About Estuaries Week
Every year, NERRA joins with Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE), the Association of National Estuary Programs, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (NOAA OCM), and many other nonprofit and government groups to promote National Estuaries Week on a broad scale.
This celebration builds support for estuaries as cherished places and raises awareness of the many benefits they bring to communities.
Estuaries Week is an opportunity to encourage Reserve staff, friends, and fans to celebrate and show off your Reserve. This year, we hope you invite friends, colleagues, and neighbors to experience what an amazing place your estuary is and why you love it!
Explore & Protect
National Estuaries Week 2021 is September 18th to the 25th. Please join us as we safely celebrate these places we love.
Start by checking with your Reserve to see what they are planning. In early September, visit the event map at Restore America’s Estuaries to see what’s happening in other parts of the country and join in.
If you are a Reserve staff member or friend, visit members only for guidance on planning and promoting events.
NERRA's FY2023 Appropriations Strategy Summary provides guidance and tools to help you particape in our efforts to educate Congress about the value and impact of our Reserves. Primarily for NERRA managers, but helpful information for anyone.
March 11 Board Meeting
2021 December 14 NERRA Board Meeting
2021 FFN Annual Meeting Materials
2021 June 7 Board Meeting
2021 March 16 Board Meeting
2021 January 26 Board Meeting
2020 December 16 Board Meeting
2020 November 10 Board Meeting
- Minutes
- Agenda
- Bio Nicole
- Bio Jeff
- Strategic Plan (Action Item!)
- Strategic Plan (with track changes & comments)
- Digital Coast Fellow Project Summary
- Appropriations FY22 Memo Action Item (to be sent out by 11/9)
- Gratitude Campaign & MAD Fellows
- Minutes Jan 2020 (Action Item!) Board Members in attendance eligible to vote
- Minutes Oct 2020 (Action Item!) Board Members in attendance eligible to vote
- 19/20 NERRA/NOAA CA
- 20/21 NERRA/NOAA CA
2020 October 22 Board Meeting
- Agenda
- Dr. Neil Jacobs Bio
- VOTE NEEDED: If you were at the meetings please be prepared to vote on minutes. Comments on needed edits can be sent ahead of time to Coreen for efficiency.
- NERRA Finance Fundamentals Raw Data from survey
- Budget info for ‘20
- VOTE NEEDED: DRAFT Budget info for ‘21
- NERRS IRS Form 990
- Audit of FY 2019 Finanical Statement
- November Board Meeting DRAFT Agenda
2020 August 6 NERRA Board Meeting
2020 Winter Board Meeting Materials
2019 Fall NERRA Board Meeting Materials
2019 Spring NERRA Board & Program Managers Meeting
Tools for Friends & Foundations
- Friends contact database: Regularly updated spreadsheet primary points of contact from NERR friends groups around the country
- Tips, tools, and other resources about starting up, board development, strategic planning, and financial management from your colleagues around the NERRS.
- Tips, tools, and other resources about fundraising from your colleagues around the NERRS.
- Webinar on Websites: Along with this worksheet and these resources to help you plan and make decisions.
- Good to Know Newsletter: In 2020: July 8, July 15, July 31., Aug 14, Sep. 15, Sep. 25, Oct. 9, Dec 2.
- Presentation slide decks to support communicating about NERRA & the NERRS
- Fun facts about NERRS friends groups
NERRS & NERRA Basics
- New! NERRS national 2-pager (joint NERRA/NOAA branding)
- NERRA 101: Everything you need to know (and more!) about what NERRA does and how you can help.
- Presentation slide decks to support communicating about NERRA & the NERRS
- NOAA’s Primer on the NERRS: New to the NERRS? Prepping for your first Annual Meeting? This can help.
- NERR One pagers: NOAA-created overviews of each Reserve.
- Explore the NERRS! A lovely, magazine-style guide to the NERRS courtesy of NOAA.
Time to Support the NERRS FY 2023 Budget
1. Please review NERRA's appropriations strategy for NERRS FY 2023 funding. All the basic tools you need to join other Reserves and friends groups in supporting the NERRS budget.
2. Plan to join one of two DC 101 webinars: February 28 or March 4, both from 2:00–3:30 pm EST. (Zoom info linked to dates). If you can’t make either one, please contact Rebecca and she will schedule a call.
New national maps for System expansion and existing Reserves.
Questions? Contact Rebecca Roth.
Engaging Congress
- FY2023 Funding Request: a summary of the NERRS Appropriations Request for NERRS funding. Can also be used to inform important partners.
