GUIDANCE FOR ESTABLISHING
AFFILIATES, CHAPTERS & PARTNERSHIPS FOR FISH FRIENDLY WATERS
IN FRIENDS OF RESERVOIRS
1.0 GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING AFFILIATES, CHAPTERS, AND PARTNERSHIPS for FISH FRIENDLY
WATERS IN FRIENDS OF RESERVOIRS
1.1 Background
Affiliates, Chapters, and Partnerships for Fish Friendly Waters are established under the Charter
of Friends of Reservoirs, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to support the mission of
the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership.
1.11 Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP)
The RFHP (www.reservoirpartnership.org) is a national partnership established to promote and
facilitate the conservation of habitat for fish and other aquatic species in reservoirs and
reservoir systems through collaborative actions that contribute to:
 the ecological health and function of reservoirs and their associated waters and
watersheds;
 the restoration, protection and enhancement of fish and other aquatic species and
communities, therein;
 the sustainability and enhancement of reservoir fisheries;
 public awareness of the conservation issues and challenges facing reservoir and
associated waters and watershed management in the 21st Century; and
 the quality of life of the American people
The scope of action for the RFHP includes all manmade bodies of water formed by the
impoundment of otherwise free-flowing rivers and streams and that are both accessible
to the public and that support, or have the potential to support, a sport fishery. Included
in the scope of area are (1) sections of downstream tailwaters, and adjacent wetlands
and riparian areas, affected measurably by dam releases and (2) the upstream
headwaters, tributaries, and lands of the watershed whose flows and uses
demonstrably impact the quality and quantity of water entering reservoirs.
1.12 Friends of Reservoirs (FOR)
FOR is established to improve public understanding and knowledge of fish habitat
conservation in the reservoirs of the United States, and to support and better enable
government agencies, and other partners at all levels, to manage fisheries and fish
habitat in the reservoirs and associated watersheds of the United States for the benefit
of the American people. To meet its mission, FOR provides:
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technical assistance and financial support to agencies and others having
management jurisdiction over or interest in reservoirs;
outreach and education to the public on health and conservation of fisheries and
fish habitat in reservoirs and reservoir systems; and
support for implementation of reservoir conservation activities consistent with the
mission of the RFHP – a certified Fish Habitat Partnership of the National Fish
Habitat Action Plan.
Primary Activities of FOR include:
1.12.1 Support Mission of RFHP
FOR raises funds for reservoir-based fish habitat conservation projects. These
projects are implemented by the RFHP in cooperation and coordination with
Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, and other citizen and NGO
partners. These projects address reservoir and related watershed issues as
identified in the RFHP Strategic Plan (www.reservoirpartnership.org), State
Wildlife Action Plans, State and Federal agency plans, the National Fish Habitat
Action Plan, and other planning documents as appropriate.
1.12.2 Develop Outreach Programs and Educational Materials in Coordination
with the RFHP to Broaden and Advance the Awareness and Understanding
Among the General Citizenry of Fisheries and Fish Habitat in Reservoirs and
Reservoir Systems. Included in this activity, FOR:
 coordinates with RFHP in delivery of periodic assessments of the health of
reservoirs and reservoir systems in the United States;
 publishes in coordination with RFHP technical materials concerning best
management practices for conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in
reservoirs and reservoir systems;
 makes assessment and published materials available to Federal, State and
local authorities with responsibilities for reservoir administration, and
others with interests therein; and
 creates and maintains a web-based information center to facilitate both its
general educational outreach programs and its more specific provision of
technical assistance to government agencies, and others.
1.12.3 Establish Networks of Communication and Cooperation in Conservation
of Fish Habitat and Fisheries in Reservoirs and Reservoir Systems. FOR works
with allied friends groups, and others, whose conservation responsibilities and
interests coincide with or overlap in part with those of the RFHP, including
coordination with the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and participation in and
support for the activities of other associated Fish Habitat Partnerships.
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1.12.4 Designate and Administer a System of FOR Affiliates, Chapters, and
Partnerships for Fish Friendly Waters to Advance the Missions of both
FOR and the RFHP. Affiliates are individuals or organizations that are not
directly engaged in the conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in
reservoirs and reservoir systems, but who wish to support FOR and to
have access to many of the benefits offered by FOR. Affiliates may
include interested citizens as well as businesses, professional societies,
conservation groups, and other citizen associations. Chapters are the
most basic units of FOR, formed within one or more reservoirs by a local
group whose members closely share interests and values and who
undertake, as a well-defined entity, reservoir activities that specifically
address those values and interests (e.g., a bass club). A Partnership for
Fish Friendly Waters is a federation of groups of varying values and
interests that undertake shared reservoir activities that are ecologically
comprehensive, biologically diverse, and geographically extensive (e.g.,
watershed-based partnerships).
