Communities & Workforce

Strengthening the National Park Community

National parks are the landscapes on which we build community and cultivate stewardship. The National Park Foundation (NPF), together with our partners, supports an expansive network of local non-profit organizations, volunteer groups, and service corps dedicated to critical preservation and restoration projects across the country. NPF’s Communities & Workforce programming aims to grow the capacity of partners, as well as inspire and diversify the next generation of outdoor leaders. Increased capacity in the park partner community strengthens our collective support of critical preservation, restoration, and protection projects in parks across the country.

From service corps crews that preserve historical sites, restore trails, and remove invasive species in parks, to strengthening the park community and collaborative efforts, NPF’s Communities & Workforce programs highlight the power of teamwork and collective dedication to preserve our nation’s most treasured places.

Program Highlights

NPS Intern Dorien Scheets poses out front out Tumacácori National Historical Park

NPS Internships

In national parks across the country, NPF supports the hiring of interns to assist the National Park Service (NPS) in a variety of ways. From interns uncovering women's history in parks to partnering with the Fund II Foundation for its internX program, the support of internships in parks is vital to both building park staff capacity and engaging young professionals.

Two service corps members, in yellow hard hats, cut and work with wire fencing

Service Corps Crews

Since 2018, the National Park Foundation has granted more than $15 million to over 180 service corps crews. Many of these service corps programs are helping parks be more climate resilient and helping people deepen their environmental stewardship.

Strong Parks, Strong Communities

Enhancing the collaborative power of partnership, NPF, NPS, and the National Park Friends Alliance provide critical support to NPS’ approximately 450 local philanthropic organzations through capacity building grants, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and collaborative resources.

Ty Polacca at Grand Canyon National Park

Single-Identity Service Corps

As part of our commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in the park community and in service corps programs, NPF provides funding to make single-identity service corps crews possible, including LGBTQ+, American Sign Language, Latina, Women, and Native American crews.

a huge snowy mountain tinged pink by the setting sun

Funding Critical Research

In 2020, NPF, in collaboration with NPS and the National Park Friends Alliance, conducted a study on the impact, capacity, and needs of park partner organizations. The report found that the over 450 organizations play a vital role in connecting people to their national park sites and have a diverse set of needs.