- 2022 legislative Tracker: Regularly updated spreadsheet with names, emails, phone numbers, and social media handles of congressional staff. These are the people to contact in your representative’s office.
- FY2022 Appropriations Strategy Summary: Overview of NERRA’s 2019 strategies, with easy access to guidance for each strategy. Primarily for NERRA Board members, but helpful for anyone. Will be updated for 2022 by mid February.
- Letter Template: Resource that anyone can use to rally support from local Reserve friends and fans to support the NERRS funding request.Will be updated for 2022 by mid February.
- National impact statement templates: Among the most useful tools NERRA has for congressional outreach! New national impact statement and state level template coming soon.
- NERRS Messaging: Guidance for developing talking points for the FY2020 Appropriations Request, NERRS pillar messages (always true), and other tips for getting comfortable talking about your Reserve and the NERRS.
- NERRA business card templates (InDesign and pdf) and print ready thank you cards to put that extra polish on your visit.
- Tips for hosting a legislative event at your Reserve. Nothing creates a better emotional connection than an in-person visit.
Supporting NERRA's Social Media Campaigns
- I Heart Estuaries: Please plan to join us for this social media estuary lovefest! Your display of public affection is a timely, important reminder to elected officials of how important estuaries are to their constituents. This year, the campaign runs from 2/11 through 2/14, and we want you to join in. We’ve created this guidance to help you coordinate with your fellows and participate in the campaignto learn more. Questions? Let us know at info@nerra.org and roth@nerra.org.
- Season of Gratitude: This December/January campaign is designed to capture Congressional attention as the next appropriations season heats up. The 21/22 strategy is laid out here. It gives you all the tools you need to get started.
- National Estuaries Week: Every September, NERRA teams up with national partners to promote and celebrate estuaries and raise awareness of these special places. This includes a social media campaign that we invite all Reserves and Friends groups to join. (This year's theme: estuaries are places for everyone to explore and protect. (We also encourage Reserves to organize events at their Reserves. Here's guidance on how you and your Reserve can participate this year!
- NERRS Road Trip! 2021 was the “year of the road trip,” and NERRA is celebrating with a virtual road trip (on social media) to every Reserve in our System. Every week, the campaign will feature different sites on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Our request to you 1) Follow the campaign on social media (#nerrsroadtrip) and 2) when NERRA comes to your Reserve share two posts: one that welcomes NERRA and another that invites your members of congress to pay a visit. More details are in the campaign guidance.
- Social Media: NERRA maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. You are welcome to use content from these platforms to support outreach for your Reserve or a NERRA campaign. Likewise, we are always looking for content that communicates your good work. If you have a great story, an awesome video, or a terrific photo, please share it with us at info@nerra.org.
Communications tools
- NERRS Maps
- Logos: NERRA, NERRS, & NOAA
- Messages and infographics to describe NERRS economic contribution
- New! NERRS national 2-pager (joint NERRA/NOAA branding)
- Two-page brief on NERRS support for blue carbon.
- Connecticut two-pager
- National science & tools, including the Marsh Resilience Assessment Tool, the Landscape Scale Resilience Assessment, and Thin-Layer Placement Research Project.
- NERRS Education Infographic guidance: National and local metrics combine to tell a story about Reserve education. You can use the guidance to update your infographic with new stories and photos anytime. 2019 infographics (for use in 2020) are here.
- NERRS Recreation Infographics guidance. National and local metrics combine to tell a story about the recreational value and economic impact of Reserves
- NERRS Photos & Graphics: You are welcome to use NERRA water colors or grass motif. Check out our Flickr page for more graphics and pictures from around the NERRS. To submit images, contact nerra@info.org
- Videos: NERRA shares many videos about Reserves on its YouTube channel. We also maintain a folder with original videos and other resources for making videos.
- NERRS Communications Plan Examples: Sample strategic communications plans from across the NERRS, with constructive comments and tools to help you develop your own plan.
NERRA & Disaster Response
- NERRA's Disaster Response Plan: An evolving document that describes NERRA's role and objectives with regard to supporting Reserves when a distaster hits.
- NERRS Distaster Communications Chain: Created to faciliate communication between NOAA, NERRA, the NERRS, and Reserves impacted by a disaster. Contains an overview of the process and contact information (updated at least annually).
- Batten Down the Hatches: An evolving list of ideas for ways that Reserve friends groups and foundations can pull together to support a Reserve impacted by disaster.
- Have thoughts about any of these toools? Send an email to info@nerra.org.