IV. Field Guide to Nonprofit Organizations
National Forest Foundation
Established by Congress, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that engages Americans in community-based and national programs that promotes the health and public enjoyment of the 192-million-acre National Forest System, and helps the Forest Service meet its mission. The NFF accepts and administers gifts of funds and lands for the benefit of the National Forests. The NFF provides funding and awards programs for community-based organizations and other nonprofits for partnership projects that work to meet Forest Service objectives. The NFF also assists the Forest Service with an array of other initiatives. The National Forest Foundation is available online (http://www.natlforests.org/).
Why the National Forest Foundation is Different
The NFF is the only conservation organization solely focused on addressing the challenges that face the National Forest System. The NFF believes that communities play an important role in determining the future of America's forest resources. The NFF builds and fosters partnerships that catalyze forest stewardship and restoration and engage individuals as volunteers in conservation work, primarily on Forest Service land. Working primarily through its three grants programs, the NFF concentrates on on-the-ground projects and programs that address watershed health and restoration, community-based forest stewardship, wildlife habitat, and recreation.
Though focused on the challenges that face the National Forest System, the NFF believes that the care and management of forests and watersheds should span political and ownership boundaries. The organization and its more than 160 partners focus on ecosystem-wide results for conservation issues.