1.2 Affiliates
1.21 Affiliate Purposes
Affiliates are established to provide interested individuals and organizations that are not
otherwise directly engaged in the conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in reservoirs and
reservoir systems an opportunity to support, associate with, and enjoy many of the benefits
offered by FOR. Affiliates may include individual citizens or organizations such as private
businesses, public charities, and professional societies – either of which expressly support
the mission, vision, and goals of the RFHP Strategic Plan. Affiliate status provides individual
citizens the means to inform themselves on the state and conservation of reservoirs and
reservoir systems, support FOR in its implementation of the RFHP Strategic Plan, and to
participate within a larger community of reservoir interests. Affiliate status provides
organizations the opportunity to recognize, formalize and promote common interests with
FOR, access many of FOR’s technical and financial services, share resources and exchange
information within the FOR network, provide and receive support to and from FOR, and
participate collaboratively on matters of shared concern.
1.22 Affiliate Qualifications
Any individual or organization that supports the mission, vision, and goals of the RFHP
Strategic Plan and the purpose and activities of FOR, but that are not directly engaged in
conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in reservoirs and reservoir systems, qualify for and
may establish affiliate status upon submission of the appropriate application.
1.23. Affiliate Categories
A qualified individual seeking affiliate status will be designated an Individual Affiliate of FOR.
A qualified organization seeking affiliate status will be designated a Group Affiliate of FOR.
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1.23 Affiliate Responsibilities
Affiliate individuals and organizations agree to support the mission, vision and goals of the
RFHP Strategic Plan. Affiliates are also required to pay annual affiliate subscriptions in the
amount of $25 for an Individual Affiliate and $100 for a Group Affiliate.
1.24 Affiliate Benefits
Affiliate organizations enjoy access to all benefits provided to Chapters with the exception
of eligibility for financial awards or recognition awards made directly by FOR or separately
by the RFHP.
1.3 Chapters
1.31 Chapter Purposes
Chapters are established to support and advance the mission of FOR and the RFHP by
supporting or implementing fish habitat and fisheries conservation projects in reservoirs and
reservoir systems; providing education and outreach to the general public and policy makers
at the local level on the state of reservoir systems, their conservation needs, and the
contributions healthy reservoir systems make to the quality of life for people, wildlife, and
human and natural communities alike; providing administrative support to FOR and the
RFHP, including participation in local, regional and national fund-raising; coordinating with
other Friends groups and partnership entities on local issues of mutual concern; and
recruiting and training volunteers to implement the actions above.
Chapters are expected to be single-purpose organizations, pursuing a narrow but welldefined set of conservation activities. Chapters may choose to specialize in one or more
areas of operation. Some Chapters may emphasize on-the-ground project development;
some Chapters may emphasize community outreach and education; some Chapters may
emphasize support for the RFHP mission by targeting fundraising; other Chapters may select
to join collaboratively with other partners for one or more of the purposes listed above. Any
or all of these areas of focus qualify for Chapter designation. Chapters are encouraged, but
not required, to consider or address reservoir-related issues in the near tailwaters of
reservoirs and in the upstream waters and associated lands of the reservoir’s watershed.
1.32 Chapter Qualifications
Any organization established for the purposes of restoring or conserving fish habitat and
fisheries within a reservoir may qualify for Chapter membership. Necessary conditions for
eligibility include:
(1) Association with at least one reservoir within the 50 States and 6 territories of the
United States
(2) Working relationship with the Fish and Wildlife agency for the State or States in which
the reservoir(s) are located
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(3) Commitment to conservation or support of conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in
the associated reservoir(s)
(4) Track record of past conservation or clear intent to initiate conservation of fish habitat
and fisheries in one or more reservoirs
(5) A $25 non-refundable application fee
1.33 Chapter Responsibilities
Upon application to and recognition by FOR, each local chapter is expected to be hands-on
organizations that assume responsibility for local conservation action, education, outreach,
and fund raising at their respective reservoirs with the guidance and assistance of FOR and
the RFHP. Specific responsibilities of a Chapter include:
(1) agree with the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the RFHP as set forth in its
strategic plan (www.reservoirpartnership.org);
(2) enter into formal partnership with FOR and the RFHP;
(3) communicate and work on a regular basis with FOR and RFHP staff;
(4) communicate and work on regular basis with the State Fish and Wildlife Agency;
(5) recruit and deploy volunteers to implement conservation, education, outreach, support,
and fund-raising activities, in all or in part;
(6) issue brief annual summaries of conservation activities conducted by the Chapter;
(7) comply with FOR financial and accomplishment reporting guidelines for all financial
assistance provided to Chapters, including management of Chapter accounts and
awards granted to Chapters from the Chapter Fund for project implementation;
(8) share Chapter newsletters and other reservoir-pertinent documents, if any, with FOR;
(9) agree to help mentor and support emergent Chapters in close proximity
(10) represent FOR and the RFHP, as necessary, at local events and meetings;
(11) participate in and support national FOR fundraising events at the local level;
(12) submit annual membership fee of $25 for each calendar year after initial designation
as a Chapter [100% of the annual fee is deposited to the Chapter Fund – see Chapter
Benefits] ; and
(13) acknowledge that failure to meet the responsibilities listed above, including inactivity
for a period exceeding two calendar years, may result in revocation of Chapter status.
