Our Mission

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge Association is to conserve America’s wildlife heritage for future generations through strategic programs that protect, promote, and enhance the National Wildlife Refuge System and the landscapes beyond its boundaries.

Our Vision

Inspire nationwide support for the National Wildlife Refuge System, its wildlife, and its habitats.

Our Work

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is a non-profit exclusively focused on protecting, promoting, and enhancing the 850-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, the world’s largest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife conservation.

Our work is largely focused in Washington, DC.  We vigilantly watch for policies and legislation that undermine the integrity of the National Wildlife Refuge System, while advocating for efforts that advance wildlife conservation.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association addresses National Wildlife Refuge System funding, management, and strategic growth while also promoting programs that maximize the Refuge System’s conservation impact.


The National Wildlife Refuge Association is an impactful conservation organization solely focused on protecting, promoting, and enhancing the 850 million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, the world’s largest network of lands and waters set aside for wildlife conservation.

Our Goals

Build a Strong Constituency for Wildlife

  • We rally together refuge advocates, birders, hunters, anglers, ranchers, students and other conservation nonprofits to create a collective voice for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

  • We cooperate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help staff accomplish an ambitious conservation mission for the benefit of the American public by protecting endangered species, biological diversity and all the wildlife who call the National Wildlife Refuge System home.

  • The Refuge Association works to build and grow a comprehensive grassroots network of advocates that will lend their voices to support America’s wildlife refuges and wildlife conservation on local, regional and national levels.

  • The Refuge Association mobilizes thousands of refuge advocates to tackle the challenges facing the National Wildlife Refuge System.

  • Through partnerships and advocacy we generate support for wildlife refuges and the National Wildlife Refuge System as a whole.

Give Wildlife a Voice on Capitol Hill

  • We vigilantly oppose policies and legislation that undermine the integrity of the Refuge System, while advocating for efforts that advance wildlife conservation.

  • The Refuge Association focuses on National Wildlife Refuge System funding, while also promoting programs that help maximize the system’s conservation impact.

Protect the Integrity of the National Wildlife Refuge System

  • From manatees swimming in warm Florida waters to the pronghorn of the Great Basin, wildlife in America is threatened by habitat loss and human encroachment near national wildlife refuges. We believe that conservation cannot be confined to lines on a map or a refuge “box.”

Read our annual report

Our Annual Report

Financials

Click here to view our Public Form 990*

Click here to view our most current Financial Statements

*The compensation for the chief executive officer is determined by the Board of Directors.