National Fish Habitat Partnership

What National Fish Habitat Partnership does

The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is a nonprofit conservation coordination organization established in 2006 and headquartered in Washington, DC, that operates as the national umbrella for 20 regionally-organized Fish Habitat Partnerships across all 50 U.S. states. Its core function is to allocate federal and partner funding — primarily from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, state fish and wildlife agencies, and corporate partners such as Bass Pro Shops and Coca-Cola — to on-the-ground aquatic habitat restoration projects. Since 2006, NFHP has supported over 1,800 projects, reconnected more than 9,800 miles of rivers and streams, and conserved over 70,000 acres of aquatic habitat, leveraging a consistent 5:1 match ratio where every federal dollar is matched by approximately five additional dollars from partners.

NFHP's business model is a federal pass-through grant coordination model, not a commercial revenue model. Annual project funding flows from USFWS appropriations (authorized under the America's Conservation Enhancement Act of 2020 and reauthorized through 2024's PL 118-198) into the 20 Fish Habitat Partnerships, which administer competitive Requests for Project Proposals. NFHP itself operates with a lean 6-person national staff and a 26-member National Fish Habitat Board providing governance, supported by a separate 501(c)(3) called Beyond the Pond that manages corporate and individual donations. Core "products" are programmatic: the public ArcGIS-based Projects and Accomplishments Dashboard, the annual Waters to Watch showcase, and the Fish Habitat Partnership StoryMaps — informational and reporting tools rather than commercial technology offerings.

NFHP's customer base is the conservation delivery ecosystem rather than paying customers. Primary constituents are federal and state agencies (USFWS, NOAA, NRCS, state fish and wildlife departments), tribal natural resource entities, regional Fish Habitat Partnerships, and implementing nonprofits such as Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, and American Rivers. Corporate conservation partners (Bass Pro Shops, Yamaha, Coca-Cola) participate through board representation and grant funding. The organization's value proposition rests on statutory authority, partnership coordination, and the ability to multiply federal appropriations through partner matching — a structurally different economics from a venture-backable enterprise.

Name

National Fish Habitat Partnership

Legal name

National Fish Habitat Partnership

Website

https://fishhabitat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a federally-chartered nonprofit that coordinates 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships across all 50 U.S. states, channeling federal, state, and corporate funds into on-the-ground aquatic habitat restoration projects that have deployed over $600 million since 2006.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquatic Habitat Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) / No Net Loss Planning & Metrics (EUAHAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF)

Keywords

• Fish habitat conservation
• Aquatic ecosystem restoration
• Watershed conservation partnerships
• Fish passage restoration
• Habitat conservation grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: Primary funding through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service annual appropriations under the America's Conservation Enhancement Act, providing base operational and project funding
2. State Agency Contributions: State fish and wildlife agencies contribute matching funds and dedicated project funding to NFHP conservation initiatives
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners including Bass Pro Shops provide grant funding and sponsorship through programs like the U.S. Open Grant Program
4. Foundation Grants: Private foundations and organizations including Wildlife Forever contribute funding for specific programs and projects
5. Private Donations: Individual donations through Beyond the Pond 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to support NFHP

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is a national non-profit coordination body that works through 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships to protect, restore, and enhance fish habitats across all 50 U.S. states. NFHP distributes federal, state, tribal, and private conservation funding to on-the-ground projects — including barrier removal, stream bank restoration, erosion control, and habitat monitoring — averaging a 5:1 leveraged funding match for every federal dollar appropriated under the America's Conservation Enhancement Act.

