NPF Grants and Programs
Working on its own and with partners, the National Park Foundation funds grants and programs that meet the priorities and critical needs across our National Park System. The Foundation actively supports the National Park Service in its goal to prepare national parks for another century of conservation, preservation and enjoyment by its 100th anniversary in 2016.
Below you will find brief summaries and deadlines for the current grant opportunities. Check back often for exciting new announcements. For additional information or questions about NPF programs and grants, please contact 202-354-6479.
New Eligibility Information The National Park Foundation is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications from ALL National Park System units, affiliated areas, regional, service and program offices, National Heritage Areas, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Historic Landmarks and National Trails to participate in all National Park Foundation grant programs. Although applications must be submitted by a National Park Service staff person, successful parks may direct a grant to a partner organization for a collaborative project.
America’s Best Idea Grants Program
Now in its fourth year, the America’s Best Idea Grants Program is an NPF signature program that provides a springboard from which national parks can initiate projects that reach out to new partners, strengthen existing relationships, and/or engage new audiences. For example, one park deepened its relationships with two local high schools by creating a youth advisory council for the park. Another park team partnered with a local military base to engage families of fallen soldiers in immersive outdoor experiences at the park, ranging from trail work to overnight campouts and junior ranger activities. Another created daypacks filled with everything kids would need on day-long adventures into the park to enable students from under-privileged schools to explore and learn in the park. You can find examples of the previous year’s projects on the National Park Foundation’s website.
View the full PDF application.
Applications Due: No later than Friday, March 9, 2012
If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Hill, Program Director, at 202-354-6471 or by email at chill@nationalparks.orgPark Partners
The Park Partners Project provides year-long capacity building support and $5,000 capacity-building grant to emerging and transitioning Friends Groups committed to growing their own capacity to better support national parks. Participation is open to Friends Groups supporting national parks. Applications may be submitted by Park Superintendents, Friends Group leaders or NPS Regional Partnership Offices (see required attachments on last page of this application).
View the full PDF application.
If you have any questions, please contact Siobhan A. O'Riordan, Director, Partner Development, at 202-354-6476 or by email at so'riordan@nationalparks.org
Active Trails
First implemented in five pilot parks in 2008, the Active Trails Grants Program was designed to promote healthy lifestyles while simultaneously protecting and enhancing our national parks’ trail resources. This multi-faceted program encourages park visitors and local community members to connect on an ongoing basis with their national parks through recreation, hands-on trail work, and community engagement activities (special events).
First implemented in five pilot parks in 2008, the Active Trails Grants Program was designed to promote healthy lifestyles while simultaneously protecting and enhancing our national parks’ trail resources. This multi-faceted program encourages park visitors and local community members to connect on an ongoing basis with their national parks through recreation, hands-on trail work, and community engagement activities (special events).
Active Trails has three major facets, any one of which may be the focus of an Active Trails program, though the strongest program applicants will include elements of each:
1. Link outdoor pursuits with human health by engaging newcomers and returning guests with active use of the park’s resources.
2. Development of new or improvement of existing trails to make them more accessible and user friendly.
3. Raise awareness of park resources through outreach, marketing and special events.
You can find examples of the previous year’s projects on the National Park Foundation’s website: http://www.nationalparks.org/npf-at-work/our-programs/active-trails/
View the full PDF application.
If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Hill, Program Director, at 202-354-6471 or by email at chill@nationalparks.org
Contact:
Carolyn Hill, Program Director
National Park Foundation
1201 Eye Street NW, Suite 550B
Washington, DC 20005
PH: 202-354-6471 / Fax: 202-371-2066
Email: chill@nationalparks.org
Transportation Scholars Program
The Transportation Scholar program gives National Park sites the opportunity to receive expert assistance from transportation professionals on projects such as transportation planning, alternative transportation, analysis, coordination with local communities, environmental and traffic studies, and other transportation related tasks. This program is in partnership with the National Park Foundation, National Park Service, Eno Transportation Foundation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Technical Assistance Center.
Interested scholars applicants can now apply for the 2012 Transportation Scholars Program here.
Applications Due: No later than February 17, 2012.
Contact:
Katherine Chesson, Grants and Programs
National Park Foundation
1201 Eye Street NW, Suite 550B
Washington, DC 20005
PH: 202-354-6479 / Fax: 202-371-2066
Email: kchesson@nationalparks.org
IMPACT Grants: Under $10,000
The National Park Foundation recognizes that sometimes the smallest grants can make the largest differences. Impact Grants (up to $10,000) are designed to help parks which need a small amount of additional funding to accomplish something they could not otherwise. Past grantee projects have ranged from a Northwest Bear Safety Initiative in Alaska, to overhauling infrastructure at nine in-park community gardens in Washington, DC, to conserving historic paintings in Iowa, to developing bi-lingual podcasts and distance learning programs in Florida. The National Park Foundation looks to fund projects that meet a critical need and/or are innovative, that have budgets appropriate to the project and that leverage resources where possible.
The fall 2011 round of the Impact Grants Program is funded by the National Park Foundation, ARAMARK through the Yawkey Foundation, The Fernandez Pave the Way Foundation, and The HISTORY Channel, and supports the entirety of the National Park Service. The award is meant to be a one-time gift with no expectation of repeat funding. Past grantees are permitted to reapply for funding to support new projects or needs that have materialized since their last grant award.
Applications Due: No later than September 16, 2011
Notifications: Grant recipients will be notified on November 7, 2011
View the full PDF application.
Contact:
Katherine Chesson, Grants and Programs Coordinator
National Park Foundation
1201 Eye Street NW, Suite 550B
Washington, DC 20005
PH: 202-354-6479 / Fax: 202-371-2066
Email: kchesson@nationalparks.org
Park Stewards Program
The Park Stewards Program gives high school teachers and students the opportunity to explore the relevance of national parks to their lives, and encourages them to become civically engaged stewards of their national parks. The programplaces high school educators in national parks for immersive learning experiences during the summer months. As a result of their in-park experiences the teachers develop service-learning programs that are implemented by their students during the following school year. The teachers also design educational tools that have relevance to the national park for use in their classrooms.
The program serves as a catalyst for national parks to form public/private partnerships; helps teachers enhance and expand their content knowledge and curriculum base; enables students to form meaningful connections to national parks; and provides national parks with a service-learning model that can be replicated with additional groups and community members.
Check back soon for the latest grant application information!
Contact:
Carolyn Hill, Program Director
National Park Foundation
1201 Eye Street NW, Suite 550B
Washington, DC 20005
PH: 202-354-6471 / Fax: 202-371-2066
Email: chill@nationalparks.org
