other. This is not solely the job of the board 

President but extends to all board members 

and Refuge partners, as well. Board 

members should sign a written agreement 

that outlines their responsibilities. These 

agreements clarify what’s expected and 

formalizes the process by having the 

member sign a written commitment.

Another tool to hold members accountable 

is to structure board meetings around the 

vision and action plans, where each board 

member is expected to report on progress 

made toward accomplishing his or her 

assigned projects. Board members who 

cannot or will not fulfill their responsibilities 

should be asked to step down. This meeting 

format creates a culture where members 

are held accountable and makes measuring 

progress and performance relatively easy.

Honor diversity

A diversity of talents, skills and 

personalities enriches a board but it may 

also lead to conflict. Personalities can clash, 

working styles may differ and values may 

vary. To avoid or minimize conflict, boards 

sometimes resort to squashing divergent 

ideas, ignoring the more quiet members 

over the assertives ones or skirting difficult 

issues. These avoidance actions cause 

distrust, and they can result in dissatisfied 

members and lackluster performance. 

These pitfalls can be prevented by 

nurturing stronger relationships and using 

techniques that encourage participation 

(see sections that follow for further 

discussion).

Become well educated

Board members must learn about their 

refuge and the FWS—and become well 

educated about nonprofit management. 

Temkin (October 23, 2003) identifies five 

actions required of board members to fulfill 

their responsibilities to the organization:

■ Read and understand financial 

statements.

■ Be familiar with indicators that report 

the status of the organization. These 

indicators are set by the board, (e.g., 

membership data, expense and revenue 

projections) and should be presented 

at each meeting to help members make 

strategic decisions.

■ Be knowledgeable about the mission, 

vision, values and goals of the organization 

and understand what criteria will be used 

to screen decisions.

■ Come to meetings prepared (e.g., 

read materials and clarified questions in 

advance of the meeting).
54 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Additional Resources

Brody-Weiser-Burns (5/10/02). The Board 

Chair at <www.brodyweiser.com/pdf/

boardchair.pdf>

Heinze-Lacey, Beverly, Mehaffey, Maggie. 

(1997). Taking Flight: An Introduction to 

Building Refuge Friends Organizations.

Washington, DC: NWRA.

O’Connell, Brian. (1993). The Board 

Member’s Book, 2nd Ed. New York: The 

Foundation Center

For a wealth of board management 

resources see NonProfit 

Management Solutions at: 

<www.nonprofitmgtsolutions.com> 

■ Ask questions (e.g., Why do we want 

to do this? How will this decision affect 

our members, the refuge? What are the 

downsides?).

Ongoing education must become part 

of the board culture. Board meetings 

can include an educational component, 

or certain meetings (e.g., every third 

meeting) can be set aside specifically for 

training purposes.

The FWS and the National Wildlife Refuge 

Association offer national and regional 

workshops that provide education on a 

wide variety of topics important to Friends 

Board members. Some Friends groups 

have joined forces and organized meetings 

to discuss mutual topics of interest. 

Universities and private corporations and 

nonprofit groups offer an abundance of 

websites, books and workshops, as well. To 

create a sustainable organization, board 

members must use these resources and 

become well educated about what it takes 

to manage their nonprofit organizations.

Refuge staff is integral to the effective work of Friends. There should 

be multiple opportunities for staff to share their professional goals and 

methods with the Friends and they should be recognized and applauded as 

well as Friends. Failure to do this often leads to misunderstanding, loss of 

effective support and loss of goodwill from both groups.

~Molly Krival, NWRS Friends Mentor
profile

Managing Transitions

The Friends/Refuge collaboration at Squaw Creek NWR in Missouri 

was an outgrowth of a relationship with two different Audubon 

societies that had adopted the Refuge in the late 1980s. In 2000, 

members of the newly forming Friends organization sat with 

Manager Ron Bell to chart the future of their partnership.

Squaw Creek NWR is a well-visited Refuge (120–130,000 visitors 

per year); but in 2000, it had few facilities or programs for reaching 

the public. The partners recognized that the Friends could play a 

significant role in improving facilities and making connections with 

the public.

The Friends quickly set their attention to raising funds and building 

their volunteer base. The Friends first President, George Scheil, was 

well connected in the community and was instrumental in raising 

significant funds from a variety of sources, including the FWS 

Regional Office. In the following years, they have achieved many 

significant accomplishments (at right). They now have a membership 

of about 145 people and an annual budget of approximately $45,000.

Through their fundraising efforts, the Friends organization has 

raised the visibility of the Refuge in the surrounding communities, 

and this support continues to grow. The Friends/Refuge collaboration 

has helped Manager Ron Bell make connections and improve the 

Refuge’s working relationship with the community. “In the past 

there were lots of local rumors, but now people in the community get 

information directly. Everyone is better educated about the Refuge.”

Bell and Friends President, Tommie Rogers, agree that 

communication is a key element to their successful partnership. They 

worked together to identify board members and educate them about 

their roles and expectations of the Friends/Refuge partnership. All 

board members have specific jobs, such as managing membership, 

overseeing finances or coordinating projects.

Friends President Rogers says she’s involved because she loves 

nature: “I enjoy observing wildlife and especially wild birds so much. 

I want others to know what the refuge has to offer. If people don’t 

come out here, they are missing something so special and unique 

in the state of Missouri. We have thousands of birds, butterflies, 

dragonflies and such a variety of snakes. Squaw Creek is an 

important stopover for migratory shorebirds, waterfowl >>

Squaw Creek at a glance

The Refuge

n Located in Mound City, Missouri 

(population ~1,100), a rural area.

n Established in 1935 as a resting, feeding 

and breeding ground for migratory birds 

and other wildlife.

n 7,350-acres located along the Mississippi 

Flyway in northwestern Missouri within 

the historic Missouri River floodplain.

n Best known for its large concentrations 

of snow geese, other waterfowl and bald 

eagles. The refuge is a major stop-over 

for waterfowl, with more than one-half 

million birds in the fall and lesser, but still 

spectacular, numbers in the spring.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/midwest/

squawcreek>

The Friends

Established: 2001

Membership: 145

Annual Budget/Expenses: $40–50,000

Visit <www.squawcreek.org>

Mission

To promote the preservation of the natural 

and historical resources of the Refuge

Accomplishments

n Constructed Auditorium: $277,919

n Constructed Outdoor Classroom: $10,017

n Constructed Callow Trail:$20,600

n Funded printing of Refuge brochures

n Trumpeter Display: $600

n Propane pump: $7,400

n Provide office staff on weekends.

squaw creek nwr

flickr / Brent Fulton

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 55
56 Soaring to New Heights

The growing pains and “speed bumps” at Squaw 

Creek are common experiences for Friends/Refuge 

collaborations around the country, especially in rural 

areas where volunteers can be hard to find. The 

Squaw Creek example shows how important it is for 

partners to work together to consciously manage 

their future. Over the years this collaboration has 

developed a number of attributes that will help 

sustain them through the transition. Among their 

collective strengths are strong personal relationships 

with each other and the community, a broad volunteer 

base, a shared vision for the future and the rewards 

everyone has experienced from participating in the 

collaboration. By thinking strategically and focusing 

on their strengths, the Friends/Refuge at Squaw 

Creek will ensure their relationship continues long 

into the future. 

and songbirds in spring and fall. And the refuge 

rivals some of the birding “hotspots” in the United 

States. There is always something for people to see 

when they visit.”

The Friends/Refuge partners focus their energy 

to make volunteering a positive social experience. 

Volunteers have many opportunities to interact 

with the public and each other. Rogers believes that 

volunteers keep coming back because the experience 

is so enjoyable and rewarding.

The Friends and Refuge at Squaw Creek have 

established a trusting, respectful and productive 

collaboration. Nonetheless they share wholesome 

concerns about the future. Rogers anticipates a 

move out of the area and George Schell, their first 

President, is currently unable to return to his former 

leadership role. Thus, the Friends board faces its 

second major leadership transition.

This highly functional collaboration experiences 

its growing pains as the partners consider how to 

sustain momentum through a leadership change. The 

partners recognize that everyone has a responsibility 

for ensuring the success of the Friends organization. 

Board President Rogers and Manager Ron Bell 

set the pace by striving to meet new members of 

the community, learning about their interests and 

considering their potential skill sets with the needs 

of the partnership. Such outreach efforts often lead 

to new members and volunteers and may ultimately 

generate new leaders on the board.

Bell has noted, “We’re still growing. There have 

always been speed bumps along the way, but it’s a 

growing venture.”

squaw creek nwr

An egret fishing at Squaw Creek NWR

flickr / Brent Fulton
profile

A Strategic Approach for 

Creating a Vibrant Board

Beverly Arnoldy was the second President of the 

Friends of Willapa NWR. After being President for 

over three years, she said it was time to pass the 

reins to a new President.

Arnoldy had thought about the task of finding a 

suitable successor since she agreed to take the 

job three years prior. An experienced nonprofit 

manager, she knew that organizations need dynamic 

leadership. She also knew that the board members 

had to build leadership development into day-today management if they wanted the organization to 

survive and thrive.

Arnoldy had no refuge experience when she first 

encountered the Friends of Willapa NWR at a booth 

during a local festival. She was new to the community 

and could see the refuge from her house. She wanted 

to make a connection and understood the potential 

value of her background in nonprofit management. 

She joined the Friends and quickly received an 

invitation to serve on the board. And soon thereafter, 

she was elevated to Friends president. “’It’ll be easy’ 

the other board members told me! Well, it wasn’t

easy,” Arnoldy recalls, “but at least I was familiar 

with the challenge before I accepted the job.”

Arnoldy identified two problems that required 

immediate solutions before the group could move 

ahead. First, she noted, “The board was burnt to 

a crisp.” And second, there were just two board 

members doing all the work—with the expectation 

was that Arnoldy would also be a worker.

Healthy organizations have three tiers

n The Board

n Active Members

n General Membership

The middle tier is made up of active members who volunteer, 

but aren’t on the board—these are the people who will 

become board members of the future.

Beverly Arnoldy, President, Friends of Willapa NWR

This second problem resulted from the lack of a 

process for cultivating leadership. It was a “twotiered organization” made up of board members 

and the general membership. Arnoldy reports that 

healthy organizations have a third, middle tier: the 

active members who volunteer regularly but are 

not on the board. This corps of active members are 

the people who will become board members of the 

future. “You must have a good middle tier to grow 

and stay vibrant,” observes Arnoldy. “We didn’t have 

those active members.” Her primary goal for the 

organization was to create this middle tier.

In her first year as president, Arnoldy instituted two 

changes: monthly board meetings and a requirement 

that board members attend every meeting, “Some 

board members,” she notes “resigned as a result.”

In Arnoldy’s second year as President, the board 

agreed to reduce their number from nine to seven. 

They found four new people who were committed 

to working to replace departing board members. 

Two of these people remain on the board. Arnoldy 

notes, “It takes a while to find the right people for 

the board. I didn’t know the community at first 

and it took a while to get to know people and find 

appropriate matches.” >>

Gregory Paul Johnston

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 57

willapa nwr
In her fourth year, Arnoldy observed, 

“We have a great board. We have the 

same goals and same vision and everyone 

is committed to working.” She instituted 

jobs for each of the Board members, 

matching skills with organizational needs. 

For example, the Vice President, a high 

school science teacher, is in charge of the 

Environmental Education program. Other 

directors take charge of membership, 

publicity, refuge projects and volunteer 

coordination. For the first time, they 

have a nominating committee tasked to 

identify and recommend new candidates 

for the board. It took three years to get 

to this point. The old system—“take 

anyone willing to join the board”—

simply was not meeting the collaboration’s 

long-term needs.

willapa nwr

Arnoldy believes board members must 

always address how to develop the 

middle tier and nurture the leaders of 

the future. Her formula also includes a 

healthy quotient of enjoyable activities for 

members and board alike: “If people have 

fun they will come. If you offer regular 

venues for education and enjoyment, 

they’ll come back again and again. 

Volunteerism is a choice. If you provide 

enjoyable experiences, and this happens 

repeatedly, these people will become your 

active members.”

Being “burnt to the crisp” is no longer part 

of the culture of the Friends of Willapa 

NWR’s board. With a handful of patient, 

strategic choices, they made important 

strides toward becoming a dynamic and 

sustainable board. 

58 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 59

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Committees

Decision making becomes faster and 

more effective, Karen Ray has noted, as 

power to make decisions is delegated to 

appropriate subgroups. She also added 

that decision-making structures and 

processes are closely tied to trust. The 

more partners trust one another, the easier 

it is to delegate decision making.

A working board will most commonly 

manage young Friends organizations. This 

means that the board members discuss 

and work on all of their projects. But as 

the vision, mission, goals and action plans 

of the organization become more defined, 

it will become harder to address all issues 

during a regular board meeting. The 

board will eventually need more people to 

accomplish the necessary work and will 

want to move into a committee structure. 

