Our Mission

The National Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service, enriches America’s national parks and programs through private support, safeguarding our heritage and inspiring generations of national park enthusiasts.

Our Story

Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation is founded on a legacy that began more than a century ago, when private citizens from all walks of life took action to establish and protect our national parks. Today, the National Park Foundation carries on that tradition as the only national charitable nonprofit whose sole mission is to directly support the National Park Service.

Our Values

The National Park Foundation is founded on core values that reflect an unwavering commitment and connection to our national parks.

• Philanthropy: We believe private resources are critical to embracing America’s national parks, monuments, historic places, and programs.
• Stewardship: We believe the national parks are treasured resources and that all Americans have a responsibility to understand, protect, and care for them.
• Outreach: We believe that by engaging people across all ages, races, and backgrounds that we will create the next generation of park supporters.
• Partnership: We value quality relationships and partnerships that best multiply direct, positive impacts to the National Park Service.
• Commitment to the National Park Service: We are dedicated to working jointly with the National Park Service, advancing mutually beneficial relationships built on trust, collaboration, and a shared vision for our national parks.
• Vitality: We make innovative investments and support activities that build a financially and perennially strong Foundation (NPF).
• Accountability: We place a premium on carefully measuring and clearly communicating how our resources are being invested to support the NPF mission.

Our Work

As the only national nonprofit partner to the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation directly supports America’s over 400 national parks by pursuing three distinct, yet interdependent, areas of focus: PROTECTING American’s national parks through critical conservation & preservation efforts; CONNECTING all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture, rich history and the transformative community work of the National Park Service connect, and INSPIRING lifelong engagement with the next generation of park stewards.