NWF News: Mobilizing with a Nonpartisan Message

NWF News: Mobilizing With a Nonpartisan Message—Vote!

Encouraging voter registration and civic engagement, the 2026 Conservation Achievement Award Winners and policy resolutions, and more NWF and affiliate updates

By Delaney McPherson
NWF News
Sep 23, 2026

NWF Mobilizes With a Nonpartisan Message: Vote!

Ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, the Federation is working with affiliates and partners to encourage voter registration and promote civic engagement (above, in Washington, D.C.). It’s a nonpartisan arena in which NWF has scored some major wins.

During the lead-up to the 2024 presidential and congressional elections, NWF launched a text campaign that reached more than 40,000 young voters in New York and Georgia, resulting in nearly 500 individuals pledging to participate in elections. This year the campaign team is promoting its digital Civic Engagement Toolkit, which shares information on how to register to vote, where to do it and how to get others involved.

On a local level, NWF affiliates have been garnering engagement in their respective states ahead of the midterms. Kentucky Waterways Alliance is holding sessions on healthy waters and healthy democracy at its October in-person events. The Environmental League of Massachusetts is collaborating with Boston- and Massachusetts-based influencers to provide information on voting deadlines, vote-by-mail processes and polling place resources. Additionally, Texas Conservation Alliance created a Campus Civic Engagement Fellows Program, which is bringing college students together to learn about and implement civic engagement strategies in their schools.

“We’re committed to ensuring that all citizens have access to the ballot and support in navigating the process of voting in their state,” says Sam Lockhart, deputy director of organizing and campaigns at NWF. “We know that part of being a conservationist means participating in civic life—and it starts with voting.” Learn more.

A collage of recipients of the 2026 National Conservation Achievement Awards.

Honoring Leaders and Innovators

At the National Wildlife Federation’s 90th Annual Meeting on June 15 in Providence, Rhode Island, NWF staff and affiliates celebrated this year’s winners of the National Conservation Achievement Awards.

Affiliate of the Year Award: Prairie Rivers Network (PRN), NWF’s Illinois affiliate, advocates for the protection of the state’s waterways. PRN works with federal, state and local governments, as well as communities, to oppose dams, reduce pollution and promote clean energy.

Charlie Shaw Conservation Partnership Award, Affiliate: Mitch Friedman (top left) founded Conservation Northwest, NWF’s Washington state affiliate, in 1989 and served as its executive director until he announced his retirement in spring 2026.

Charlie Shaw Conservation Partnership Award, Staff: TJ Brown was honored for his work as NWF’s western regional field director, where he built relationships with affiliates and sought funding for critical campaigns related to energy and climate.

Volunteer of the Year Award: Joe and Sue Wilkinson (top right) are longtime volunteers and board members of the Iowa Wildlife Federation (IWF). For nearly four decades they have educated the public on conservation and IWF’s programs, in addition to acting as ambassadors to wildlife and the outdoors.

Kent Salazar Director of Conservation Partnerships Award: Geralyn Hoey (bottom left) has been a director of conservation partnerships at NWF since 2008, dedicated to providing expert guidance, strategic thinking, operational expertise and unwavering support to affiliates across the country.

Conservation Leadership Award: Ron Suttles’ (bottom right) conservation career spans more than 50 years, beginning as a science teacher and leading to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. In 2012, he founded the NWF affiliate Conservation Coalition of Oklahoma.

Young Leader Award: Read about Eddie Gill.

Donor Spotlight: Mary Myers of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

WHY I GIVE “Early in my life, I began experiencing wildlife and I learned a lot of their problems were man-made. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important every single being is.”

Interested in learning more about the impact you can have on wildlife? Please visit nwf.org/donate.

An image of a giant sequoia forest during sunrise.

Resolutions Rooted in Shared Priorities

At the Annual Meeting in June, NWF’s 52 state and territorial affiliates voted on five policy resolutions for the coming year—in keeping with the organization’s One Federation model.

Addressing the potential impacts of large data centers, including encroaching on and degrading habitat, impeding wildlife migration, increasing demand for energy and reliance on fossil fuels, and disproportionately harming Tribal and underserved communities. The resolution also supports local and federal policies that consider how to mitigate these effects.
Recognizing the importance of historical and scientific understanding to sound conservation and addressing the threat to conservation caused by the alteration or removal of historic and scientific materials on public lands (Yosemite National Park, above). Also advocating for the preservation of scientifically sound conservation strategies, including traditional Indigenous practices on fire management, agriculture and water systems.
Acknowledging that conservation depends on transparent public processes; accurate information; calling for public proceedings that allow for community input; and advocating for nonpartisan civic engagement, fair democratic processes and increased government integrity.
Addressing harms caused by widespread pesticide use and drift, including water quality degradation, threats to pollinators and plant injuries, and opposing federal regulations that would preempt stricter state, Tribal and local policies regulating pesticides.
Calling on policymakers to enact strict federal- and state-level restrictions on second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides—except in instances where safer alternatives would not be effective—which are used to curb rodent populations but cause secondary poisoning in nontarget predator and scavenger species, including bald eagles, bobcats, condors and mountain lions.

An image of a red fox.

Bulletin: National Wildlife Photo Contest

The winners of the 2026 National Wildlife^® Photo Contest will be published in our upcoming winter issue, and the 2027 contest will open for submissions in January. Learn how you can enter your photos.