Spreading the work to committees is an 

important step in creating a sustainable 

organization. Indeed, Ron Tillier, an 

FWS mentor and former President of 

Friends Blackwater NWR (1999–2005), 

reports that moving into a committee 

structure transformed the way this Board 

functioned and laid the foundation for the 

organization’s current level of success 

(See Profile, Blackwater NWR, p. 88).

Committee development is a tool to begin 

creating the “middle tier of membership” 

described by Beverly Arnoldy of Friends of 

Willapa NWR (See Profile, Willapa NWR, 

p. 57). Members must be careful to form 

committees for useful purposes; Ad hoc 

committees that form around a specific 

project and then disperse when the project 

is completed are better than long-standing 

committees that wind up with little to 

do. There may be some committees that 

should endure: the nominating committee, 

for example, is very important because 

it is responsible for sustaining and 

regenerating the board.

As Friends/Refuge partners establish 

committees, they should consider the 

following:

■ A committee should be established with 

a particular purpose in mind, not just 

for the sake of having one. This purpose 

and expected outcomes should be clearly 

defined and communicated. Committees, 

ad hoc committees, subcommittees and 

even task forces should have a written 

charge. Members sometimes mistakenly 

assume that everyone on the board has 

a common understanding of the task to 

be accomplished. Committees, and their 

subsets, should review their charge on a 

“I firmly believe that the way the Board is 

structured is critical to how the group 

works. We used to have meetings that 

were three to three-and-a-half hours 

long—everyone got into everyone else’s 

business and chewed up ideas.

Ron Tillier, FWS Mentor, Friends of Blackwater NWR
60 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

■ Communications systems must be 

established between the committee and the 

board. Written reports should be provided 

to board members prior to meetings. This 

keeps everyone abreast of committee 

activities and allows for discussion and 

redirection, as needed. Systematic 

reporting also holds committee members 

accountable.

Terrie Temkin offers twenty-six steps 

regarding how committees function 

(see <www.nonprofitmgtsolutions.com/

boardgov.html> for the complete article). 

Some of the suggestions she makes 

include:

■ Be clear about what is expected of 

committee members (time, skills, contacts, 

money).

■ Limit committee discussions to topics 

that fit the organization’s mission, vision, 

values and priorities.

■ Meet only when there is something 

substantial with which to deal.

■ Assign tasks as evenly as possible.

■ Solicit then listen to everyone’s input.

■ Don’t fight over ownership of an idea.

■ Bring conflict into the open.

■ Don’t assume that silence means 

agreement.

■ Stay focused on the goals and tasks of 

the committee.

regular basis. It is important to keep in 

mind that not every Friends organization 

is ready for a committee structure. Young 

organizations cannot delegate leadership 

roles to committees (e.g., mission, goals, 

expectations, etc.). It is time to establish 

one or more committees only when specific 

projects or programs (such as membership 

or a fundraiser) can be defined (“written 

charge”) and delegated—and there is 

an active membership from which to pull 

volunteers.

■ The board should be ready to empower 

the committees with decision-making 

authority. No one wants to lead a team 

and have every decision questioned or 

criticized by the board. The purpose 

and expectations of a committee must 

be clearly defined—and appropriate 

authority granted—in order for it to make 

good decisions within the framework of 

its charter. While committee members 

are empowered by the board, they are 

still responsible for meeting board 

expectations, including providing detailed 

reports and regularly evaluating progress 

towards goals.

■ Committee leaders and members need 

to be assigned. Many Friends groups 

require board members to lead one 

committee and sit on another. They also 

expect committee leaders to find their own 

volunteers to work on the committee, as 

well as recommend their own replacement 

if they need to step down. And because this 

is a collaborative effort, committees must 

include members from both the Friends 

and the Refuge as appropriate.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 61

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Meetings

As experts on partnerships have observed 

many times: good meetings improve the 

quality of decisions, and promote followthrough. Bad meetings don’t.

FWS Mentor Molly Krival has observed: 

“Friends boards and committees have to 

learn how to be efficient and productive.” 

Although, she adds, initial enthusiasm will 

carry meetings to early achievements, 

sooner or later boards have to organize so 

that meeting times are closely scheduled 

for decisions and planning, as well as to 

ensure everyone can contribute ideas. It is 

simply not defensible for groups to wander 

from one thought to another. The agenda, 

minutes and reports should reach everyone 

involved before meetings with ample time 

for adjustments.

Building a sustainable organization 

depends on well-run, productive meetings. 

Board members will quickly become 

frustrated with “wanderlust” meetings 

that yield few, if any, results. Remember 

WIIFM (“What’s in it for me?”)—If 

volunteers don’t feel productive and useful, 

if they feel they are wasting their time, 

they will take their energies elsewhere. 

It’s worth investing time as a group to 

examine meeting culture. While the Board 

President or Chairperson is responsible for 

leading meetings, everyone on the board 

helps set the tone and atmosphere. It is 

worthwhile to evaluate what is working 

well and what needs to change.

Following are some considerations for 

improving meeting productivity and 

outcomes.

Culture and Expectations

Board members develop a culture that sets 

the tone and expectations for meetings: 

Does the board expect preparation, 

participation and follow-through by its 

members? Or does the board set low 

expectations where late arrivals are 

acceptable, where discussions may wander 

and where one or two people are expected 

to do all the work?

Open a discussion about what expectations 

are for each meeting. The board should 

address what it would like to get out of its 

meetings and ways to improve meeting 

structure. Outcomes of this discussion 

might include: beginning and ending each 

meeting on time; setting and adhering to 

an agreed upon agenda; and arriving at 

meetings fully prepared to address agenda 

items. It is also important to establish a 

discussion process that ensures everyone 

has an opportunity to express opinions. 

Keep in mind, too, that socializing is 

important, so set aside every third meeting 

for an enjoyable activity on the refuge (this 

will help educate and build relationships 

too). To keep things on track, plan to 

revisit this discussion from time to time, 

especially as new members join the board.

Meeting Preparation

Meetings need to begin with good 

preparation by everyone on the board 

(not just the President or Chairperson). 

Prepared members are ready to discuss 

agenda topics prior to the start of the 

meeting, making it possible to have 

an efficient and productive meeting. 

Following are some steps to help 

everyone be prepared.
62 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

To allow for enough discussion time, place 

more complicated issues at the top of 

the list, rather than at the end. Agendas 

should be followed, under the guidance of 

the President or Chairperson, but can be 

adjusted as long as there is a clear process 

in place for making changes.

Meeting Structure

Focus meetings on leadership issues, such 

as the mission, vision, goals, planning, 

actions and evaluation. It is advisable to 

structure meetings to maximize strategic 

thinking. This is done by encouraging 

questions—including rotating an 

assignment of “devil’s advocate” to a 

different board member at each meeting. 

This person’s job is to challenge each idea 

that is presented by raising questions 

about risk, or how an idea helps accomplish 

objectives. Rotating the assignment 

provides everyone with an opportunity 

to raise questions without the risk of 

being labeled as a naysayer. This approach 

also helps create an atmosphere that 

embraces critical thinking and fosters a 

diversity of ideas.

Once committees are established, the 

board can focus discussions on their 

accomplishments, rewards and delegation 

of new projects—and not committee 

busy work (remember committees are 

empowered to make decisions) or listening 

to reports (these should be distributed 

and read ahead of time). Board members 

who are concerned about the details can 

join the committee of interest rather than 

spend board-meeting time evaluating 

committee work.

Minutes

Minutes are an important tool to guide a 

board. Minutes provide history, document 

decisions and describe actions, timelines 

and responsibilities. They are references 

that support the agenda and hold people 

accountable. Minutes should be succinct 

for readability; they should clearly 

document meeting history, including who 

was present when the meeting took place, 

and the formal agenda. Minutes should 

also address the business undertaken, and 

decisions made, including details of action 

plans. Ideally, minutes should be prepared 

and distributed shortly after a meeting 

(within a week, if possible) so everyone 

has a record in hand. Minutes should be 

amended, if needed, and accepted into the 

record at the next meeting.

Agenda and meeting materials

Prepare and distribute agendas, financial 

statements and committee reports well 

in advance of a meeting (at least a week 

ahead). Early distribution allows time for 

comment and additions by board members. 

It also helps board members prepare for a 

meeting. Board members will have time to 

read materials, consider their positions and 

get questions answered in advance of the 

meeting. This makes it possible to focus 

meeting time on higher-level discussions, 

instead of reading or listening to reports.

Agendas should highlight decisions 

that the board must make and set a 

time frame for each point of discussion. 

Agendas should also be linked directly 

to the group’s annual plan. To encourage 

strategic thinking, experts recommend 

that most of the agenda focus on the most 

substantive issues that truly need the 

input of a group of strategic thinkers. 

These issues should be closely tied to the 

organization’s goals for the year.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 63

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Many specialists in nonprofit partnerships 

suggest breaking meetings into bite-sized 

pieces, otherwise participants will feel 

overwhelmed and possibly lose sense of 

accomplishing anything. At least part of 

each agenda should be devoted to giving 

the group a feeling of being in the know, 

of having a chance to learn some of the 

exciting things that are happening in the 

field—or knowing more about what the 

organization as a whole is doing.

Here are some additional suggestions for 

successful meetings (from O’Connell):

■ Pay attention to the niceties. Take time 

to figure out how to make your meetings 

pleasant.

■ Occasionally hold your meeting in a 

special setting.

■ Provide a regular mechanism for board 

acknowledgement of committee progress. 

This kind of thoughtfulness makes a big 

difference to committee members, who 

inevitably wonder if their efforts are really 

noticed and really do achieve results.

■ Don’t be afraid of healthy controversy 

in meetings of committees, the board, 

or voting membership. If the cause is 

important, people will feel strongly about 

it but not always the same way. Let people 

debate and even argue, but keep it within 

the bounds and context of an organization’s 

meeting. If the going gets too hot, fall 

back on Robert’s Rules of Order to help 

organize the discussion and decision, 

but don’t let that process take control of 

healthy exchange.

Robert’s Rules

When an organization is new, members 

commonly work toward building 

consensus. Consensus building is useful 

for creating a mission and vision; but, over 

time, groups need to use parliamentary 

procedures for decision making. Always 

working toward consensus can discourage 

discussion (especially when individuals 

disagree and are trying to keep peace) and 

can stop a board in its tracks when the 

issue is complex and opinions are divided. 

An all too common error for nonprofit 

organizations, specialists note, is that 

leaders may strive for compromise and 

for unanimous votes when it might be far 

healthier to have a split vote—provided 

all issues are on the table, the debate is 

fair and there has been sufficient time 

for consideration.

Robert’s Rules provides the forum 

for healthy discussion and democratic 

decision-making necessary for building 

a sustainable organization. All board 

members must learn how to use 

Robert’s Rules effectively and efficiently. 

The Rules shouldn’t encumber healthy 

discussion, but must be employed for 

making clear decisions.

Taking Flight (Heinze-Lacey, Mehaffey, 

1997) provides a simple explanation of 

Roberts Rules. Another tool recommended 

by Brian O’Connell is Parliamentary 

Procedure at a Glance, New Ed. O. 

Garfield Jones, Penguin Books, 1990. 

This book provides an easy to follow 

outline of the Rules.
64 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

The Role of the Refuge 

Manager and Staff

While Refuge Managers and Liaisons 

cannot vote or officially advise on 

Friends business, they play a key role in 

Friends meetings. They interpret Refuge 

regulations, identify Refuge needs, 

communicate about ongoing projects and 

issues and offer guidance to the Friends 

about how they can best support the 

Refuge. Managers provide leadership 

during meetings and use this time to build 

relationships, develop rapport and show 

their commitment to the Friends and 

the collaboration. Managers also provide 

direction to Friends, guiding members 

towards appropriate activities and 

steering them away from unsuitable 

projects. Some Managers feel it is 

important to attend every Friends 

meeting, others attend many meetings, 

but delegate a staff liaison to be the key 

Refuge representative. Either way, this 

commitment by the Refuge makes for a 

strong collaborative relationship with 

the Friends.

Additional Resources

See <www.businessballs.com/meetings.

htm> for an excellent article on running 

meetings by Alan Chapman (1995–2005).

See <www.refugeassociation.org> the 

NWRA website, for a downloadable PDF 

version of Taking Flight.

Communications 

Systems

In their 1994 Collaboration Handbook, 

Winer and Ray noted that: “The more 

people involved, the great the number of 

communication bonds; the greater the 

intensity; and the greater the difficulty of 

learning about each other, balancing power, 

having time to speak, scheduling meetings, 

sending out meeting summaries, creating 

ownership, being productive, and so on.”

