General Partnership Questions

Q: What kinds of organizations can partner with ACE?
ACE partners with a broad array of organizations including federal, state, and local agencies; non-profits; municipalities, private landowners or companies.

Q: What types of services does ACE provide to partners?

• Field crews (fully-equipped teams) for projects like habitat restoration, trail maintenance, invasive species removal, historic preservation, wildlife monitoring, etc.
• Individual placements of emerging professionals (through our EPIC program) for short or long-term internships with partner organizations in disciplines such as cultural resources, GIS, land-management, interpretation and outreach.
• Specialized consulting through our ACE Solutions group: training; technical support; planning and implementation in areas such as trails, forestry, and restoration; GIS; wilderness medicine; and forestry.

Q: What makes ACE different from hiring a standard contractor or consulting firm?

• ACE brings the conservation-corps model: emerging professionals driven by mission, supported by a national organization, engaged in meaningful service alongside partner goals.
• We operate coast to coast (all 50 states + eastern territories) and have experience working with federal, state, local and non-profit partners.
• Our ACE Solutions team brings subject matter expertise (forestry, trails, restoration, GIS, wilderness medicine) and can offer on-the-ground support for more complex projects.

Getting Started

Q: How do we begin the partnership process?
Reach out via partnership@usaconservation.org and we’ll connect you with our team closest to your area. We’ll schedule a conversation to understand your project needs, timeline, budget, and desired outcomes,and then discuss how ACE can support you.

Q: What information should our organization prepare before contacting ACE?
It’s helpful to have:

• A clear project scope or desired outcomes (e.g., trail construction, invasive species removal, forest thinning)
• Timeline for when you want work to begin and major milestones.
• Approximate budget or funding source, if applicable.
• Site specifics (location, access, current conditions) and any regulatory or permitting requirements.
• Any partner-provided resources (if relevant) such as tools, lodging, logistic support, etc.

Q: Are there minimum project sizes or geographic limitations?
ACE operates nationwide and across all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, so geography is not a major constraint. Project size may vary depending on the type of service (crew, EPIC placement) and practicality/logistics will be discussed during intake.

Crew & EPIC Program Specifics

Q: What is included when ACE provides a field crew?
For the Crew program, we provide:

• A trained crew leader and team of 6-8 members under supervision.
• All field gear, transportation (4×4 when needed), food/water/camping gear (if back-country), PPE, hand tools and equipment (chainsaws, crosscut saws, rockwork tools, etc.)
• Training certifications for crew members (e.g., Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, S-212 Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, herbicide application) as applicable.
• Assurance of quality work and oversight from ACE field & office support staff.

Q: What is the EPIC program and how does it work with partner organizations?
The EPIC (Emerging Professionals in Conservation) program places recent college graduates and young adults with workforce experience into partner organizations for individual placements in disciplines including cultural resources, rangeland/habitat, GIS, policy/NEPA, fisheries/water resources, visitor services, etc. ACE recruits, supports, and develops the members, while your organization provides the mentorship and discipline-specific work environment.

ACE Solutions Consulting Services

Q: What types of consulting or technical support does ACE Solutions provide?

• Restoration planning & implementation: invasive species management, revegetation, habitat monitoring, herbicide application (where licensed)
• Trail system planning & design (multi-use, ADA accessible, OHV, mountain biking), training of crews and volunteers in trail maintenance/construction.
• Forestry services: forest-health assessments, fuels-mitigation planning, fire-wise assessments, chainsaw/crosscut training.
• Wilderness medicine and safety training programs for field crews, volunteers, and organizations in urban, front, and backcountry settings.

Q: How do we engage ACE Solutions for a customized service?
Contact the ACE Solutions team lead Dan McLendon, dmclendon@usaconservation.org, to discuss your technical need, scope, timeline, and deliverables.

Administrative & Logistical

Q: What kind of agreement or contract is required?
ACE partners via cooperative agreements, MOUs, or simple partner-agreements depending on the nature of the organization (federal/state agencies, non-profits, private partners). We tailor the agreement to fit the scope of work and partner’s needs.

Q: How are costs estimated and billed?
Once we understand your project scope, timeline, and logistical needs, ACE will provide a cost estimate. The specific billing/financial terms will be outlined in the agreement. Your ACE project manager can walk you through cost drivers such as travel, equipment, crew duration, training, etc.

Q: What kind of oversight and quality control does ACE provide?
ACE assigns project managers and field leads to partner projects to ensure supervision, safety, and quality. For training and consulting services, subject-matter experts deliver the programs and monitor outcomes. We abide by safety protocols, certifications, and best practices in conservation programming.

Outcomes & Impact

Q: What outcomes can we expect when partnering with ACE?
You can expect:

• Completion of conservation or land-management tasks that might be difficult to resource internally (e.g., trail construction, invasive species removal).
• A partner that can help you effectively engage a motivated workforce and align with conservation mission goals.
• Reporting and metrics where applicable (depending on project) to track progress, impact, and deliverables.

Q: Can partnering with ACE help with funding or grant opportunities?
While ACE may not directly provide grant funding, our partnerships and services can help you deliver on grant-funded project scopes (for example through crew work or technical support). We can support your organization in achieving the measurable outcomes that many grants require. ACE will also co-write or co-manage grants, depending on the particular project.

Miscellaneous

Q: What if our project doesn’t seem listed on ACE’s website—can still we partner?
Yes! We’re happy to consult with you and provide a cost estimate. ACE is flexible and mission-driven, so let’s talk about your needs.

Q: How do we measure the success of a partnership?
Success can be measured via achieved deliverables (e.g., miles of trail built, acres of invasive species treated), the capacity-building of your staff/volunteers, improved land-management metrics, cost-effectiveness, and ongoing conservation benefits. We recommend discussing desired metrics and reporting expectations during the initial scoping conversation.

Q: Who do we contact for more information or to initiate a partnership?

Contact us at partnership@usaconservation.org.