Local Park Support
The National Park Foundation serves as a catalyst, resource and national voice for local park charities or “Friends Groups” to protect and enhance America’s national parks for present and future generations. The Foundation believes that a continuum of philanthropic funding – form local to national–– enhances its conservation, education and community engagement goals for the national parks.
What is a Friends Group?
Friends Groups are individual non-profit organizations that support a specific national park with time, expertise and privately-raised funds. As champions of parks, Friends Groups frequently engage area communities in the park and provide financial support and volunteer time in support of park priorities. Find a link to a park’s Friends Groups in the Related Links section of an NPF national park page.
How does the National Park Foundation work with Friends Groups?
The Foundation works to help start, grow and improve the operations of Friends Groups via direct support, coaching, consulting, webinars, and tool development and conferences. The Foundation does this through the following activities:
- Park Partners Project provides in-depth consulting and grant support to Friends Groups who want to be better partners and increase philanthropic dollars to their parks.
- Online Community and Resource Center is a web portal for Friends Groups stakeholders to more easily find and share resources, ask questions and connect with each other.
- Friends of the Parks Report provides information on and analysis of the evolution and spectrum of Friends Groups and park philanthropy.
- National Park Friends Alliance is an informal group of Friends Groups leaders who meet twice a year to discuss issues relevant to park philanthropy. The Foundation provides both technical and grant assistance.
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