Being able to communicate plans, the 

status of activities, new opportunities 

and potential problems is critical to a 

well-functioning board and a strong 

partnership. Following are some points 

to consider for creating effective 

communications systems.

Timely Communications

It is difficult for board members to be 

effective if they must wait until the next 

meeting to review and discuss meeting 

minutes, new opportunities or problems. 

Meeting minutes should be distributed 

shortly after a meeting. This record holds 

everyone accountable—it is a reminder of 

action plans and expectations. Telephone 

and/or e-mail systems need to be 

established to communicate important new 

information in between meetings. Waiting 

until a meeting to provide a long litany of 

events wastes meeting time and denies 

board members the opportunity to gather 

information and consider positions before 

the meeting occurs.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 65

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Share with the Whole Team

Good systems need to be in place to 

ensure information flows well between 

all members of the partnership. This 

doesn’t mean everyone must be included in 

everything, only that each person receives 

information appropriate to his/her needs. 

For example, the Board President may 

have a weekly meeting with the Refuge 

Manager to check in on the status of 

plans. Everyone on the board doesn’t 

need an e-mail or phone call to detail 

these meetings. If new issues are raised, 

however, these should be communicated 

to everyone. For other types of 

communications, such as meeting minutes, 

newsletters and action plans, everyone 

in the collaboration must be included. 

Friends/Refuge partners should discuss 

communications systems and consider 

who will be included for what type of 

information, as well as who is responsible 

for distributing the materials.

Put it in Writing

All decisions, action plans, activities, 

meetings and committee reports need to 

be documented in writing. Documentation 

should be succinct, noting key points, not 

a wordy description of everything said in a 

meeting. If e-mail is used extensively, the 

Board Secretary needs to keep a paper 

trail and topics can be archived for future 

reference.

Use Technology Well

Some Refuges are spread over great 

distances making it difficult to institute 

effective communications between 

partners. In addition, board members may 

live an hour or more from each other and, 

particularly at Refuge Complexes, Refuge 

managers and staff may be headquartered 

hours away. In these cases, technology 

supports immediate communication and 

should be utilized to its fullest capacity.

The Right Tool for the Task

E-mail and phone conferencing are 

excellent methods of communication, but to 

be effective, they need to be well managed. 

Defining a protocol for use may be helpful 

and can prevent abuse of these tools. 

For example e-mail can be used to post 

factual information on progress toward the 

meeting the annual plan (financial reports, 

committee reports, agendas, minutes and 

updates), but not to post personal issues or 

concerns. Phone conferences can be used 

to discuss issues that are inappropriate 

for e-mail, but conferences must follow 

a posted agenda to which everyone has 

provided feedback. Remember that 

technology supports communication. 

Technology should not completely 

replace face-to-face meetings because 

meetings are so important to relationship 

development and effective problem solving.

A Group Effort 

An important role of the Friends 

President or Chairperson is to facilitate 

communication, but it’s everyone’s job to 

ensure systems work well. For example, 

if a board member doesn’t receive the 

minutes, s/he should ask for them in 

advance to avoid arriving at the meeting 

unprepared. If minutes aren’t being 

prepared in time, everyone needs to work 

together to solve the problem (perhaps a 

new Secretary is in order). To effectively 

function, board communications must be 

timely and complete.
66 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Have a Recruitment Strategy

Sustainable Friends/Refuge partnerships 

take an organized, strategic approach to 

membership. They carefully consider: 

where to look for new members, what 

will attract them and what will keep them 

interested. Most important, perhaps, is 

this consideration: what benefits will 

help members decide to move from 

simply paying dues to becoming active 

volunteers—and then leaders of the 

organization. These partners take seriously 

the principles of “WIIFM” (What’s in it 

for me?). It is vitally important to offer 

opportunities and programs that have 

personal value to members. Successful 

partnerships incorporate membership 

development into every aspect of what 

they do, recognizing that new members 

bring fresh energy and ideas to both the 

Friends organization and the partnership.

Develop Sound Systems

Members expect regular communications, 

such as newsletters, reminders about 

renewing membership and notices about 

events. Annual budget planning requires 

knowledge regarding how many people 

are members and what to expect for 

dues each year. An up-to-date database 

is essential for recruiting volunteers. 

All of these things require a wellorganized, computerized system. To be 

effective in membership development, 

plans must include creating and 

maintaining a solid computerized 

membership tracking system.

Membership 

Development

Attracting and keeping members is critical 

to the long-term success of the Friends/

Refuge collaboration. Members are the 

lifeblood of the Friends organization, 

bringing volunteers, connections, funds 

and new leaders to the group. Here 

are some considerations regarding 

membership development.

Work Together

It cannot be effectively done by the 

Friends board alone. Because the Refuge 

is a draw to potential new members, the 

Refuge Manager and staff are in a unique 

position to support Friends membership 

and leadership development. Public 

interactions with Refuge employees 

“flavor” their impression. Constituents 

who have a positive experience will 

positively view the Refuge and Friends and 

will want to join partnership efforts.

Take Time to Do it Right

It’s best to start slow and offer a handful 

of well-run programs and volunteer 

opportunities than it is to overreach and be 

ineffective. For each activity, there should 

be a plan in place that states what is to be 

accomplished, who is going to do the work, 

what resources will be needed (and their 

source) and how outcomes will be assessed.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 67

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Make it Fun

Many Friends/Refuge partners struggle 

with membership development. In 

some remote and rural areas, it can be 

challenging to find people as potential 

members because many in the available 

pool may already be engaged in other 

activities. In more populated areas, 

competition can be quite intense, with 

many other nonprofits vying for members 

and volunteers. In either case participation 

in the Friends/Refuge partnership must 

be demonstrated to be a highly valuable 

experience. If people enjoy themselves, 

they’ll keep coming back and bring their 

friends along, too. It’s important to 

realize that membership development is 

closely tied to everything a partnership 

does. A well-run, visible partnership 

that celebrates success and honors its 

constituents will draw new members 

regardless of how big or small the 

community.

Additional Resources

For a thorough discussion on membership 

development, see: Heinze-Lacey, Beverly. 

(2000). Building Your Nest Egg: An 

Introduction to Raising Funds for 

National Wildlife Refuge Support Groups.

Washington, DC: NWRA.

Finances

Financial planning and management is a 

critical function and legal responsibility of 

the Friends Board. Everyone on the board, 

not just the Treasurer, must learn to read 

and interpret financial statements and 

everyone must participate in planning for 

the financial stability of the organization. 

Even young, small organizations that 

run on a shoestring budget need to 

follow acceptable accounting practices. 

It is important to get into the habit of 

producing a monthly income and expense 

statement, balance sheet and budget 

status report. These should go to the board 

of directors and executive committee in 

advance of their meetings.

Develop a Strategy

Friends/Refuge partners must work 

together to set realistic expectations for 

setting budgets and raising funds. Partners 

consider what they want to happen for 

the future, what resources will be needed, 

where these will be found and then closely 

tie their budgets to action plans.

“Too much emphasis is being placed by the FWS and Friends on 

‘We’ve got to have a visitor center; we’ve got to raise $1 million.’ 

Blackwater has been in business since 1987. We didn’t take on a 

multi-million dollar project in 1989. The visitor center has been the last 

thing Blackwater has done. It’s important to be realistic—identify what 

can be accomplished, make it happen and build on the accomplishments.”

Glenn Carowan, Manager, Blackwater NWR
68 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Raising Funds

While FWS employees are not allowed 

to raise funds by law, Friends fundraising 

is a partnership effort. The partners must 

work together to create a compelling case 

for making donations, as well as to nurture 

those relationships that lead to donations. 

Donors need to hear a unified message 

from the partners and see that the Friends 

have the support needed by the Refuge’s 

administration to make a project succeed. 

Donors need to believe they are giving to 

a worthy cause and that their funds will be 

well spent. Donors need to feel connected 

to the cause to which they are making a 

contribution. The strength of the Friends/

Refuge partnership brings credibility 

to the Friends organization and gives 

donors a sense of security about making 

a contribution.

Here is a checklist that offers suggestions 

on managing funds (from O’Connell):

■ Create realistic budgets. It’s too easy to 

get carried away with unduly optimistic 

income projections and unrealistic 

expectations.

■ Create regular monthly reports and 

ensure they are accurate.

■ Understand the financial picture and 

the reports. It’s better to look silly than not 

to pursue a part of the financial picture or 

report that you don’t quite understand...

the board members are ultimately 

responsible, and you have to understand it.

Create a Realistic Plan

It’s a myth that volunteer organizations 

can manage with little money and equally 

false that a Friends group must raise large 

sums of money in order to succeed. Among 

other things, the ability to raise funds is 

tied to the maturity of a Friends 

organization (see table below) and setting 

expectations too high will discourage the 

partners and lead to board burnout. 

Friends organizations with generous 

budgets tend to be mature organizations 

(median age 15 years). These groups have 

a long-established relationship in the 

community and a track record that makes 

it possible to raise large amounts of money 

from a wide variety of sources. The capacity 

for younger organizations to raise funds 

is more modest, which must be considered 

in the planning process. In most of these 

cases, expensive projects (e.g., capital 

improvements) are unrealistic in 

the short run, but with strategic thinking 

and financial planning, more ambitious 

goals will become possible in time.

Report on Annual Budget/Expenses

FWS Refuge Friends Organization Survey (2006)

Annual Budget/ Median Age in No. of Friends % of Total

Expenses Years (Range) Groups Friends Group

Respondents

< $500–5,000 6 (0–28) 48 41%

$5,001–10,000 8.5 (3–36) 15 13%

$10,001–50,000 9 (1–38) 32 28%

> $50,000 15 (1–69) 21 18%

Grand Total 116 100%
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 69

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

■ Involve all key leaders in developing 

the budget.

■ Recognize how easily the budget can 

thwart or contradict the board’s decision 

on priorities. Despite good planning, 

you may not have enough money for 

something important.

■ Provide a cushion and basic reserves in 

the budget. Nonprofit agencies should 

have reserves equal to at least one-half 

of one year’s operating expenses.

Additional Resources

Building Your Nest Egg (Heinze-Lacey, 

2000) is a National Wildlife Refuge 

Association and US Fish and Wildlife 

Service guide dedicated to Refuge Friends 

Organization fundraising.

Weathering the 

Storms—The Resilient 

Organization

Manage Transitions Well

Change is a constant factor for Friends/

Refuge partnerships. Refuge managers 

and staff retire or move, Board terms end, 

and life changes can draw people away 

from the organization. One danger is to 

depend on one or two dynamic leaders to 

drive the partnership. When these leaders 

move on, the Friends/Refuge collaboration 

suffers and may have difficulty recovering. 

In sustainable collaborations, members 

shift the focus from individuals to the 

organization and build a culture where 

everyone is responsible for managing and 

cultivating the partnership.

Each of the partnership stories and 

profiles featured within this handbook 

exemplifies embracing change as a tool for 

growth. Without change, the partnership 

will stagnate. Without managing change, 

the partners risk becoming stuck in a state 

of continual storming. The organizational 

missions and the collaboration’s vision, 

goals and plans provide the foundation for 

managing transitions. These guideposts 

clearly set the expectations, making it 

possible for new leaders to readily pick up 

where former leaders left off.

Managing change means using strategic 

thinking to plan for the future. Sustainable 

Friends/Refuge collaborations find 

stability by focusing on the vision of the 

partnership, consciously nurturing new 
70 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

leaders and continually improving their 

systems for developing the organization. 

As the collaboration’s needs and 

community change, partners must also 

be ready to “adjust even its fundamental 

mission, vision and goals to match 

new conditions or new learning.” 

Mattessich (2003).

Prevent Stagnation

It’s not uncommon for a new Friends/

Refuge collaboration to experience a 

period of high enthusiasm and activity and 

then to hit a point where excitement and 

participation wane. A period of stagnation 

may ensue and as long as there is some 

level of funding and support, this period 

can last for some time.

Here is a list of some of the characteristics 

and warning signs of a stagnant 

organization (from Connolly and Klein):

■ Programs are obsolete; demand for 

programs declines; few new programs 

are developed

■ Focus is on operations; objectives 

are unmet

■ Board members are entrenched, 

unenthusiastic, minimally involved

■ Morale is poor; communications are poor; 

turf battles crop up

■ Focus turns to individual program goals 

and “fiefdoms” rather than overall mission

■ There are few or no new revenue sources

■ Systems and procedures are outdated

■ Planning is inadequate

Strategic planning, experts advise, is 

an important tool to prevent stagnation 

from occurring. Norm Penner, President, 

Friends of Tualatin River NWR, suggests 

that his group has learned that having a 

strategic plan isn’t enough—the plan must 

be evaluated regularly and updated. As 

partners consider the list above—they 

should ask themselves if more than four 

of the above characteristics describe their 

group. If so, it is possible to correct the 

situation by going back to the drawing 

board and applying some of the items 

listed below.

