The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NOVAGOLD Collaborate to Protect, Conserve and Restore Alaska's Fish and Wildlife

Washington, DC - September 4, 2014 — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. today announced that NOVAGOLD and Donlin Gold LLC will invest in NFWF’s Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund conservation initiative. The Fund, created in 2008, is expected to provide more than $2,000,000 in grants over the next year. This new partnership will support NFWF’s vital initiative to protect, conserve and restore fish and wildlife in Alaska.

The Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund, which is administered by NFWF, provides funding to priority projects that protect and enhance fish and wildlife species, as well as their habitats. Drawing on its experience as one of the nation’s largest conservation funders, NFWF has developed a science-based plan with a goal to deliver meaningful and measurable conservation outcomes; provide leverage by engaging federal and state agencies, academia, conservation peers, businesses, and communities to maximize conservation benefits; and meet a need for more investments to protect and enhance Alaska’s natural heritage. In addition to NOVAGOLD and Donlin Gold, support for the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The Rasmuson Foundation, British Petroleum Alaska, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Shell, and community service payments resulting from court settlements of various federal pollution law violations.

Phase 1 of the program is well underway with the establishment of a business plan that follows NFWF’s institutional approach of focusing on species outcomes as the main goal, working to enhance the viability of each target population by improving their resilience and mitigating threats. To achieve these species goals, NFWF identified three focal geographies as initial investment areas: the Arctic-Bering Sea, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Region, and the Cook Inlet/Matanuska-Susitna watershed. Many of the funded projects will be led by Alaskan communities to increase the active involvement of local residents in the subsistence management process and enhance the dialogue around conservation needs.

“The lands and waters of Alaska provide a home for an incredible number of fish and wildlife species,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “We applaud this commitment from NOVAGOLD and Donlin Gold as a significant contribution toward conserving the wetlands, streams and wild places of Alaska for future generations.”

"In today's world, I believe that there is no greater calling than to harness the golden mean between the twin imperatives of human empowerment and the conservation of the natural world," said Dr. Thomas Kaplan, NOVAGOLD's Chairman. "Greg Lang and all of NOVAGOLD's management team are committed to devising and implementing the very best practices in our industry. It is in this spirit that NOVAGOLD is partnering with NFWF, the Gold Standard in environmental leadership. We, the Board members of NOVAGOLD, are truly proud of the fact that our company and NFWF have come together to create an extraordinary partnership that can serve as a model for the sustainable development of natural resources."

"Our partnership with NFWF exemplifies NOVAGOLD's strong and active commitment toward responsible mine development in combination with the sustainable protection of Alaska's natural endowment for the benefit of future generations,” said Greg Lang, NOVAGOLD’s President and CEO. "Donlin Gold’s baseline environmental studies are among the most comprehensive ever undertaken in our sector. By deploying our substantial expertise, which NOVAGOLD'S team has built over many years of study and research in Alaska, and helping NFWF in its efforts to protect and restore wetland and freshwater systems in the State, we are confident that this program will also enhance the economic well-being of the local communities in our region as we take Donlin Gold through development."

About NFWF

Established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.3 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About NOVAGOLD

NOVAGOLD is a well-financed precious metals company engaged in the exploration and development of mineral properties in North America. Its flagship asset is the 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska.  NOVAGOLD also owns 50% of the Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project located in northern British Columbia. Learn more at www.novagold.com.