GRANT EXPANDS WNPA’S IMPACT AT WESTERN NATIONAL PARKS
Western National Parks Association (WNPA) is one of 36 park partner organizations to receive a Strong Parks, Strong Communities capacity building grant from the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. This grant will enable WNPA to develop a new website intended to amplify the visibility and promotion of its more than 70 affiliated national parks. The full list of grantees can be found on the National Park Foundation’s blog.
“WNPA is very grateful to the National Park Foundation for supporting our efforts to connect more people to our 71 partner parks and to our mission,” said James E. Cook, WNPA’s chief executive officer. “With our expanded online capabilities we intend to feature the many untold stories that have often been left out of the interpretive and educational programs found in parks. The National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and WNPA are committed to ensuring these stories are told; national parks belong to all and we will do our part to make them welcoming and inviting. It is imperative we create more access to these parks, especially now, and this grant will help us create an online experience for those seeking more information about the parks.”
The Strong Parks, Strong Communities capacity building grant program helps address nonprofit park partner needs that have come to the forefront amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Park partners identified resiliency and ability to weather times of uncertainty as priority needs. These grants will enable park partners across the country to expand their impact through new technology, website redesigns, creative visitor engagement, strategic plan development, fundraising campaigns, professional development, and more.
“The National Park Foundation is committed to increasing national park philanthropy across the board, and being responsive to current needs,” said LaTresse Snead, chief program officer for the National Park Foundation. “The capacity building grants help advance park partners’ goals to preserve natural and cultural resources, increase access to public lands for all people, and develop innovative programming.”
Strong Parks, Strong Communities is a collective effort to grow national park philanthropy, which consists of approximately 450 local philanthropic organizations across the country. Working together on this initiative, the National Park Foundation, National Park Service, and Friends Alliance enhance local philanthropic organizations, bringing park philanthropy to an elevated level.
The Strong Parks, Strong Communities capacity building grant program is made possible by the National Park Foundation Board of Directors.