Here is a list of suggested techniques to 

deal with the symptoms of stagnation 

(from Connolly and Klein):

Seek new leadership

The Board should create a profile of 

qualities needed in new leaders before 

searching for potential candidates.

Assess and develop programs

Consider the needs of constituents and 

outcomes desired during the assessment, 

which will help in designing new programs.

Increase the organization’s visibility

Keep constituents informed as goals 

and programs are revised. Evaluate and 

improve how information about activities 

and accomplishments are conveyed.

Evaluate the organization’s systems 

and structure

Consider what skills are needed, what 

procedures need to change.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 71

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Raise funds

Maintain funds for a lack of funds makes 

it difficult to manage the organization. 

“The aim of a fund-raising plan when 

an organization is in trouble should be 

to capitalize on plans for changes and 

improvements...”

Improve financial management

Drop non-essential services and develop 

financial plans to support new programs.

Board Development

Discuss commitment with each Board 

member and revise the Board structure 

and processes to reflect needs. Some 

Board members may resign and others 

with new skills may need to be recruited. 

“In times of trouble, governance might not 

seem an urgent issue. But formal board 

development can be of immeasurable 

benefit in the long run.”

Friends/Refuge partners in a stagnating 

collaboration may find themselves 

disappointed in and increasingly critical of 

each other. An important tool for fighting 

stagnation is to examine the collaboration’s 

history—to honor and celebrate the 

successes while acknowledging the need 

to make changes. Evaluating—and 

celebrating—history can help nurture the 

relationship and be a stimulus to move out 

of a declining stage of development.

Manage Conflict

Many, and perhaps most, people strive 

to avoid conflict. They perceive it to be 

a negative in all instances. But there is 

another perspective about conflict that 

must be examined: prevention of conflict 

at all costs limits the ability to change. 

Thus, instead of avoiding it at all costs, 

its possibility should be acknowledged 

and built into the life of the group. Conflict 

should be expected from time to time; 

and when it occurs, it should not be 

avoided but managed.

Being able to effectively manage problems 

and solve conflicts is a critical step toward 

building a sustainable collaboration. When 

board members and Refuge partners 

build a foundation of trust and respect it 

helps to create a culture that encourages 

healthy debate and effective problem 

solving. As Patrick Lencioni noted in his 

2002 book, The Five Dysfunctions of a 

Team: “By building trust, a team makes 

conflict possible because team members 

do not hesitate to engage in passionate 

and sometimes emotional debate, knowing 

that they will not be punished for saying 

something that might otherwise be 

interpreted as destructive or critical.”

The The Guiding Principles for the 

Friends/FWS relationship (Appendix A) 

provide a foundation for building trust 

and respect. Friends/Refuge partners that 

subscribe to these Principles find they are 

better able to manage difficult situations 

without falling into destructive conflicts. 

When disagreements occur, members are 

able to trust that choices will be made in 
72 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

A first step to deal with conflict is to 

acknowledge that a problem exists. The 

conflict may be masked and difficult to 

perceive at first. Some people evince 

disagreement by being quiet. Others 

simply stop coming to meetings. While 

it is admittedly difficult to do, someone—

the initiator, the convener, a member of 

the group—must find the courage to ask, 

‘What’s going on here?’ That simple 

but essential question is often enough 

for people to start talking and dealing 

with conflict.

Once a problem is identified, the group 

needs a process to come to resolution. 

A good place to start is to revisit the 

mission and vision of the Friends/

Refuge collaboration—and framing the 

problem within this reference is a good 

place to start.

On a final note, O’Connell (1993) offers 

the following: “Obviously, peacemaking 

should be the order of the day, but once in 

a while it’s not the best course to follow. 

Occasionally, it’s better that people lose 

and move out of the mainstream...There 

are times—not often, to be sure, but there 

are times—when it’s better to let some 

people fall away or go away mad. This may 

not seem fair—a contradiction to the kind 

of spirit that voluntary organizations try 

to generate, but some people and some 

controversies are better moved out, so the 

organization can concentrate on what the 

clear majority wants to do. Remember 

that an organization can sustain only so 

much controversy.”

the best interest of the partnership, not 

based on personal agendas. Below are a 

few of the typical sources of conflict in a 

collaboration (from Weiner and Ray):

■ Power struggles

■ The wrong people

■ Low trust

■ Vague vision and focus

■ Incomplete desired results and strategies

■ Lack of clear authority

Another source of conflict in a Friends/

Refuge collaboration is that some Friends 

members don’t initially understand how 

the National Wildlife Refuge System is 

managed and some Refuge staff do not 

understand how an independent 501(c)3 

nonprofit is managed. It’s up to the 

Refuge manager and staff to guide and 

educate new Friends members about 

refuge management issues and it’s up to 

the Friends to educate Refuge staff about 

how a nonprofit entity is managed. Kelby 

Ouchley, Manager at Black Bayou Lake 

NWR, reports spending significant time on 

education from the time that the Friends 

of Black Bayou Lake NWR began. Today, 

Ouchley notes, the Friends have become 

the educators and “head off incompatible 

ideas before anyone has a chance to 

seriously consider them.”
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 73

Key Element 3 A Well-Managed Organization

Avoid Personal Agendas

Turf issues and hidden agendas can cause 

collaborations to fail. Partners have 

to focus on the results they want, and 

take active steps to create productive 

relationships. In such relationships, 

turf issues and hidden agendas fade away. 

Instead, everyone’s self-interests are 

out in the open and legitimized. Conflicts 

can then become the source of honest 

dialogue among partners in relationship 

with one another.

One of a Refuge Manager’s greatest fears 

is that one or more leaders of a Friends 

organization will “use” the organization 

to push their personal agendas. Personal 

agendas are incredibly destructive to a 

collaborative relationship; they cannot and 

should not be allowed to drive the Friends 

organization or the partnership.

To prevent personal agendas from entering 

the Friends/Refuge collaboration, everyone

must commit to the Guiding Principles 

(Appendix A) and agree to focus on the 

collaboration’s vision and purpose that 

set the boundaries for the relationship. 

Everyone must take responsibility for 

managing those boundaries, and that 

includes speaking out when a member is 

“out of bounds.” And it could even mean 

asking members who cannot honor the 

relationship and its boundaries to step 

down from the board. Ultimately, creating 

a culture that focuses on the collaboration, 

not on personal agendas, requires that 

Friends/Refuge partners take all the steps 

previously described. They must define 

the relationship, educate new members, 

cultivate leaders and set directions. These 

steps will help build the trust and respect 

required for a successful collaboration; 

conversely, neglecting the steps sets the 

stage for conflict and personal agendas to 

take hold.

Additional Resources

For an excellent resource on managing 

conflict see:

Angelica, Marion Peter. (1999). Resolving 

Conflict in Nonprofit Organizations. Saint 

Paul: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.

For a variety of excellent web-based 

articles on organizational development, 

see: Nonprofit Management Solutions, Inc 

at <www.nonprofitmgtsolutions.com>. 
profile

74 Soaring to New Heights

black bayou lake nwr

Vision, Trust and Education 

Spells Success

When Black Bayou Lake NWR was established in 1997, Refuge 

Manager Kelby Ouchley realized he had a tremendous opportunity to 

do something new. Unlike the other refuges in the North Louisiana 

Wildlife Refuge Complex, where traditional public uses focused 

primarily on hunting and fishing, Black Bayou Lake NWR was close 

to Monroe, Louisiana, and an ideal place for providing environmental 

education and interpretation. Kelby saw the potential for a Friends 

organization to flourish and decided it was time to start a partnership.

Manager Ouchley placed an advertisement in the newspaper inviting 

the community to attend a meeting to start a Friends organization. 

The meeting was well attended. Ouchley knew what he wanted 

and his vision resonated with people in the room. Indeed, Friends 

President Ann Smith states, “Kelby had vision all over the place!” 

and this vision has been key to the partners’ success.

In less than a decade, the Friends of Black Bayou Lake NWR evolved 

from a start-up organization (established 1997) to being named the 

2005 Friends Group of the Year by the National Wildlife Refuge 

Association and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Today 

there is a strong collaboration between the Friends and the Refuge. 

Yet, as Manager Ouchley notes, it was a learning process for him as 

well as the Friends: “It took time for me to understand that the 

Friends were not a ‘sudden thing.’” Ouchley and Smith offer their 

advice for creating a sustainable and successful collaboration:

Seek Diversity

Ouchley was at first reluctant to ask “non-traditional constituents” 

to join a Friends/Refuge collaboration because he feared their 

goals and interests might be inconsistent with those of the Refuge. 

However, he recognized that his vision required reaching beyond 

the traditional supporters and visitors. Ouchley relates: “We hit 

every single civic club, garden club and organization in town. This 

recruiting effort gave us a high profile and brought in a lot of people.” 

As a result, the Friends immediately attracted a wide range of 

talents that have contributed greatly to their success. Indeed, 

some of the biggest supporters and leaders are people he never 

thought of as constituents. Ouchley adds, “many had almost no 

outdoor experience!”

Black Bayou Lake at a glance

The Refuge

n Located in Monroe, Lousiana 

(Pop. ~150,000)

n Established in 1997 to protect and 

enhance habitat for endangered species, 

waterfowl, neo-tropical migrants and 

resident wildlife.

n 4,500 acres of wetlands associated with 

a 1,600-acre shallow, cypress-studded 

lake, riparian areas and reforested farm 

fields within the watershed.

n Provides excellent habitat for wetlanddependent fish and wildlife, such as 

waterfowl, wading birds, neo-tropical 

migrant song birds, reptiles and game 

fish, including several endangered red 

cockaded woodpecker clusters.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/northlouisiana/

blackbayoulake>

The Friends

Established: 1997

Membership: 500

Annual budget/expenses: $20–30,000

Visit <www.friendsofblackbayou.org>

Mission

Committed to community stewardship 

through preservation and restoration 

of the natural environment as well 

as increased public awareness, 

appreciation, education and responsible 

recreational use.

Accomplishments

n Renovated 1880s planter’s home to be 

refuge visitor center

n Built and donated Conservation Learning 

Center to FWS

n Built 400 foot pier, one mile nature trial/

boardwalk, photo/bird blind, wetlands art 

project with trail

n Establish educational programs on and 

off refuge.

flickr / world’s saddest man
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 75

Education and Communication Leads to 

Trust and Empowerment

Manager Ouchley believes one of his most important 

jobs in the relationship is to educate. “Most 

people simply don’t have a good grasp about what 

refuges are or their specific management goals and 

objectives. It is important to start the education 

process early—and then recognize it’s a continuing 

process.” Ouchley initially focused on the “Wildlife 

First” mission of refuges and explained about 

compatibility, refuge objectives and purposes. He 

also immediately established ground rules: “There 

will be times I will say ‘no’ to an idea. I am legally 

responsible to abide by certain rules.” He notes 

there were initially many instances when the 

Friends decided something and he had to say, 

“That isn’t going to happen.” Wisely, Ouchley would 

not simply veto an idea. He would offer alternatives 

whenever possible.

Ann Smith reports that Ouchley attended all of their 

meetings and helped the group figure out how to 

work as a partner. She says that his involvement has 

been critical to the organization’s success. “Kelby has 

led—no, that’s not the best word—Kelby has guided

us so well. I don’t know that we could do it without 

his help.”

President Smith notes that not only did Ouchley 

offer guidance, but Friends members also took 

responsibility for their own education. Some have 

attended every Friends conference and workshop 

and used the resources offered by the National 

Wildlife Refuge Association to learn about and the 

federal budget processes that affect refuges. She 

reports that this education has made it possible 

to build a trusting relationship. Both partners 

understand the boundaries within which they work. 

“Members respect and understand Kelby’s position 

because they have been taking the time to learn 

the FWS System.”

Have a Vision and Work on a Significant 

Project Early On

Smith reports that having a vision of what’s possible 

has been central to their success. She says that 

Ouchley was particularly helpful in this area. 

“His vision was huge!”

The Friends of Black Bayou Lake’s first project 

was to move and renovate a dilapidated 1880’s 

plantation house. The house was slated to become a 

visitor center. Smith notes: “The house was a dump. 

It was rotting, with huge holes in it. Our founding 

President, economist Bob Eisenstadt, thought it 

would be smarter, and certainly cheaper, to start from 

scratch.” But Ouchley saw things differently: “This 

was something the group could look forward to, show 

folks in the community—it gave them a purpose, 

something better than picking up litter.” It was this 

vision that gave the group its focus for the first four 

years of its existence. This singular focus helped to 

build cohesiveness and a great sense of participation 

and involvement.

Ouchley has seen other Friends groups suffer from 

a lack meaningful projects and activities. Ultimately, 

he observed, these collaborations are not satisfying 

to their Friends group and don’t succeed. At Black 

Bayou Lake NWR, reaching high has paid off. 