Product overview

The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a conservation organization, not a technology company. Its primary offerings include the Projects and Accomplishments Dashboard (an interactive ArcGIS-based mapping tool), the Waters to Watch annual conservation program, and various Fish Habitat Partnership StoryMaps. These are conservation programs and informational tools rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Projects and Accomplishments Dashboard An interactive, publicly accessible ArcGIS-based dashboard that allows users to explore the locations and details of fish habitat conservation projects funded and supported by NFHP and its 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships, including filters and summary views of conservation accomplishments.
• Waters to Watch Program An annual list of 10 strategic conservation efforts implemented on rivers, streams, estuaries, and lakes across the United States to protect, restore, or enhance fish habitat, assembled by the nation's leading authorities on aquatic conservation.
• National Aquatic Habitat Assessments / National Fish Habitat Action Plan The science-based National Fish Habitat Action Plan, codified through the America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024 (PL 118-198), which provides the strategic framework for assessing aquatic habitats, prioritizing conservation needs, and tracking outcomes through the National Aquatic Habitat Assessments.
• Competitive Conservation Grant Programs Annual competitive grant programs administered by the 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships (and special programs like the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Grant Program) that fund on-the-ground fish habitat conservation projects including barrier removal, stream bank restoration, erosion reduction, and monitoring.
• National Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (Aquatic Barriers) Online mapping and assessment resource under NFHP's Habitat Assessments section that catalogs aquatic barriers to fish passage and supports connectivity analysis for conservation planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reconnected 9,800+ miles of rivers and streams for fish migration and spawning
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Southwest Alaska Salmon Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Regional partnership focused on salmon habitat conservation in Southwest Alaska, coordinating with local communities, Native organizations, subsistence users, and commercial fishing interests for voluntary habitat conservation
• Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional Fish Habitat Partnership focused on fish habitat conservation along the Atlantic coast, implementing projects including Florida Keys seagrass restoration and seagrass habitat protection in collaboration with state and federal agencies
• California Fish Passage ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership working to improve fish passage through barrier removal and culvert replacements across California, implementing projects like Wildcat Creek restoration and San Joaquin River fish passage improvements
• Desert Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on desert aquatic ecosystems conservation, implementing projects including Bylas Springs habitat expansion and Matheson Wetland restoration in Utah
• Driftless Area Restoration Effort (DARE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Partnership focused on restoring coldwater streams and coldwater fish habitat in the Driftless Area region, implementing projects including Bear Creek restoration and Tainter Creek watershed work
• Eastern Brook Trout Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership dedicated to conserving brook trout populations and their habitats across the eastern United States, implementing projects including Upper White River restoration in Vermont
• Fishers & Farmers PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Partnership working with agricultural landowners to improve fish habitat on farms and working lands, implementing projects including Galena River Watershed restoration and Huzzah/Courtois/Shoal Creek wetlands restoration
• Great Lakes Basin Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on fish habitat conservation in the Great Lakes basin, implementing projects including Boardman River restoration in Michigan
• Great Plains Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on fish habitat in the Great Plains region, issuing annual Requests for Project Proposals for conservation projects
• Hawai'i Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on Hawaiian aquatic habitat conservation, implementing community-based coral restoration projects at Pokai Bay and Lower He'eia Watershed restoration through Kuleana Coral Restoration
• Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on salmon and trout habitat in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, implementing stream bank restoration projects near Anchorage with Trout Unlimited and Kasilof/Anchor River watershed projects
• Matanuska-Susitna Basin Salmon Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on salmon habitat in the Mat-Su Basin of Alaska, implementing Deshka River restoration and Big Lake conservation projects
• Midwest Glacial Lakes PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on fish habitat in glacial lakes of the upper Midwest, implementing projects including Crane Lake restoration and Leech Lake habitat work
• Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on fish habitat across the Ohio River Basin, implementing Eel River restoration in Indiana and Williamsburg off-channel wetland projects
• Pacific Lamprey Conservation InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership dedicated to conserving Pacific lamprey and their habitats across the western United States, implementing Susitna River projects in Alaska and Finn Rock Run restoration in Oregon
• Pacific Marine and Estuarine PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on marine and estuarine habitat conservation along the Pacific coast, implementing Oregon nearshore habitat projects, Zangle Cove bulkhead removal, and Qwuloolt Estuary restoration
• Reservoir Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Partnership focused on fish habitat in reservoirs across the nation, administering Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Grant Program funding projects at Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Raystown Lake, and Table Rock Lake
• Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership focused on fish habitat in Southeast Alaska, implementing Montana Creek restoration near Juneau with Trout Unlimited and Grandpa's Farm Bridge Road projects
• Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership addressing aquatic resource management across the southeastern United States with 26,000 miles of aquatic shoreline and 70 major river basins, implementing Buckhorn Ranch and Holly Creek projects
• Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Regional partnership working across 12 western states to conserve 21 native trout and char species, implementing Bear River watershed restoration that removed 24 barriers and reconnected 145 miles of habitat for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal partner providing leadership, technical expertise, and financial assistance directly to Fish Habitat Partnerships for on-the-ground conservation projects. Provided over $76.3 million since 2006, leveraged at 5:1 ratio.
• Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing state fish and wildlife agencies, whose President designates the Chair of the National Fish Habitat Board per the ACE Act, providing governance oversight and support
• NOAA FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner funding coastal habitat restoration projects through National Fish Habitat Partnerships, supporting coral reef restoration in Hawai'i, recreational angler data collection in Oregon, and South Carolina coastal restoration education programs
• Natural Resources Conservation ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner collaborating on Bear River watershed restoration and other conservation efforts, providing technical and financial assistance for habitat projects
• American Fisheries SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional fisheries science society partnering on Stanley A. Moberly Awards, Instream Flow and Water Level Conservation Center feasibility assessment, and Gary Whelan's leadership role as Science/Data Co-chair
• American RiverscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational river conservation organization elected to National Fish Habitat Board as habitat conservation organization representative, bringing dam removal expertise and river restoration experience
• Trout UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization implementing numerous NFHP-funded projects including stream bank stabilization near Anchorage, Bear River watershed work, and Montana Creek restoration near Juneau, partnering with over 350 organizations through WNTI
• Beyond the PondcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2015 specifically to benefit NFHP and associated Fish Habitat Partnerships, managing grant programs including Bass Pro Shops funding and individual donation pages
• Wildlife ForevercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation nonprofit managing Fish Art Contest with NFHP-sponsored Fish Habitat Writing Awards for K-12 students, engaging youth in conservation education
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization represented on National Fish Habitat Board, with Amy Singler serving as River Restoration Director for American Rivers & The Nature Conservancy
• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor wetland and waterfowl conservation organization endorsing ACE Act reauthorization and collaborating on conservation priorities

