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

Long-legged little blue heron wading in blue water with a large blue crab dangling from the heron's bill
Little Blue Heron Goes Crabbing
A Little Blue Heron doesn't even wait for the Saturday June 10, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge annual crabbing rodeo. In this series of photos, the heron snags a large blue crab.
Male Northern pintail at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
Our Partners
Northern Pintail Telemetry
An exciting partnership in the Central Flyway is using GPS telemetry to unravel the mysteries about Northern pintail migration, breeding, and wintering patterns across North America.
Person bent over in a field, placing a marker flag in the ground
Habitat Restoration
Red Spruce Restoration Kicks Off in North Carolina’s Black Mountains
More than 300 red spruce trees are planted in North Carolina's Black Mountains, helping restore a conifer tree that has suffered over the past century.
Herd of feral goats on Hawiian Island.
Wildlife Management
Game Mammal Study Across Hawaiian Islands Can Support Hunters and Endangered Species
There are two main strategies for controlling invasive game mammals throughout the Hawaiian Islands: putting up fences and hunting. Hunting for non-native feral pigs, axis deer, black-tailed deer, feral goats, and other introduced game mammals is an important cultural, recreational, and subsistence...
The colorful back of an Arctic grayling is held just out of clear waters by a gloved hand
Land Management
Red Rock Lakes NWR Releases Final EA for Arctic Grayling Overwintering Habitat
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a Final Environmental Assessment and Findings of No Significant Impact to improve winter oxygen levels for the conservation of Arctic grayling in Upper Red Rock Lake within Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Blue bird with brown & black patterned wings sitting on a branch
Blue grosbeak
A colorful beauty, the Blue grosbeak was currently spotted on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, adding a splash of bright blue to the refuge sky

Partnership Services

A group of people in a field
Image Details

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