Ouchley notes. “I never come to work that I’m not 

surprised at what we’ve accomplished in this small 

and relatively resource-poor community.”

Realize that Organizations Go Through Stages

The Black Bayou Lakes group’s first “danger point” 

occurred at the completion of the house renovation 

project. Absent the focus for their enthusiasm and 

the community connections it created, the group 

could easily have felt directionless. Ann Smith 

emphasizes that it was important for them to realize 

that organizations go through stages. To avoid the 

predictable feeling of “let down” that can follow 

completion of a large project, it has been helpful 

to have another ongoing project to provide a 

renewed focus for their energy. “Don’t be afraid to 

take that next step,” Smith notes, “and change the 

identity of the group somewhat, to morph into the 

next incarnation.” >>
black bayou lake nwr

Leadership Style is Important

Smith has observed that when the group first started, 

it needed a leader who could provide direction 

and take charge. The organization was lucky that 

its first president, Bob Eisenstadt, had this type 

of personality and leadership style. As time has 

passed, the group has not required such specific 

direction. Instead, the organization now focuses on 

cultivating new members who will take charge of 

the organization’s expanding roles. She believes her 

leadership style fits the bill for the group’s current 

“incarnation.” She likes to delegate and “gets a kick 

out of figuring out what people’s talents are and 

giving them things to do, getting capable people 

involved and keeping them involved.”

President Smith says that leaders of mature 

groups are best advised to let go of some of the 

control, to share power by delegating and avoiding 

micromanagement. She likens her leadership 

approach to her role as a mother and watching 

her children mature: “You want them to do things 

on their own and not be dependent on you.” This 

approach has built tremendous strength and 

stability into the organization. No one person 

alone is responsible for the organization’s survival. 

Members, even new members, show ownership 

in the organization, taking on projects with 

confidence and pride.

76 Soaring to New Heights

Balance Work with Fun

Accomplishing good works is usually not enough to 

sustain an organization over time. Every project 

must include sufficient enjoyment so that volunteers 

donating their talent and labor feel motivated to 

participate and come back. Smith says, “Tramp 

around on the refuge; keep reminding yourself and 

the group that this is a great thing. Don’t get bogged 

down in the business. Having fun is critical...this is 

‘my’ refuge and it makes me feel grounded. I am so 

lucky—I am so fortunate—to have this Refuge and 

the Refuge System in my life. It’s because I flat love 

it. It enriches my life.” 

Birdwatching at Black Bayou Lake NWR

Marti Schutz
T he M o d el Partnersh i p

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 77

Key Element 4

Understand FWS 

Systems & Nonprofit 

Management

Purple martins at 

Parker River NWR, 

Massachusetts

flickr / Jo-Anna Ghadban
78 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 4 Understanding FWS & Nonprofit Management

It’s up to the Friends board to learn 

everything possible about their local 

refuge and the System overall. And it’s up 

to the Refuge Manager and staff to provide 

the education Friends members need to 

become effective partners.

For a place to begin, FWS Mentor, 

Molly Krival, offers the following:

■ Friends need to upgrade their 

understanding of the refuge system, 

FWS including Regional Offices, and the 

regulations governing how their local 

staff works.

■ Friends need to upgrade their 

understanding of the ecosystem and 

wildlife locally and regionally. Master 

Naturalist training should be encouraged.

■ Friends need to learn how to intervene 

on behalf of refuge funding and 

regulations, and to become acquainted with 

their congressional representatives and 

the federal budget processes that matter 

to the refuges.

It is critical to understand each other’s system in order to create a sustainable Friends/

Refuge collaboration. Without this understanding, misconceptions and misunderstanding 

will easily develop. The preceding chapter provides useful information about nonprofit 

management—this chapter will focus on the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a diverse federal agency with 

numerous programs and several layers 

of administration, manages the National 

Wildlife Refuge System. The Service 

operates under and administers more 

than 140 laws, as well as many regulations 

and Executive Orders. Explaining in 

detail how the FWS functions is beyond 

the scope of this guide. Friends members 

are encouraged to spend time discussing 

issues with their Refuge Managers. The 

Fish and Wildlife Service and National 

Wildlife Refuge Association also provide a 

variety of training courses, workshops and 

conferences that Friends members will find 

helpful in understanding the NWRS. 

At the most basic level, Friends 

members must understand that Refuge 

Managers are the legal guardians of the 

refuge—they make the final management 

decisions. When Kelby Ouchley, Manager, 

Black Bayou Lake NWR, entered into 

the Friends/Refuge collaboration, he 

told the Friends board: “There will be 

times I will say ‘no’ to an idea. I am 

legally responsible to abide by certain 

rules.” And FWS Mentor and Refuge 

Manger, Glenn Carowan, speaks to a 

“51 percent Refuge/49 percent Friends 

relationship,” suggesting while there is 

equity in the relationship, the partners 

are not equal—the “buck” stops with the 

manager.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 79

Key Element 4 Understanding FWS & Nonprofit Management

To begin the learning process, Friends 

members can start with their manager by 

asking about her/his job and the challenges 

facing the refuge. For one example, see 

the profile included in this section: A Day 

in the Life of a Refuge Manager. Another 

step is to use the example of the Tennessee 

NWR collaboration where the Friends 

Board has made education a priority: the 

partners attend each other’s meetings and 

part of every Friends board meeting is 

dedicated to learning something about the 

refuge (See Profile, p. 45).

The Refuge Manager’s 

Job is a Balancing Act

Understanding what it takes to manage a 

refuge is an important educational step 

for members of a Friends Board. As 

nonprofit managers, leaders of Friends 

organizations are able to act quickly. When 

partnering with a federal agency, however, 

they have to recognize that different 

ground rules apply to agency staff. And 

as board members, they must be willing 

and able to temper enthusiasm with 

considerable patience.

The management challenges and issues 

affecting each refuge are unique, but one 

constant across all refuges is that the 

manager’s job is a balancing act. To become 

better partners, it is vital for Friends 

organizations to learn as much as they 

can about their refuge manager, the staff 

and the job that each performs. Without 

this understanding Friends members may 

develop unrealistic expectations or question 

the decisions being made, which can erode 

the relationship.

The refuge manager bears overall 

responsibility for refuge operations and is 

usually the formal liaison with the Friends 

Board. As a result, mentors recommend 

that Friends members talk with their 

managers to gain insight about the issues 

affecting the refuge and develop a better 

understanding of the support role their 

organization can play.

Frank Drausewski, Acting Manager 

at Parker River NWR, shared a perspective 

that helps to illustrate what it’s like to 

manage a very busy northeastern refuge.

flickr / chemisti

Deer at Quivira NWR
80 Soaring to New Heights

parker river nwr

Managing a Refuge

Parker River NWR consists of 4,662 acres of diverse 

upland and wetland habitats including sandy beach 

and dunes, shrub/thicket, bog, swamp, freshwater 

marsh, salt marsh and associated creek, river, mud 

flats and salt panne. These refuge habitats support 

varied and abundant populations of resident and 

migratory wildlife including more than 300 species 

of birds, and many species of mammals, reptiles, 

amphibians, insects and plants.

The refuge is adjacent to Newburyport (population 

17,000), an historic seaport and active tourist 

destination in northeastern Massachusetts. It is 

within 40 miles of Boston, and serves a metropolitan 

population of nearly 2.5 million people

The Refuge records approximately 250,000 visits per 

year. Primary public uses include wildlife observation 

and photography, hunting, fishing, shell fishing, 

environmental education and interpretation. A 

newly constructed visitor center is helping to make 

environmental education the primary public use focus 

for the refuge.

Management Challenges at Parker River NWR

Parker River NWR is relatively small and has 

diverse habitats, high visitation and proximity to a 

densely populated area. Because of these factors, 

the staff and managers at Parker River NWR have 

a special challenge relative to the management 

mandates for compatible wildlife-dependent public 

uses. Management activities are intensely scrutinized 

by an involved and vocal citizenry—many of whom 

are only recently gaining an understanding of the 

purposes and goals of the refuge. There are several 

special interest groups locally, and many have a 

positive relationship with the refuge. Nonetheless, 

each group has publicly disagreed with management 

at one time or another on specific resource issues. 

Indeed, one of the pressing management challenges 

is balancing the interests and defusing the conflicts 

that exist between various visitor groups.

Parker River NWR has been the center of a number 

of protests around management decisions:

■ Beach closures—to protect nesting piping plovers

■ Deer hunting— to protect habitat destruction by 

overpopulations of deer

■ Spraying mosquitoes—Biological control product 

use to reduce populations of mosquitoes and their 

risk of transmitting potentially life-threatening 

diseases to humans (i.e., Eastern Equine 

Encephalitis, West Nile Virus)

■ Herbicide use—to control invasive species

■ Swan and predator controls—to control populations 

and protect threatened species

In addition, conflicts have occurred between 

various groups of people vying for access to 

limited resources: beach users conflicting with 

surf fishermen (an historic public use) who drive 

vehicles to access the beach, or bird watchers 

conflicting with hunters.

Management practices change as scientific data 

is collected and wildlife patterns and management 

philosophies change. This has led to disagreements 

with segments of the public who prefer current 

practices and with state wildlife agencies that 

have goals and perspectives that differ from those 

of the FWS.

The manager is at the center of all these issues, 

overseeing compatibility assessments and making 

decisions based on best practices and refuge 

mandates. The manager must continually maintain 

contact with visitor groups and the public at large, 

striving to educate, communicate, and work together 

to address potential problems. At Parker River this 

balancing act requires vigilant and ongoing effort.

Elizabeth Rankin

profile
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 81

At the same time, the manager is also responsible 

for overseeing refuge conservation and restoration 

activities. This is no small task when resources 

(staff and money) are limited and invasive species 

issues are on the rise. This translates to less 

discretionary funds for maintenance, biology, law 

enforcement and equipment.

Refuge managers often try to do it all— spreading 

resources thinly in an effort to meet these broad 

demands. Today, some managers are even being 

challenged to select just a handful of things that can 

be accomplished well on their refuges. Many find it 

difficult indeed to reconcile this challenge with the 

many pressing needs at their site.

A Week in the Life of a Parker 

River NWR’s Manager

Acting Manager Frank Drausewski offered the 

following list of things in which he had been engaged 

in during the few days before the interview:

■ Handle personnel issues: the bigger the staff, 

the more issues there are to deal with

■ Provide a program to the elderly

■ Visit six area high school guidance offices to 

provide information on the Youth Conservation 

Corps Program

■ Attend/offer mandatory training

■ Work with information technology person to correct 

some computer problems

■ Continue to work off checklist of corrections needed 

for the new Visitor Center

■ Get estimates for correcting electrical problems in 

the new Visitor Center

■ Develop budget proposals for the Regional Office

■ Phone conference to determine how to repair the 

Visitor Center’s heating system

■ Staff meetings, new employee orientation

■ E-mails : these seem never ending. We’re driven 

by e-mail, getting assignments that need immediate 

responses

■ Prepare a report for the state

■ Sign off on acquisitions requests; general budget 

management

Drausewski also oversees a variety of resource 

management activities on the refuge, including 

such things as piping plover conservation, invasive 

species eradication, wetlands reconstruction, deer 

population surveys, bird surveys, proscribed burns, 

mowing, water management and a variety of research 

activities. Managing and educating visitors is another 

major undertaking and includes law enforcement, 

outreach programs, environmental education, 

interpretation and maintenance of visitor facilities.

The interview with Drausewski illustrates well how a 

refuge manager’s job is indeed a “balancing act.” The 

challenges facing refuge managers and staff are often 

daunting and budget shortfalls make accomplishing 

goals a difficult task. Becoming well educated about 

refuge management issues will help Friends leaders 

become sympathetic to refuge challenges and learn 

ways to become better and more effective partners. 
82 Soaring to New Heights
T he M o d el Partnersh i p

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 83

Key Element 5

Celebrate & 

Evaluate

Near the Tennessee 

River NWR, Tennessee

flickr / countryboy1949 
84 Soaring to New Heights

Key Element 5 Celebrate and Evaluate

Evaluation

Evaluation is a positive and essential 

experience. Evaluating progress is the 

only way to know if the collaboration is 

meeting its goals. Regular evaluation 

helps partners make course changes, as 

needed. If something isn’t working as well 

as expected, ongoing evaluation will help 

identify the problems before it becomes too 

late to fix them or resources are wasted. 

Too often evaluation is left to the end of a 

project or is not performed at all, and that 

may lead to burnout and discouragement 

because partners haven’t recognized their 

accomplishments.

The following approaches are helpful 

in performing evaluations (from Winer 

and Ray):

■ View evaluation as reflection. Avoid 

assuming that the chosen actions are 

the best or only way to achieve results. 

Be open to modifying and improving 

collaborative actions.

■ Integrate evaluation into the work. 

