Operating Principles

The National Corporate Wetland Restoration Partnership (CWRP) is a program designed to foster collaboration between the federal government, state agencies and private corporations. Private corporations that participate in this national program will donate funds for either site specific wetland or other aquatic habitat restoration projects or provide matching funds to a national or regional effort in support of aquatic ecosystem restoration activities. Projects that will receive funds from the CWRP will all be approved Coastal America projects and, federal agencies will assist in their proper execution. The Coastal America Partnership will coordinate among all of its Regional Implementation Teams to identify the appropriate private foundation or state trust fund that will receive funds from the National Corporate Wetlands Restoration Program.

CWRP Brochure

Initiation
The national corporate lead(s) will identify regional corporate leads. The regional corporate leads will identify state corporate leads and coordinate the establishment of the regional partnership. The state corporate leads will convene a meeting of interested corporations, federal agency representatives and state agency representatives to discuss the concept. The initial meeting date will be mutually established. The list of corporate sponsors will be developed by the initiating/lead corporation and the state. Invitees will be contacted by the lead corporation/state agency and the first meeting held at the lead corporation's facility. At this meeting the concept of aquatic ecosystem restoration will be presented by the appropriate Coastal America Regional Implementation Team, with an explanation of the Coastal America partnership and project examples. The initiating/lead corporation will challenge the other attendees to provide corporate donations to support ongoing or new Coastal America projects.

Operation
The national Coastal America office will provide the format and database information to all participants. The Regional Implementation Teams will compile information from interested participants and work with the initiating corporation and state to define a mutually acceptable forum to discuss dispersal of the funds. A minimum of 90% of all funds will be used to implement on-the-ground restoration and protection projects. Participating private foundations or state trust funds will administer the funding transfers. Annually, all participating corporations will be given a project status update by the Coastal America Partnership. All project information will be kept on file at the national Coastal America office. New corporate sponsors will be recruited by all participants.

Public Affairs
The initiating corporation, state agencies, and the national Coastal America office will provide press releases and media advisories. Each project sponsored will also include the relevant CWRP information in their individual press releases. A section of the Coastal America annual report will describe the progress of this effort.