1.34 Chapter Benefits
Chapter designation qualifies participating organizations to specific services and material
benefits:
(1) certification as a FOR Chapter;
(2) enhanced fund-raising capacity by virtue of certification and public exposure;
(3) eligibility for project funding by the RFHP from the Chapter Fund [Chapter Fund is a
competitive grant program that is available exclusively to Chapters for fish habitat
conservation and related activities in reservoirs. The fund is supported by two sources
of revenue: FOR grants and Chapter annual fees. Guidelines for application for the 2013
funding cycle will be issued in spring, 2012.];
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(4) eligibility to use FOR 501(c)(3) designation for local tax-deductible fund raising;
(5) banking services for management of locally-raised funds [5% service charge assessed
annually on the average balance];
(6) access to technical support from the RFHP, including reservoir best management
practices and associated publications and web-based information;
(7) Chapter web site and services;
(8) access to educational forums and meetings;
(9) national representation on reservoir related issues;
(10) access to and assistance in use of the RFHP reservoir inventory and assessment;
(11) networking with other Chapters, States, experts;
(12) database services;
(13) local, State, regional, national recognition;
(14) FOR logo use, bumper stickers and other FOR products;
(15) guidance and assistance in local fund raising, organization development, and capacity
development; and eligibility for “Chapter Project of the Year” within each state.
1.4 Partnerships for Fish Friendly Waters (PFFW)
1.41 PFFW Purposes
Partnerships for Fish Friendly Waters (PFFW) are established to support and advance the
mission of FOR and the RFHP at a watershed or larger scale by supporting or implementing fish
habitat and fisheries conservation projects in reservoirs and reservoir systems through broadbased, diverse, and geographically-extensive partnerships, and by providing education and
outreach to the general public and policy makers at the landscape level on the state of reservoir
systems, their conservation needs, and the contributions healthy reservoir systems make to the
quality of life for people, wildlife, and human and natural communities alike; providing
administrative support to FOR and the RFHP at a landscape scale, including participation in local,
regional and national fund-raising; coordinating with other watershed-based conservation
groups and partnership entities on issues of mutual concern; and recruiting and training
volunteers to implement the actions above.
PFFWs are expected to be multi-purpose organizations, pursuing a broad yet well-defined set of
conservation activities that address reservoirs and reservoir systems comprehensively at a
watershed scale. PFFWs are expected to engage in multiple areas of operation, including on-theground project development, community outreach and education, fundraising, and active
collaborations with other partnerships at a regional scale. Moreover, PFFWs are expected to
address reservoir-related issues in the tailwaters of reservoirs, including instream flow, and in
the upstream waters and associated lands of the reservoir’s watershed. PFFWs are also
expected to meet specific requirements regarding associated reservoirs.
1.42 PFFW Qualifications
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Applicants for designation as a PFFW must meet the following qualifications, and provide
supporting documentation:
(1) Applicant organization is an established membership entity with elected officers, Charter
and Bylaws, and whose primary purpose is the conservation of fish habitat and fisheries in
one or more qualifying reservoirs within a single watershed that:
 constitutes manmade impoundments of otherwise free-flowing streams or rivers;
 supports, or potentially can support, a sport fishery;
 provides public access; and
 exists outside the geographic scope of any current PFFW.
(2) Applicant organization is knowledgeable of the conservation issues and impairments
pertaining to its qualifying reservoir(s), is able to concisely state its conservation mission or
purpose, has set forth one or more goals to pursue as a PFFW, and has identified specific
activities to address the conservation needs of fish habitat and fisheries in its qualifying
reservoir(s) and, as appropriate, in the associated headwaters and tailwaters. Even if
secondary to its conservation purpose, goals and planned activities, the applicant
Organization must demonstrate understanding of and have given consideration to:
 expected benefits from its proposed activities accruing to non-sport fish and other aquatic
species;
 issues, if any, pertaining to conservation needs of downstream tailwaters, and adjacent
wetlands and riparian areas, affected measurably by dam releases and plans, if any, to
address them; and
 issues, if any, pertaining to reservoir conservation needs associated with upstream
headwaters, tributaries, and lands of the watershed whose flows and uses demonstrably
impact the quality and quantity of water entering the qualifying reservoirs and plans, if
any, to address them.