Evaluation needs to be integral to the 

efforts of the partners.

This is a short chapter, but the topic of celebration and evaluation is another important 

aspect of creating a sustainable and successful Friends/Refuge collaboration.

Molly Krival, NWRS Friends Mentor, writes: “Another issue is more serious 

than it sounds: Friends and staff need to be 

recognized, achievements celebrated even 

when they are not directly involved with 

projects. Applause and various types of 

thanks/honors should be built-in.”

Healthy sustainable partnerships create a 

culture of ongoing evaluation, celebration 

and rewards where partners celebrate 

their relationship and the individuals as 

much as the successes themselves.

When evaluation is performed as part of 

every meeting (the small steps) and as 

part of a strategic process (every year), it 

brings energy to the organization because 

everyone recognizes the progress being 

made. Ongoing evaluation makes ongoing 

celebration possible—you don’t have to 

wait until a major goal is achieved, but 

can celebrate completing the small steps 

along the way. Celebration builds trust 

and tightens the bonds of the relationship. 

Celebration increases involvement and 

participation in the partnership because 

people feel satisfied that they are making a 

contribution that is noticed, welcomed and 

valued by others.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 85

Key Element 5 Celebrate and Evaluate

■ Tailor evaluation to the stage of 

collaboration. Remember that there is not 

one model or one outcome for a Friends/

Refuge to be successful. The results must 

be measured based on local experience.

■ Use quantitative and qualitative 

evaluation methods.

■ Evaluate both the results and the 

processes being used.

■ Appreciate failure. “Be up-front about 

aborted efforts or fiascoes...see the failure 

as a learning opportunity.”

■ Expect multiple results. Many variables 

influence outcomes and experiences and 

members of the collaboration will view 

outcomes from a variety of different 

perspectives. These multiple responses to 

multiple results make it possible to realize 

success from a variety of different angles 

and makes for a richer evaluation process.

Molly Krival offers the following questions 

as practical queries your group could ask 

to evaluate progress on a project or a 

committee report:

■ Is the predicted timeline working out?

■ Have you found the people you need, 

the skills, the funding?

■ Should the board be offering more help 

to a committee?

■ How do you recommend changing the 

original plan?

■ Has the whole project been superseded 

by an unexpected more important need?

Each partnership should decide how 

to incorporate evaluation. A one-page 

checklist could be developed and used to 

guide discussion as needed.

Perhaps the most important 

recommendation about evaluation is 

don’t forget to do it. Remember that each 

refuge, each situation each collaboration 

is unique. An evaluation is a measure 

of each Friends/Refuge collaboration’s 

success in accomplishing locally defined 

goals. Partners must resist the temptation 

to gauge outcomes against the successes 

reported by other Friends/Refuge 

collaborations.
profile

Friends of San Luis Valley NWRC

Accomplishments

n Provided maps of the Complex for visitors

n Provide refreshments at refuge events

n Staff the Refuge office and Visitor’s Center 

during festivals and the summer months

n Built an interpretive trail and studied the impact 

of visitor use of the trail on nesting birds

n Sponsor monthly workdays during the summer

n Publish a quarterly newsletter

n Sponsor prizes at the regional Science Fair for 

conservation-related projects

n Sponsor special field trips for members only

n Host an annual Friends and Neighbors picnic 

for neighboring landowners

n Maintain a website (www.slvrefuges.org)

n Provide Refuge outreach at local festivals to 

raise awareness of National Wildlife Refuges

n Sponsor a K-12 Feathered Friends art contest

n Write grants for refuge projects

n Fundraise

n Accept donations at the Refuge

n Lobbied for a $324,000 Congressional 

appropriation for operations and maintenance 

funding for the Baca NWR

n Sponsored debate on a state ballot issue

n Partner with other local conservation groups

n Purchase educational supplies for the Refuge

n Help lead field trips for school groups on the 

Refuge

n Assist with an annual spring Crane Festival

n Sponsor an annual fall Kid’s Crane Festival

Evaluating Friends/Refuge 

Accomplishments

Evaluation doesn’t have to be complicated. As Brian O’Connell 

has observed (1993): “It can be as basic as deciding what you 

want to achieve by the end of the year and then figuring out later 

if you got there.” Evaluation starts with an attainable goal to be 

accomplished at a realistic date, with a prior commitment “to stop 

what you’re doing on that date to look back to see if your goal was 

actually reached.”

As members of Friends/Refuge collaborations, NWRS Friends 

Mentors have experienced their own challenges and successes. 

NWRS Friends Mentors Tim Armstrong, Friends President, 

and Mike Blenden, Complex Manager, at San Luis Valley 

NWRC relay this story:

Armstrong recently found himself lamenting to Manager Blenden 

that he didn’t feel the Friends had accomplished enough since they 

were formed seven years ago. As they talked, Blenden pointed out 

achievements Armstrong had forgotten. Together they decided 

that a simple “accomplishment presentation” was in order. They 

listed every project the Friends had accomplished and created 

a chronological Power Point presentation. They were astounded 

by how much the Friends had done, none of which would have 

happened had the collaboration not been formed. This realization 

was both sobering and motivating.

Armstrong and Blenden now show the Power Point presentation 

on the mentoring visits they make to show fledgling groups what 

a small, committed group of volunteers can do on rural refuges. 

They used the presentation to solicit support for a fall 2006 

migratory bird festival from their local Chamber of Commerce. 

They also showed the presentation to members of the entire 

Friends organization, most of whom had forgotten many of the 

amazing things they had done.

They plan on updating the San Luis accomplishments 

presentation at least once a year and providing it to potential 

board members who are considering joining the organization. 

Armstrong and Blenden are confident they can recruit new 

members more easily when people can see they are joining an 

organization that has a successful track record. 

san luis nwrc

flickr / Teddy Llovet

86 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 87

Key Element 5 Celebrate & Evaluate

Celebration and 

Rewards

Members of successful Friends/Refuge 

collaborations consistently put having 

fun at the top of the list of their keys to 

success. Having fun is what makes people 

want to keep coming back for more. 

Feeling good about accomplishments 

gives everyone a sense of personal pride 

in the organization. Having fun prevents 

stagnation, smoothes conflicts and 

nurtures relationships. It’s the glue that 

holds a collaboration together. Here are 

some tips:

■ Decide what types of rewards and 

celebrations are important. As you begin 

the collaboration, and as new members 

join, it’s worth having a discussion about 

what rewards are important to each 

individual, what would make them feel 

appreciated what would they enjoy 

doing. Consider how to celebrate not 

only accomplishments, but how to 

reward and recognize the individual 

members of the collaboration as well—

the board, volunteers, Refuge staff, the 

manager. For many people, personal 

recognition —even a simple “thank you” 

for a job well done —is the most important 

token of appreciation one can offer.

■ Integrate celebration into the day-today culture of the collaboration. Don’t 

wait until the end of a project to celebrate. 

Use action plans and evaluation tools to 

identify small and large milestones. Each 

meeting can include time to acknowledge 

and celebrate the work done by individuals 

and completion of objectives. Special, more 

formal celebrations should be scheduled at 

regular intervals during the year.

■ Celebrate the partnership not just 

the accomplishments. Plan to set aside 

time on a regular basis to celebrate the 

relationship itself—a special refuge tour, 

specially scheduled social time before a 

meeting, a pot-luck dinner. This helps build 

trust as the relationships become more 

personal.

■ Celebration is a way to prevent burnout.

Celebrating maintains enthusiasm and 

keeps things positive. It makes people 

feel good. It keeps them interested and 

they feel valued, rewarded and satisfied 

with their affiliation with the organization. 

Having fun brings positive energy to the 

relationship—energy that will ensure a 

long-term life for the collaboration.

To conclude, creating a sustainable 

Friends/Refuge collaboration requires a 

serious commitment by everyone involved, 

but it also reaps tremendous rewards. 

FWS Mentor and Manager of Blackwater 

NWR, Glenn Carowan, sums up the vision 

Mentors have for the Friends/Refuge 

collaborations when he says: “We’d like 

to see Friends groups rise to their most 

important level of responsibility: Looking 

out for the System as a whole—raising the 

visibility of the System within the country, 

one community at a time.” 
profile

blackwater nwrc

88 Soaring to New Heights

Putting it all Together—

The Sustainable Friends/Refuge 

Collaboration

Across the country there are a handful of Friends partnerships 

that exceed regular expectations. Because all refuges and affiliated 

Friends are unique, there really cannot be a single overall model 

for a Friends group. However, any Friends/Refuge partners eager 

to create a sustainable collaboration will benefit from studying the 

process and accomplishments of the Friends of Blackwater NWR—

a highly successful Friends organization located in a rural area.

Ron Tiller, a former Blackwater Friends president and FWS 

Mentor, says, “It’s a myth that Friends can’t really do anything in 

a rural community. Blackwater NWR is in a rural area. You have to 

want to come to the refuge to find us. The closest ‘city,’ Cambridge 

(population 11,000), is about 18 miles away and the county has only 

about 31,000 people in a 558 square mile area.”

A rural location can make it complicated for Friends to build 

membership and find volunteers. There is a limited population from 

which to draw helpers, so the same people face multiple demands 

for their time. It may be challenging to find funds because the 

same sources sustain multiple requests. How have the Friends of 

Blackwater NWR overcome these challenges? The answer is that 

its members and the Refuge management and staff have dedicated 

themselves to the principles of building a sustainable collaboration.

A Solid Collaboration

The Friends and Refuge have worked hard over many years to 

build their collaboration. They have created a culture that nurtures 

and encourages personal, trusting and respectful relationships. 

Expectations are clear. Good communications systems are in place. 

And everyone takes responsibility for success of the collaboration.

Ron Tiller emphasizes Friends must feel welcome at the refuge and 

have a good relationship with the staff. He observes that Manager 

Glenn Carowan offers leadership by saying to staff: “We’ve got to 

work with the Friends—give them all the support you can.” The 

relationship is such that Tiller knew he could call Carowan at home 

at 9:00 or 10:00 in the evening if there was a need to discuss 

something —just as he might with any trusted friend.

Blackwater at a glance

The Refuge

n Established in 1933 as a refuge for 

migratory birds

n Located on the Eastern Shore of 

Maryland near Cambridge (Pop. ~11,000).

n Over 27,000 acres, mostly rich tidal 

marsh. Other habitat types include 

freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and 

deciduous forests and small amounts of 

cropland and managed impoundments that 

are seasonally flooded for waterfowl use.

n Visit <www.fws.gov/blackwater>

The Friends

Established: 1987

640 memberships: (about 800+ members)

Annual Budget/Expenses: >$100,000

Visit <www.friendsofblackwater.org>

Mission

To support the purposes of the Blackwater 

NWR by working for the protection, 

preservation and enhancement of these 

precious public lands through advocacy, 

environmental education and outreach 

programs.

Accomplishments

n NWRA/NFWF Friends Group of the 

Year 2003

n Expanded bookstore and gift shop profits

n Took over management of the hunt 

program

n Implemented a popular educational 

website

n Funded and installed video cameras on 

an osprey nest and eagle’s aerie shown in 

the visitor center and on the website

n Secured grants for: a 20 mile paddling 

trail through the Refuge; five miles of 

two new hiking trails; building a new 

observation floor and library.

flickr / ecpark
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 89

Strategic Thinking

Glenn Carowan notes: “People are always amazed 

that anytime we do anything, we always bring in the 

Friends first and discuss how the Friends fit—what 

they can do and how to use Friends resources 

strategically.” For example, Friends participate 

along with the staff in Refuge planning retreats, 

which occur every one to two years. “We don’t look 

at the weeds...we look at the entire program and 

what we want to focus on, two or three ideas. We 

use the Friends for input on what they see—the 

community pulse. It helps us think about how the 

community views the Refuge.”

Manager Carowan reports many benefits from 

including the Friends in refuge planning, including:

■ Helps the Refuge more effectively use all of its 

resources;

■ Builds the relationship with the Friends;

■ Generates new ideas from the community; and

■ Builds consensus up front, rather than after 

the fact,

This has been critical to the Friends success. 

Tiller observes that “Glenn Carowan includes the 

Friends at strategic planning sessions as part of 

the ‘staff.’ He makes us feel part of the Refuge 

organization—a part of everything they do. We 

wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are today 

if we were treated as the ‘stepchildren’.”

A Well-Managed Organization

In its 20+ year history, the Friends of Blackwater 

have been through four developmental stages:

1. The first stage focused on getting board 

members—they spent time volunteering and 

becoming known in the community.

2. In the next stage, the Friends tackled their first 

project: they launched a small bookstore and hired 

its part-time staff. The Friends at first thought they 

were making money from the store. In reality it 

was losing money—sales grossed about $3,000, but 

all proceeds went to pay the bookstore manager. After 

assessing the situation, the board decided 

to keep the store, but make substantial changes. 

