The GCJV is one of 18 U.S. Joint Ventures, in addition to 4 Canadian Joint Ventures, and 3 species-based Joint Ventures. Joint Ventures were first established as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), signed by the United States and Canada in 1986 and in 1994 by Mexico. International in scope but regional in implementation, the success of NAWMP depends on its regional partnerships called migratory bird joint ventures. These partnerships are collaborative in nature and are composed of federal, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations, corporations, tribes, and individuals that work towards conserving habitat for priority bird species, other wildlife, and people in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Migratory Bird Joint Ventures are cooperative, regional partnerships that work to conserve habitat for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people. Since the North American Waterfowl Management Plan called for our establishment in 1986, Joint Ventures (JVs) have grown to cover nearly all of the U.S. and Canada, and much of Mexico. We are inspired by a shared vision of a North American Landscape where diverse populations of native birds thrive. We believe the well-being of our nations depends upon the health of our landscapes and our wildlife. There are twenty-two habitat-based Joint Ventures, each addressing the bird habitat conservation issues found within their geographic area. In addition, three species-based Joint Ventures, all with an international scope, work to further the scientific understanding needed to effectively manage populations of specific bird species.

A thorough definition of Joint Ventures and a directory listing all of the Joint Ventures in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can be found at the national migratory bird joint venture website and at the joint venture section of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Program website.

In addition to waterfowl, continental and U.S plans have been developed for other bird groups. These include the Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan, U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan. The Joint Ventures, with their experience in planning, designing, and implementing waterfowl conservation under the NAWMP, were well positioned to deliver conservation for these other bird groups. Consequently, in 2004 the GCJV broadened its conservation efforts to include landbird, shorebird, and waterbird conservation planning, in addition to waterfowl.