Previews of Coming Webinars

By Cheryl Hart, Member of Boards of Friends of Tualatin River NWRC, CORFA, and NWRA

First, a quick review of some of the recent webinars sponsored by the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates (CORFA) and the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA). Remember that recordings of all NWRA/CORFA Friends webinars are available on the CORFA website, Resource Center tab.  

Following the excellent webinar on Donor-Centered Fundraising presented by Aimee Arent and Tom Romito of Friends of Ottawa, we tested a new format that we refer to as a “Kaffeeklatsch.” This format allows small-group conversation within a larger online program. The test was a success, and participants were able to participate in two fundraising Kaffeeklatsches of their choice: Grants, led by Tom Romito; Events, led by Marty Cornell; or Donor Relations led by Courtney Lewis and Susan Rutherford. We hope to use this format again when there are topics that lend themselves to small-group discussion.

In December, Linda Kilgore presented an outstanding webinar on cybersecurity. This recording is a must-see for every Friends group, even if you don’t think you need to worry about cybersecurity. We learned from Linda that we all need to be aware of cybersecurity and take precautions to protect ourselves as much as possible from the consequences of cyberattacks. This webinar even stimulated interest from other nonprofits outside the refuge Friends community!

In January, Caroline Brouwer, VP of Government Affairs for NWRA, presented her quarterly legislative update from Capitol Hill, discussed how pending legislation could affect refuge Friends and their refuges nationwide and described actions Friends can take on behalf of their refuges. Click here to view a recording of the program.

Also in January, Lisa Mayo presented a webinar on Making Your Website More Accessible and Inclusive. This is a timely topic as USFWS requires everything that is presented on their websites and social media to be “508 Compliant,” accessible to people with disabilities.

Coming up in February will be a webinar to help explain “Who’s Who” in the refuge world from USFWS to NWRA to CORFA.

We’re also planning a session on Speaking Up for Your Mission, including virtual advocacy—getting our concerns heard during the time of COVID-19 and limited access to the Hill.

In March, it will be time for another legislative update from NWRA, and we are planning a panel discussion on how to reboot your Friends group as we look forward to the time we can return to a more normal world following COVID-19 restrictions.

As always, please let us know of webinar topics that would interest you. Contact CoalitionRefugeFriends@gmail.com