A board member volunteered to dedicate the countless 

hours it required to improve the store and make it 

profitable. Today, the store annually grosses over 

$100,000.

3. In 1999, twelve years after the Friends inception, the 

board reorganized and moved to a committee structure. 

This revision was a key element in the advancement 

of the organization. Tiller notes: “I firmly believe that 

the way the board is structured is critical to how the 

group works. We used to have meetings that were 3 

to 3 1⁄2 hours long—everyone got into everyone else’s 

business and chewed up ideas. Now, if you want to be on 

the board, you have to donate $1,000 in cash or in-kind, 

chair one committee and participate in another. When 

we made this change, we lost four board members, 

but the board members we have now are serious. 

We have good control over our meetings, which run 

about one hour and focus on committee reports. If 

someone says ‘I have a better idea’ they are asked to 

join the committee.”

In addition to improving board function, the committee 

structure has helped build in a system to generate 

new members and leaders. Committee chairs are 

responsible to recruit volunteers for their committees 

and find replacements for themselves when they are 

ready to step down. This system makes everyone 

responsible for ensuring the overall future of the board 

and organization.

4. The committee structure has now enabled the 

Friends to focus successfully on multiple projects. 

Education and outreach are high priorities. The 

Friends have built an educational building, 

ornithological library and observatory. They are 

reaching out more to the community and working 

with the school system. They have developed extensive 

resources available for educators.

As an aside, Manager Carowan comments that too 

much emphasis is being placed by the FWS and Friends 

on “We’ve got to have a visitor center. We’ve got to raise 

$1 million.” >>
blackwater nwr

He reminds us “Blackwater has been in business 

since 1987. We didn’t take on a multi-million dollar 

project in 1989. The visitor center has been the last 

thing Blackwater has tackled. It’s important to be 

realistic—identify what can be accomplished, make it 

happen and build on the accomplishments.”

While the Blackwater experience offers invaluable 

insights about the evolution of collaboration, 

remember that each partnership is unique. The 

accomplishments of each collaboration must be 

measured against its set of vision and goals, not the 

successes of another group. Indeed, Tim Armstrong, 

FWS Mentor, Friends of San Luis Valley NWRs, says 

it well: 

“We have to be careful about setting up expectations 

that every Friends group needs to be like the handful 

of big, highly successful groups in the country. The 

majority of Friends are relatively small and many 

will never be raising lots of money or members. They 

need to define success based on their own measures... 

While it’s important for Board members to 

understand and meet their roles and responsibilities, 

it’s also important, especially for small groups, to 

realize it’s okay to stay in the early stage of board 

development. That’s fine if you have enthusiasm 

and some change over—you don’t need to have a big 

institutional board.”

It is quite acceptable for a collaboration to remain 

rather small —provided it keeps moving forward. 

The Blackwater partnership enjoys a twentyplus year history, and its greatest successes have 

occurred over the last seven or eight years. Most 

Refuge Friends groups are very young and have 

much to learn. Perhaps the most important lesson is 

what has remained true throughout the Blackwater 

collaboration’s life cycle: there must be strength 

in the relationship and everyone must subscribe 

to a clear vision. These are things that sustain any 

Friends/Refuge collaboration and lead to a future 

filled with success.

When Glenn Carowan was asked what he thought 

was the greatest success for the Friends/Refuge 

collaboration at Blackwater, he responded:

“The greatest contribution Friends of Blackwater 

NWR has made is how they have integrated the 

Refuge into the community and the community into 

the Refuge. We send the wrong message when we 

say ‘the Friends role is to raise money.’ This is not 

the most important role of Friends. Integrating the 

Refuge with the community is what it’s all about. 

If we’re not doing that, we as a System, fail.” 

90 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 91

Resources

Lilypads at Ottawa NWR, 

Ohio

flickr / heathzib
92 Soaring to New Heights

Connolly, Paul & Laura Colin Klein. (June 

1999). Getting Back in Shape: Guidelines 

for Improving the Fitness of Established 

Nonprofit Organizations. Retrieved June 

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Hogue, Teresa. Community Based 

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Multiplied. Retrieved June 2006 from 

the Chandler Center for Community 

Leadership at: <crs.uvm.edu/nnco/collab/

wellness.html>

Lencioni, Patrick. (2002). The Five 

Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership 

Fable. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

Jones, O. Garfield. (1932; Reprint 1990). 

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New Ed. O. Garfield Jones, Penguin Books.

Heinze-Lacey, Beverly, & Mehaffey, 

Maggie. (1997). Taking Flight: An 

Introduction to Building Refuge Friends 

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Lacey, Beverly. (2000). Building Your Nest 

Egg: An Introduction to Raising Funds for 

National Wildlife Refuge Support Groups. 

Washington, DC: NWRA.

Jones, O. Garfield. (Reprint 1990). 

Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance, 

New Ed., Penguin Books

Lukes, Carol & Andrews, Rebecca. 

Four Keys to Collaboration Success. 

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<www.fieldstonealliance.org>

Resources

Alliance for Nonprofit Management. 

(2003–2004). Frequently Asked Questions: 

What’s in a Vision Statement? Retrieved 

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content/index.php?pid=174>

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Randolph, Alan. (1999) Berrett-Koehler 

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brodyweiser.com/pdf/boardchair.pdf>

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of Governance: What to do about Junior? 

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whattodoaboutjr.pdf>

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actyourage.pdf>

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Corporate, Sales, Managing, Mediation, 

Strategic Planning and Team-Building. 

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<www.businessballs.com/meetings.htm>

Chapman, Alan. (1995-2005). Bruce 

Tuckman’s 1965 Forming Storming 

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model. Retrieved June 2006 from: 

<www.businessballs.com>
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 93

Temkin, Terrie. (Oct 14, 2003). Nonprofit 

Boards and Governance Review: 

Recruiting Strategic Thinkers (Part 3 of a 

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Structuring Board Meetings to Maximize 

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Marta, & Monsey, Barbara R. (2004). 

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94 Soaring to New Heights
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 95

Quivira 

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Appendices

A: Guiding Principles for the Friends/

FWS Relationship

B: Best Practices for an Accountable Organization

C: Decision-Making Process Steps

D: Finding People to Help

Butterfly at Noxubee 

NWR, Mississippi

flickr / frank peters
96 Soaring to New Heights

What follows is the list of expectations for 

the relationship between the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Friends 

groups developed at the culmination of the 

1997 meeting in Virginia. It was signed 

by everyone present as a statement of 

principles.

We commit to abide by the following 

expectations that we hold for one another 

in the Friends-FWS relationship.

Expectations that the Friends hold for 

themselves in the relationship:

■ That we will consistently and regularly 

communicate honestly and strongly.

■ That we will work to protect the natural 

resource.

■ That we will respect the concerns that 

the FWS has regarding the relationship, 

i.e., that we will have reasonable 

expectations of them and what they can do.

■ That we will be committed to the refuge 

mission, which means that we must know 

what the mission is and so we will educate 

ourselves.

■ That we will be fully committed to 

keeping up our end of the partnership.

■ That we will not undercut agency and 

refuge management, that the “dirty linens” 

will not be aired in public.

■ That we will agree to always discuss 

differences of opinion in a professional and 

respectful manner.

■ That we will buy into a shared vision, 

that means a vision that both sides work 

to create.

■ That we will help the Service personnel 

to be and feel productive.

Expectations that the Friends hold for 

the FWS relationship:

■ “That they will put their money where 

their mouths are.” Commit to training, to 

mentoring and to providing the resources 

that are needed. That the FWS will commit 

to doing what needs to be done to help 

make the Friends group effort succeed: 

it is not just the money.

■ That they are making a long-term 

commitment to this effort, that the nonprofit organizations are here to stay. That 

the commitment is consistent among 

refuge managers (both serially over time 

and at each refuge and across all refuges) 

and throughout the FWS.

■ That they will have a true sense of 

partnership, wherein there will be a 

“no surprises” philosophy and a full 

sharing of information in both directions.

■ That the Friends efforts will have the 

support of the whole FWS, and especially 

including the managers. The managers 

are essential but it needs to permeate the 

whole agency.

■ That they will trust and respect us.

■ That they will work to protect the 

natural resource.

Appendices

Appendix A: Guiding Principles for the 

Friends/FWS Relationship
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 97

Expectations that the FWS holds for 

the Friends in the relationship:

■ To protect the resource.

■ To be independent advocates. That they 

will learn how to work effectively with 

and within governmental systems. That 

they will be advocates for the good of the 

system at the local and national level. 

That they might help to raise support to 

benefit the refuges.

■ That they will respect and trust the 

Service employees.

■ That we will agree to always discuss 

differences of opinion in a professional and 

respectful manner.

■ That they will understand and respect 

the operational pressures and boundaries 

that affect the Service (Give the Service 

the room they need to make management 

decisions.)

■ To provide a positive community 

influence. Be the FWS’ doorway to the 

public.

■ To assist in accomplishing refuge 

projects. The Service’s resources are 

limited and sometimes need help to finish 

a project. 

Expectations that the FWS holds for 

themselves in the relationship:

■ View the Friends groups as a longterm, personal friendship. This implies 

dealing with them honestly, trusting and 

respecting them, appreciating them, being 

patient with them, not being negative 

about them, and using the full set of 

talents.

■ We will work to sell it to our peers and to 

the troops. We will work to infuse support 

for Friends throughout the agency.

■ Providing consistent follow-through and 

active support of Friends groups from the 

Washington office, the regional offices, 

and the field.

■ We understand what it takes to have 

a Friends group and then make the 

commitment.

■ That we will help you help us. We will 

teach you about the government systems 

to make your job easier. We will give 

Friends the information that needed to do 

their job and to give them the information 

before they read it in the media.

■ That we will help the Friends to be 

and feel productive.

Appendices
98 Soaring to New Heights

Appendices

As a nonprofit organization, it is 

responsible for mission fulfillment, 

leadership on behalf of the public interest 

in parks and forests, stewardship, and 

quality.

■ Regarding mission fulfillment, the 

Nature Association 1) establishes a 

vision for the future and pursues its 

accomplishment; 2) is doing what it says it 

will do; and 3) maintains its relevance by 

meeting needs within an environment of 

change.

■ Regarding leadership on behalf of the 

public interest in parks and forests, the 

Nature Association 1) enhances the wellbeing of public lands and public land users; 

2) promotes inclusiveness and diversity; 

3) educates the public, other nonprofit 

organizations, governmental agencies, and 

Congress, including appropriate advocacy 

and lobbying.

■ Regarding stewardship, the Nature 

Association 1) maintains effective 

governance and management; 2) generates 

adequate financial resources; 3) manages 

time, talent, and funds effectively; 4) 

supports and recognizes volunteers; and 5) 

appropriately compensates staff.

■ Regarding quality, the Nature 

Association 1) strives for and achieves 

excellence in all aspects of the 

organization; and 2) evaluates the total 

organization and its outcomes on an 

ongoing annual basis.

Appendix B: Rocky Mountain Nature Assn.—

Best Practices as an Accountable Organization

(Adapted from the 

Association of Fund 

Raising Professionals, 

1995, and the 

Accountability and 

Nonprofit Organizations 

program at the Mandel 

Center for Nonprofit 

Organizations, 1995) 

The statement above 

and the accountability 

measures for positions 

that follow were 

compiled by C.W. 

Buchholtz, January 

2006.

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association 

holds a public trust to improve the 

quality of parks, forests, and other public 

lands. As an accountable organization 

it clearly states its mission: The Rocky 

Mountain Nature Association promotes 

the understanding of Rocky Mountain 

National Park and similar public lands 

through interpretive or educational 

publications and programs; advances 

stewardship through philanthropy for 

Rocky Mountain National Park and similar 

public lands; protects, restores, maintains 

and preserves land and historic sites 

in Rocky Mountain National Park and 

elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain region; 

and may, in furtherance of such mission, 

conduct any lawful activity.

As an accountable organization it 

articulates the needs of public agencies as 

well as visitors, explains how parks and 

forests are of public benefit, and provides 

cost-effective programs.

The Nature Association freely and 

accurately shares information about its 

governance, finances and operations. It 

is open and inclusive in its procedures, 

processes and programs consistent with 

its mission and purpose.

The Nature Association is accountable to 

all those it expects to serve, to all those 

who support it, and to society.
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 99

Appendix B Best Practices as an Accountable Organization

For a General Manager

■ Does the General Manager ensure 

adequate operating funds and bank 

account levels are maintained, while 

managing surplus funds in a responsible 

manner that results in the greatest 

earnings within an acceptable level of risk?

■ Is there assistance in hiring the best 

individuals available for staff positions, 

while guiding and nurturing staff members 

to maximize productivity? Does the 

General Manager facilitate training, 

communication and mentoring to achieve 

employee enthusiasm and retention?

