Partners are valuable allies to the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and play a vital role in meeting the Service's conservation goals. We team up with private conservation organizations, state and federal agencies and tribes. Together, with the landowner, this collective shares funding, materials, equipment, labor and expertise to meet restoration goals and our conservation mission.

Partnership Categories

Great things happen when partners are matched with the right opportunities. That's why we work with many types of partners at FWS from local businesses and conservation groups to veterans and large industry partners. Here are just a few of the Partner Categories working with FWS today.

Academic Institutions

We frequently partner with academia to further the conservation of and research into the stewardship of many species.

Conservation, Science, and Land Management Organizations

We often partner with non-governmental conservation organizations on conservation projects, whether it's to conserve identified species such as the monarch butterfly or to advise on land acquisition for conservation so that it has the greatest benefit for species.

Economic, Tourism, Retail, and Industry

We partner with these groups to help them conduct their commercial activities in a way that best promotes conservation.

Icon /Federal Agencies
Federal Agencies

We work with other federal agencies to help them meet their legal responsibilities as well as their mission.

Friends Groups

Friends groups are organizations of community members committed to helping national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries meet conservation goals that would otherwise be out of reach. 

View Partnership Categories

Our Partners

Here are just a few of our national partners.  You can view the full list of FWS partners, along with the regions and areas of focus our work together entails.

View Full Partner List

Latest Stories About Our Partners

Southern Appalachian Brook Trout fingerlings are in a clear plastic bag placed on the stream bottom.
Bringing Back Brook Trout
Staff from Erwin National Fish Hatchery assisted the Tennessee Aquarium, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and US Forest Service to release southern Appalachian brook trout in a previously unoccupied tributary to Rock Creek.
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For Parents and Educators
Brushing Fear Aside with a Paintbrush
Fear often keeps up from doing the things we may truly enjoy. But with support of an Artist in Residence at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, that anxiety was lifted for staff, volunteers, and community members.
Into The Storm - Toppenish NWR Boardwalk
Engineering Equipment Operator Robert Luna Receives 2024 Refuge Employee of the Year Award
Robert Luna knows Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge better than anyone else. As an engineering equipment operator for more than 33 years, Luna has dedicated his life to maintaining the refuge and improving its habitat for plants and animals. In recognition of his innovation, passion, and diligence...
View of a green field under a blue sky with some clouds.
Women Veterans Day Trailblazing Celebration at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
On Saturday, June 15, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge held a celebration in honor of the 76th anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. Co-hosted by the refuge, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and Friends of Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, the...
A grass-like pool surrounded by rock.
Habitat Restoration
Between a Rock and an Endangered Place
Habitat enhancement? Playing God? Johnny Appleseed-ing? Guerilla botany? No matter what it's called, the rare plants atop a stone mountain need all the help they can get.
a dark brown fisher kit looks directly at the camera
Endangered Species Act
Orphaned Fisher Kit Receives Critical Care
Sometimes the care of endangered species is unexpected. That was the case for staff at Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Yosemite National Park when they took in a six-week-old Southern Sierra Nevada fisher that was found abandoned in its den in the Sierra National Forest. Thankfully, multiple organizations...

Partnership Services

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Through our partnerships we are able to expand our capabilities through the inclusion of services in areas such as:

  • Grant opportunities
  • Sponsorship of grants
  • Cooperative Agreements

To find out more about how our partner provides services view our partner services below.

View Partner Services