(3) Applicant partnership must document capacity for and activity in: (1) development and
execution of reservoir fish habitat and fisheries conservation projects; (2) community
outreach and education for reservoir fish habitat and fisheries conservation; (3) fundraising to support projects, outreach and education; and (4) collaboration with one or more
external partnerships for the purposes of one or more of the activities listed above.
(4) Applicant partnership must include in its membership or demonstrate a substantial
working partnership with the Fish and & Wildlife agency for the State(s) in which it
operates and, additionally, other agencies with reservoir jurisdiction, property owners
adjacent to reservoirs, reservoir commercial entities, local government, and other major
users of the reservoir(s) that qualify for application.
(5) Applicant partnership must document that it has engaged in one or more activities
targeting or supporting the conservation of fish habitat and fisheries within its qualifying
reservoir(s) and reservoir system(s).
(6) Letters of support from three conservation organizations or agencies, or reservoir
authorities or stakeholders, one of which must be from the respective state Fish and
Wildlife agency.
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(7) Initial, non-refundable PFFW application fee of $100.
1.43 PFFW Responsibilities
Upon application to and recognition by FOR, each PFFW will, in cooperation and coordination
with governing Federal, State, tribal and local jurisdictions, property owners, commercial
interests, and other stakeholders, identify (unless already identified) reservoir conservation
needs and opportunities within their respective areas and work in partnership with affected
parties to implement actions to address priority conservation targets. PFFWs are expected to be
coordinating organizations that facilitate watershed and landscape-scale conservation action,
education, outreach, and fund raising within reservoir systems with the guidance and assistance
of FOR and the RFHP. Specific responsibilities of a PFFW include:
(1) agree with the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the RFHP as set forth in its strategic
plan (www.reservoirpartnership.org);
(2) enter into formal partnership with FOR and the RFHP;
(3) communicate and work on a regular basis with FOR and RFHP staff;
(4) communicate and work on regular basis with State Fish and Wildlife Agency;
(5) issue annual performance summaries and appraisals of conservation projects, education
programs, outreach and support activities, fund raising events, and coordination efforts with
other partnerships;
(6) comply with FOR financial and accomplishment reporting guidelines for all financial
assistance provided to PFFWs, including financial management, if any, and awards from the
PFFW Fund for conservation projects;
(8) share PFFW newsletters and other reservoir-pertinent documents, if any, with FOR;
(9) represent FOR and the RFHP, as necessary, at local events and meetings;
(10) participate in regional PFFW meetings, as appropriate;
(12) participate in and support national FOR fundraising events at the state and regional level;
(13) submit an annual membership fee of $100 [100% of the fee is deposited in the PFFW Fund
for project awards – see PFFW Benefits]; and
(13) acknowledge that failure to meet the responsibilities listed above, including inactivity for a
period exceeding two calendar years, may result in revocation of PFFW status.
1.44 PFFW Benefits
PFFW designation qualifies participating organizations to specific services and material benefits:
(1) certification as a Partnership of Fish Friendly Waters and a member of the network of
Partnerships for Fish Friendly Waters;
(2) enhanced fund-raising capacity by virtue of certification and public exposure;
(3) eligibility for awards from PFFW Fund [PFFW Fund is a competitive grant program that is
available exclusively to PFFW for fish habitat conservation and related activities in reservoirs and
reservoir systems. The fund is supported by three sources of revenue: RFHP grants, FOR grants,
and PFFW annual fees. Guidelines for application for the 2013 funding cycle will be issued in
spring, 2012.];
(4) eligibility for project funding by the RFHP;
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(5) eligibility for priority points toward RFHP project awards;
(6) eligibility to use FOR 501(c)(3) designation for local tax-deductible fund raising;
(7) banking services for management of Partnership funds [5% service charge assessed and
minimum $5,000 balance];
(8) access to technical support from the RFHP, including reservoir best management practices
and associated publications and web-based information;
(9) PFFW web site and services;
(10) access to educational forums and meetings;
(11) national representation on reservoir related issues;
(12) access to and assistance in use of the RFHP reservoir inventory and assessment;
(13) networking with Chapters, other PFFWs, States, experts;
(14) database services;
(15) state, regional, national recognition;
(16) PFFW certification signs to be posted publicly for designated waters;
(17) FOR logo use, bumper stickers and other FOR products;
(18) guidance and assistance in fund raising, organization development, and capacity
development;
(19) eligibility for NFHAP Ten Waters to Watch; and
(20) eligibility for Johnnie Morris National Partnership Award
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