PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION

Purpose

As the official national nonprofit partner of the National Park Service (NPS), the National Park Foundation (NPF or the Foundation) seeks to generate private support and build strategic partnerships to protect and enhance America’s national parks for present and future generations.

NPF strives to ensure that America’s national parks reach their fullest potential and touch as many lives as possible. This translates into protecting natural landscapes, wilderness, historical sites and places of cultural significance, connecting people to the national parks and connecting partners to the national parks. NPF does this in full partnership with NPS.

Organization

“NPF strives to ensure that America’s national parks reach their fullest potential and touch as many lives as possible. This translates into protecting natural landscapes, wilderness, historical sites and places of cultural significance...”

The Foundation, a not-for-profit, charitable corporation located in Washington, D.C., was established in 1967 by an Act of the U.S. Congress (Public Law 90-209) to help support NPS. Effective December 16, 2016, Public Law 90-209 was amended by enactment of Public Law 114-289. Public Law 114-289 provides that the Foundation shall consist of a Board of Directors having as members no fewer than six private citizens of the United States appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.

The Secretary and the Director of NPS shall be non-voting, ex officio members of the Board. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be elected by the Board of Directors from its members for a two-year term. Activities of the Foundation to solicit, accept, administer, and use any gifts, devises, or bequests for the benefit of, or in connection with NPS shall be undertaken after consultation with the Director of NPS to ensure that these activities are consistent with NPS programs and policies.