Organizational Development
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Organizational Development: Partnering with Federal Agencies
What are Federal Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding?
Federal land management agencies (NPS, USFS, FWS, BLM) have a partnership process that formalize working relationships with other parties. These parties can be other levels of government (tribal, State, county, or local) or non-governmental organizations. A partnership is basically an agreement between two or more organizations created to achieve or assist in reaching a common goal. Partnerships may involve one organization utilizing another’s unique abilities, equipment or services, or it may be a “sharing” of resources (money, time, knowledge, equipment, etc.) to accomplish short- or long-term objectives for one or all of the participating partners. Agreements can be broad and simply document a relationship of working together to achieve common objectives, or they can be very project-specific where money and products or deliverables change hands. Each Federal agency has slightly different forms and processes, but all work toward the same objectives.
How can partnering with Federal agencies affect my byway?
There are several ways that your byway may benefit through partnering with Federal land management agencies along the byway. Agreements with the agency are legal documents that can help accomplish byway projects. An agreement can be the vehicle by which monies from the Federal agency can be transferred to the byway to achieve a mutually beneficial product or result. Examples include cooperatively developing a byway brochure, corridor management plan, interpretive panels or wayshowing. An agreement or memorandum of understanding can be a way to formalize a working relationship with the Federal agency that may help in byway management and in applying for grants or fundraising from other sources.
What are the different kinds of agreements?
While the types of agreements will vary depending upon the Federal agency with which you are working, they have similar objectives. Not all agencies use all the types of agreements. Some of the main types of agreements are:
Memorandum of Understanding - an instrument used for a written plan between the Federal agency and the byway organization for carrying out their separate activities in a coordinated and mutually beneficial manner, and for documenting a framework for cooperation. This is generally a broad agreement and makes no provision for any transfer of funds. However, more specific agreements can be developed under this umbrella memorandum.
Cooperative Agreement - a legal instrument to document a transaction where the agency is substantially involved with the project. Both the agency and the recipient are actively involved in the activity to be performed.
Challenge Cost-Share Agreement - an agreement used by some agencies to develop, plan, and implement projects that are mutually beneficial and enhance agency activities. Projects are financed with matching contributions from the agency and the other parties to the agreement.
Collection Agreement - used when funds are being transferred to the agency from a non-Federal source to facilitate agency activities.
Where do I turn for help?
If all this sounds confusing…well, don’t despair. Your local Federal agency contact and their agreements specialist will be able to determine which agreement is right for your situation, and will help with the wording and financial information to include in the agreement
For more details on partnering with the Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture, visit www.partnershipresourcecenter.org. This website is a joint venture (a partnership!) of the National Forest Foundation and the USDA Forest Service. The site has partnership and agreement training, templates, success stories, and how to contact Forest Service partnership specialists.
For more detail on partnering with U.S. Department of Interior Agencies (National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Bureau of Indian Affairs), visit www.doi.gov/partnerships/about_partnerships. This excellent site lists types of USDI partnerships, FAQs, partnership tools, contacts for each agency, and other useful information.