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Congressionally-chartered nonprofit that administers federal conservation grants and partners with public and private funders. Comparable to NFHP in serving as a national conservation grantmaking and partnership-coordination body, though with broader species scope and larger annual grant flows.
• Wildlife Forever: Conservation nonprofit managing fish and wildlife habitat programs including the Fish Art Contest partnership with NFHP. Operates in the same conservation education and grantmaking niche with a comparable nonprofit funding model.
• Ducks Unlimited: Major wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation organization implementing aquatic habitat restoration projects nationwide. Shares NFHP's partnership-based model for delivering on-the-ground conservation and serves as a board-level endorsing partner.
• Trout Unlimited: Coldwater fisheries conservation organization implementing habitat restoration, fish passage, and stream bank projects across the U.S. NFHP funds and partners with TU on Western Native Trout Initiative and other regional partnerships, making it a close peer in mission and project types.
• American Rivers: National river conservation organization focused on dam removal, river restoration, and clean water advocacy. Holds a seat on NFHP's National Fish Habitat Board and operates in the same river-restoration and aquatic-habitat conservation space.
• Izaak Walton League of America: Long-standing conservation organization focused on watershed and aquatic habitat protection. Operates with similar partnership-based conservation delivery and shares NFHP's focus on clean water, fisheries, and habitat stewardship.
• Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership: Coalition-based conservation organization focused on sportsmen's access and fish/wildlife habitat. Newly elected to NFHP's board, TRCP operates with a comparable coalition model that unites diverse stakeholders around habitat conservation.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization with significant aquatic and freshwater program work. A larger, broader-scope incumbent that overlaps with NFHP in watershed and habitat conservation, with representation on NFHP's board through Amy Singler.
• National Wildlife Federation: Largest U.S. private conservation advocacy organization with significant aquatic habitat programs. Operates in adjacent conservation space with broader species scope and stronger federal advocacy mandate than NFHP's coordination role.
• National Audubon Society: Major conservation organization with coastal and water-focused programs intersecting NFHP's estuarine and marine habitat work. Larger, broader-scope incumbent with similar science-based and partnership-driven delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FishHabitat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn8_cDrJXSJQukylLPLZRTw
• Facebookfacebook.com/NFHAP
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalfishhabitat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-fish-habitat-action-plan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Fish Habitat Partnership