■ Are management actions and policies 

communicated effectively?

■ Are the financial records of the 

organization transparent and easily 

explained and available for public review, 

with all reports and audits completed by 

their required dates?

■ Are thorough analyses of costs 

and benefits performed regarding 

organizational expenditures, and are the 

fundamentals of business planning used in 

developing long-term strategies?

For an Office Manager

■ Are payments made promptly and 

properly to vendors, employees and 

governmental agencies?

■ Are financial records in excellent order 

and available at all times, fully documented 

for audit purposes?

■ Are supplies, equipment, and other 

resources procured in a timely and costeffective manner?

■ Is communication effective and timely 

with anyone requiring assistance or 

information?

Ways to Measure Best 

Practices and Excellence

For a Board Member

■ Is the organization solvent and 

experiencing controlled growth?

■ Are relationships with partners positive 

and improving?

■ Are the goals, projects and activities of 

the organization in line with its mission, 

policies and capacity?

■ Is board meeting attendance and 

committee participation high (are board 

members contributing to the organization 

in time and funds)?

■ Is discussion effective, positive and 

respectful of others?

For an Executive Director

■ Is the organization financially solvent, 

experiencing growth or suffering a decline?

■ Is the staff productive, supportive, 

cooperative and as happy as possible?

■ Is the governance of the organization in 

good working order, including the Board of 

Directors? Are the organization’s official 

documents available and in order?

■ Are cooperative relationships with 

agencies and partners positive or negative?

■ Is the organization as a whole productive 

and accountable, or declining or secretive?
100 Soaring to New Heights

Appendix B Best Practices as an Accountable Organization

For an Inventory Specialist

■ Is the warehouse neat and operated in 

a business-like manner, permitting the 

efficient receiving, storage, and processing 

of merchandise?

■ Are incoming orders, phone calls, and 

e-mails handled efficiently and processed 

in a timely and professional manner?

■ Are internet orders and interorganizational transfers processed and 

shipped within 24 hours?

■ Are the commerce pages of the 

organization’s website accurate and up to 

date?

■ Is communication with the public 

effective and is a spirit of team work and 

cooperation evident within this office?

For an Administration Assistant

■ Are donor records held confidential 

and updated accurately and is the data 

base program used for analysis and 

philanthropic support to its full potential?

■ Are financial records for donated funds 

and endowments accurate, efficiently 

managed and communicated to the Board 

of Directors?

■ Are project payments made in a timely 

manner and expense accounts kept up 

to date, with organization and agency 

balances properly reported?

■ Is communication open and frequent with 

the main accounting office in all financial 

matters relating to donated funds, aid, 

endowments, and investments?

■ Are data base problems, special projects, 

and complex assignments accomplished 

efficiently and successfully?

For a Membership Manager

■ Does the membership program 

complement the goals of the organization?

■ Is there a business or strategic plan for 

the membership program? And is it being 

updated regularly?

■ Are new members being sought with 

creative and changing methodology, with a 

goal of increasing membership annually?

■ Are communications or correspondence 

provided for members in a timely and 

professional manner?

■ Is the renewal rate of membership 

above the national average of 70%? Or is 

membership in the organization declining?

For a Seminar Coordinator

■ Does the field seminar program offer the 

highest quality seminars and instructors, 

presenting topics intended to enhance the 

understanding of our public lands?

■ Does each seminar provide people with 

accurate information on subjects relating 

to natural and cultural history?

■ Are seminar participants pleased with 

their educational experiences? Do they 

advertise the program to others?

■ Does the seminar program produce 

sufficient revenue to break even 

financially?

■ Is marketing and promotion of the 

seminar program sufficient to ensure that 

seminars are filled to capacity and none are 

cancelled for lack of enrollment?
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 101

Appendix B Best Practices as an Accountable Organization

■ Are communications with agency 

liaisons and visitor center managers 

professional, cordial, and productive, 

specifically regarding product approval, 

merchandising strategies and sales 

procedures?

■ Are sales personnel—including agency 

employees or nonprofit staff —kept well 

informed about merchandising initiatives 

or strategies, as well as new products and 

any retail changes?

For a Special Projects Manager

■ Are special projects managed creatively, 

efficiently, and cost-effectively?

■ Do in-house publishing and product 

development projects reflect well upon 

the organization and are such projects 

produced in a timely fashion?

■ Is the organization’s newsletter produced 

on schedule, with accuracy, within budget 

and is it appealing to donors and members?

■ Are relationships with members, donors, 

Board, staff and volunteers positive as a 

result of special projects?

■ Is the fellowship program marketed 

to attract the best applicants? Are the 

logistical requirements of the fellowship 

program properly facilitated each year?

For an Inventory Manager

■ Are sales outlets as well as retail and 

wholesale customers receiving the highest 

level of customer service?

■ Are inventory levels appropriately 

maintained throughout the organization 

while staying within the purchasing budget 

guidelines?

■ Are vendor relationships positive, 

allowing for the negotiation of favorable 

deals for the organization?

■ Is communication being conducted in a 

positive and effective manner with fellow 

employees and partners?

■ Is the inventory management office 

adapting new techniques and technology, 

when appropriate, to be more productive 

and accountable?

For a Sales and Merchandising Manager

■ Are sales outlets examined and 

reorganized as necessary on a regular 

basis (with outside outlets visited at least 

twice a year and local stores at least 

weekly) to ensure inventory is optimal and 

operations are running smoothly?

■ Are 20% of all retail items newlyselected each year and well suited to the 

marketplace, serving both an educational 

mission and appealing to visitors?

■ Are slow selling products identified and 

either transferred other retail outlets or 

discounted, working to minimize financial 

risk or loss to the organization?
102 Soaring to New Heights

Appendices

For a Publications Manager

■ Is the organization producing 

high-quality publications and products 

at a reasonable cost?

■ Are the organization’s publications or 

products addressing the needs within the 

marketplace of park and forest visitors and 

are they profitable?

■ Do publications and products of the 

organization match and enhance its 

interpretative and educational mission?

■ Is the organization’s publications 

department establishing a positive 

cooperative relationship with agencies 

and partners?

■ Have the publications and products of 

the organization earned a reputation for 

quality, accuracy, attractiveness and value? 

Have any merited awards?

For Sales Clerks

■ Is there a thorough familiarity with the 

inventory at the sales site so that the best 

recommendations are made to visitors 

based on their interests and needs?

■ Are the organization’s activities and 

programs, as well as the public land 

partner, represented knowledgeably and 

positively? Are visitors encouraged to 

become involved with the organization; do 

they leave with a positive impression of the 

organization and affiliated public agency?

■ Are visitors made to feel welcome and 

are questions answered as patiently, kindly 

and thoroughly as possible? Are visitors 

referred to agency staff when appropriate?

■ Is the sales area kept neat and clean? 

Does it reflect pride in one’s work, the 

organization, and the agency?

■ Is communication open with fellow 

staff so that, if necessary, they willingly 

provide assistance regarding inventory, 

merchandising and related needs? 
A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 103

5. Categorize

Put like ideas together and topic headings 

as appropriate.

6. Prioritize by voting

Decide how many votes each person gets. 

Each person places a mark or sticks a dot 

on their favorite ideas.

7. Discuss the popular ideas

This is the point where evaluation begins. 

Consider how feasible each idea is (what 

are the resources available, what resources 

are needed) as well as how important each 

idea is to the collaboration and its success.

8. Select the best ideas

The best ideas are those that will further 

the organizations goals. 

9. Decide on an action plan, implement 

it, and review and evaluate regularly

The decisions made should be recorded 

(retaining all ideas generated). An action 

plan should put in writing, assigning tasks 

and time-frame for completion. This action 

plan should become the focus of Board 

meetings. “Creative ideas” that arise 

during the year should be considered in 

reference to the action plan (i.e., Does this 

new idea help us accomplish our plan?).

Appendix C: DecisionMaking Process Steps

There are many approaches groups can 

take to make decisions. Friends mentors 

use the process below, using a full day to 

assist Friends/FWS collaborators to work 

through steps 1–7. The Friends/FWS 

partners then conduct a number of followup meetings to develop a strategy for #8 

and revisit actions, progress and outcomes 

at each meeting thereafter.

1. Ask a concrete question

Examples: In three years, how do we 

want our community (the public) to be 

interacting with the Refuge (and vise 

versa)? In the next six months, what do 

we want to accomplish?

2. Write down ideas

Everyone works individually. Each person 

writes down one idea per page.

3. Post ideas on a wall

This allows everyone to view the ideas, but 

no evaluation of ideas is done at this time.

4. Review and clarify each idea

The goal is to make sure all ideas are 

understood as presented, but no evaluation 

is done at this time.

Appendices
104 Soaring to New Heights

Appendices

7. When that process is complete, sort 

the names into groups: likely candidates, 

maybe or not likely.

8. Invite the likely group, and perhaps the 

“maybes” to a guided tour of the refuge 

followed by food and drink.

9. All board and staff should make a point 

of meeting them.

10. A short program on the refuge and the 

activities of the Friends should be included.

11. After this, hold a meeting of the 

board and any interested staff to discuss 

impressions.

12. Board then decides who to ask to 

be nominated for the board or to become 

a committee member. (See “How to Ask,” 

p. 106)

Boards often ask how to decide if someone 

is a good candidate. It varies so much. A 

staff member offered his right and left 

guards on a hockey team because they’d 

do anything for him. Sometimes it’s a 

volunteer who loves the refuge and is 

willing to help do other things. Sometimes 

it’s a highly charged person who is on other 

boards and is known for accomplishments. 

Sometimes it’s someone who wants a place 

to do something worthwhile. A person who 

likes you. A person who likes the refuge. 

One who loves kids, likes to help out, has 

just retired, took a Master’s Naturalist 

course. Someone who bakes or is good 

with a computer. Someone who’ll make 

your board/committee more diverse. A 

banker. An accountant. A parliamentarian. 

A member of other environmental 

organizations. Someone looking for a new 

interest. A good-hearted person.

Appendix D: Finding 

People to Help

It goes without saying that a successful, 

sustainable organization made up of 

volunteers means that bodies (and minds) 

are needed. But how do you find people to 

help? People of diverse interests, expertise 

and personality will round out a Friends 

group. Below is an exercise that uses 

an Acquaintance Map, a useful tool for 

zeroing in on potential volunteers.

by Molly Krival

1. Bring together all board members 

and as many staff as possible.

2. Place the Acquaintance Map where 

everyone can see it (see map on next page).

3. Provide everyone with 20 or more 

3 x 5 index cards.

4. Using the Acquaintance Map as a 

stimulus to memory, everyone writes on a 

card the name of someone they know and 

why that person might make a good board 

or committee member, like interests or 

expertise. Use a different card for each 

person to be considered.

5. When everyone is done, collect the 

cards.

6. One person reads aloud each card and 

asks everyone if they know this person 

and, if they do, what can they add—

positive or negative—about them. Another 

person records what is said.
Appendices

A Guide to Creating a Sustainable Friends/Refuge Collaborative 105

Acquaintance Map

Many times, we go through the day compartmentalizing our 

roles. We have friends and acquaintances that are a part 

of our family lives, others that are a part of our work lives, 

yet others that are a part of our recreational lives, and so 

on. When it comes to involving people in our community it 

YOU

Neighborhood

Sports Schools

Religious 

Organizations

Charities

and

Other Nonprofits

Fraternal

Organizations Card Games

Work

Cultural 

Activities

Car Pools

Retiree Groups Shops

is important to break down the walls by which we segregate 

these people. Only by working together with everyone can 

we build the optimum community.

Terrie Temkin, PhD, CoreStrategies for Nonprofits, Inc. 

<www.corestrategies4nonprofits.com>
106 Soaring to New Heights

Appendices

■ They are prepared to discuss what will be 

needed if qualifications are not complete:

Become a member, 

Training, orientation, mentor-intern 

relationship

■ If all is well, they provide the new 

director with a schedule of the year’s 

meetings, explain when they will be 

expected to attend, and offer to take 

them to the first meeting. If appropriate, 

introduce the new director to a board 

member who will serve as their mentor 

until they are familiar with the board’s 

routine.

■ At the first meeting, introduce them to 

everyone and provide them with a list of 

directors, a handbook with by-laws, recent 

minutes, etc.

■ On the way home, answer questions they 

may have. 

How to Ask a Nominee to Consider 

a Board Appointment

By Molly Krival

■ The President and another director meet 

the candidate by appointment after the 

board has approved the selection.

■ They have clear, detailed information 

on what role the candidate is being 

asked to take, including the typical time 

commitment.

■ They say why the board is asking 

this person to become a director: skills, 

reputation, commitment to the refuge, etc.

■ They double check that the person has all 

the qualifications: membership, skills, time, 

interest, and commitment to refuge.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Refuge System

www.fws.gov/refuges

March 2010