NPF and the Park Partner Community Innovating for the Future of Parks

In 2015, the National Park Foundation conducted a survey of the park partner community to better understand the landscape of the 450+ organizations that support national parks and collect data about the many ways these organizations help the National Park Service tackle some of the parks' most pressing challenges. NPF has worked with Redstone Strategy Group since 2020 to refresh this important research and analysis biannually. This data -- including the joys, successes, challenges, and recommendations from the community -- is compiled into the Park Partner Report with the primary goal of informing how NPS, NPF, the National Park Friends Alliance, and other stakeholders engage with the park partner community.

The 2024 Park Partner Report and accompanying infographic are now available, providing an updated, comprehensive report of the landscape of the park partner community and identifying key initiatives to target in the coming years. While the 2020 report focused on the community's growth and the 2022 report highlighted resilience in the face of the pandemic, the 2024 report showcases innovation in the partner community.

Partners support parks in a variety of ways. Traditionally, friends groups provide philanthropic and in-kind support; cooperating associations provide education, products, and services to park visitors through retail sales and other channels; and coordinating entities maintain national heritage areas, trails, and rivers. However, there is not always a clear line between these groupings as each organization is unique and provides support in different ways based on their particular agreement with the park unit. Service corps, educational centers, land trusts, and other organizations are also considered park partners.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (NPF Photo / Chance James)

Here are some of this year's key findings from survey responses, as well as supplemental analysis of public financial data from partner organizations:

• In 2023, park partner organizations provided over $500 million dollars in direct and indirect support to NPS. This is an increase of over $100 million since the 2022 report was published.

• Park partners expect to increase their support to NPS by 12% on average in 2024.

Arches National Park (Unsplash / Joshua Gresham)

• Park partners are investing in enhancing the visitor experience in the next 3-5 years, with 53% of partners reporting this as a top priority.

• Groups of all sizes expect to grow their staff capacity this year and maintain or increase their impact on national parks.

Open Outdoors for Kids at Death Valley National Park (NPS Photo)

• Park partners list NPS staff availability as the most pressing challenge, surpassing internal organizational capacity as the biggest barrier to success.

• Smaller organizations continue to request support from NPF in fundraising, while larger groups are interested in strategies around DEI and guidance on navigating NPS policies.

The report also highlights specific examples of how park partners are having a positive impact on park sites across the country and the groundbreaking work they are taking on to address park challenges.

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (Shutterstock / Rob Hainer)

Additionally, the recommendations based on feedback from the partner community are taken into account by NPF, NPS, and NPFA as they plan for the future. Findings from the 2020 report reinforced the need for a collaborative approach and message from park partners to elevate parks as a philanthropic priority nationally and this is reflected in the collective nature of The Campaign for National Parks. The 2022 report recognized the need for a strong, organized network of partners, which ultimately led to NPF's commitment to invest in multi-year operational support for the National Park Friends Alliance. NPF's grantmaking is also informed by survey responses, as programmatic, logistical, and scheduling feedback is taken into consideration when creating Requests for Proposals and scheduling grant cycles.

NPF remains committed to funding this research and analysis on the partner community in the future on a biannual schedule. NPF, NPS, and NPFA are reflecting on the recommendations of the newest Park Partner Report and will strategically draw on this data about the partner community to continue shaping how we work together.

Strong Parks, Strong Communities