Friends-Only Small Grants

Friends-Only Small Grants is sponsored by Friends of Reservoirs foundation (FOR) and Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP). This annual small grants program is available exclusively to Friends of Reservoirs member organizations to fund projects that protect, restore, and enhance fish habitat in reservoir systems.

About Us - Friends of Reservoirs Friends of Reservoirs (FOR) is a tax-deductible non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting and/or restoring fisheries habitat in reservoir systems nationwide. Friends of Reservoirs was established in 2010 as part of the National Fish Habitat Partnership and Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership's efforts to improve fish habitat conservation from the ground up.

Our goal is to promote the protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat for fish and other aquatic species in reservoir systems. We are committed to integrating watershed conservation, in-reservoir management, and the management of downstream flows to attain more holistic and coherent strategies for addressing aquatic habitat impairment issues in reservoir systems. Reservoirs are inextricable parts of our natural landscapes.

Constructed to meet a variety of human needs, reservoirs impact almost every major river system in the United States, affecting to various degrees habitat for fish and other aquatic species. Conservation of reservoir systems is essential to maintaining the quality of life for the American people.

Reservoirs provide essential infrastructure services, from storage and delivery of water to generation of power to the reduction of flood risk in downstream communities. Reservoirs are focal points of recreation for tens of millions of Americans, from anglers to birdwatchers, and they generate tens of billions of dollars for local economies and national recreational industries.

Believes the best reservoir management is good watershed management Stands for good science and best management practices in conservation and restoration of fish habitat reservoirs in reservoir systems Sees healthy reservoirs to be essential to American prosperity and American's quality of life Supports local conservation of fish habitat in reservoirs and reservoir systems Promotes broad-based partnerships as the most effective tool for reservoir fisheries conservation Seeks to improve public understanding and awareness of reservoir issues and encourage public policies that promote the health of aquatic species Strives to make the tools of reservoir fisheries conservation accessible and affordable to everyone Transparency and Responsibility RFHP strongly believes in transparency and accountability with our funding.

Almost 83% of all funding goes directly to fish habitat grants on the ground. The remainder includes the Coordinator and Outreach Coordinator's salaries and various administrative costs needed to support financial transactions, meeting conduct, and communications. We host an annual meeting every year for our partners, which we strive to be budget-neutral or slightly positive in budget impact.

The large influx and expenditure between 2020 and 2021 was primarily related to banking for Sunoco mitigation funds, which were disbursed to Pennsylvania reservoirs. As a nonprofit dedicated to fish habitat improvement, Friends of Reservoirs can provide banking services to facilitate work with varied funding sources in a flexible manner.

National Fish Habitat Partnership The National Fish Habitat Partnership is the umbrella group over Fish Habitat Partnerships all over the country, including the Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP). The RFHP is the only nationwide partnership, as reservoirs are everywhere and not limited to a particular region of the U.S. Become a Contributing Sponsor Become a part of projects that need your support.