An Open Letter to Those Seeking to Develop their own Grass-Roots Wildlife Advocacy Non-Profit Organization:
Friends of a Legacy (FOAL) is a grass roots wild horse advocacy group in northwestern Wyoming with a mission to preserve and protect the wild horses of the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA) managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The following is a bit of the history of FOAL’s formation, growth, and successes which we hope will aid others in their quest to help wild horses.
- Develop Projects with Attainable Goals
- Fundraising Efforts
- Identify Potential Partners
- Our Talented Board Members
- Additional Recommendations for Success
While there is definitely a place and a need for adversarial approaches, FOAL has benefited greatly by sticking to our general philosophy of cooperation and support to gain headway toward our goals.
In theory, organizations such as ours should not be needed due to laws that are in place such as the Wild Horse and Burro Act, but in the scheme of federal budgets and politics, it has become evident that watchdogs are a necessary part of the mix. We feel our approach and support is not only effective, but appreciated by the federal agencies struggling with competing programs, and budget cuts.
Our efforts for the wild horses are not kept to those projects and programs that would only benefit the horses. They spill over to benefit all wildlife in the area and even some domestic livestock that uses the range.
The larger scope of this perspective engenders cooperation with other organizations and interests for the greater good of the whole. This is our approach, and we’re sticking to it! In closing, we wish you the best in your endeavors for good.
Sincerely,
The FOAL Board