Did you know that there are 423 national park sites in the United States that span over 85 million acres of land? Wow – that’s a lot of land to maintain and take care of. There are a ton of different organizations out there all working to protect these incredible parklands, their wildlife, and their history. The work these organizations do is never-ending and requires constant funding and community involvement to be successful.
Wondering how you can help? We’ve got lots of information for you! We’ve compiled a list of ways you can actively contribute to and support the folks and organizations that work so hard to care for our national parks. Let’s check it out!
Start a T-Shirt Fundraiser
An awesome and fun way to raise money for the national parks is to start your own t-shirt fundraiser! With Bonfire, you can set up a Giving Campaign – a t-shirt fundraiser that is linked to a nonprofit or organization and raises funds on their behalf. When the fundraiser ends, all of the profits from your t-shirt sales will automatically be sent to that organization for you! How cool is that?!
When setting up your campaign, here’s how to link the national park organization you’d like to benefit:
- Choose Fundraising as your Campaign type
- Select that you want your payout to be sent directly to the organization
- Search for the organization by name or EIN in the search bar that appears
- Once you’ve located the organization, simply select them and you’re connected
Buy Apparel From an Existing Fundraising Campaign
Purchasing from an existing fundraising campaign that benefits the national parks is a great way to offer financial support and get some cool new merch to add to your collection!
Here are some active national park campaigns on Bonfire.
Keep Virginia Cozy
Keep Virginia Cozy is a nonprofit organization that maintains the trails in Shenandoah National Park. All proceeds from the Be King. campaign help support the work that they do.
Heal Our Streets and Land
The Heal Our Streets and Land campaign is raising funds for a couple who are moving to Yellowstone National Park to work with ACMNP (A Christian Ministry in the National Parks). Surplus donations will go to The Parks Project – an organization dedicated to the preservation of national parks.
Friends of Haleakala National Park Inc.
The Wear your love of Haleakalā Crater! campaign supports educational, cultural, research, and service activities at Haleakala National Park in Hawaii. All proceeds go directly to Friends of Haleakala National Park to help fund their work preserving Haleakalā’s unique ecosystems, scenic character, and Native Hawaiian cultural and spiritual resources.
Donate Directly to a National Park Organization or Conservation Association
Donating directly to the organizations working for our national parks ensures that their work continues. Supporting them funds initiatives to help our parks not only survive, but thrive!
Here are some of our favorite national park organizations that you can donate to.
The National Parks Conservation Association
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has its headquarters in Washington, DC, and 27 locations nationwide. They work to defend the national parks on the ground, in the courtroom, and on Capitol Hill.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of the National Parks Conservation Association, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance harnesses the collective power of business and outdoor communities to fund and advocate for the protection of North America’s wild places.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of The Conservation Alliance Association, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
The Association of National Park Rangers
The Association of National Park Rangers is an organization created to communicate for, about, and with National Park Service employees of all disciplines; to promote and enhance the professions, spirit, and mission of National Park Service employees; to support management and the perpetuation of the National Park Service and the National Park System; and to provide a forum for professional enrichment.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of the Association of National Park Rangers, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
The Sierra Club Foundation
The Sierra Club Foundation promotes efforts to educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of the Sierra Club Foundation, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy protects the land, restores the rivers, and brings species of animals back from the brink of extinction. They work in all 50 states in the US, as well as over 70 countries.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of The Nature Conservancy, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
Yosemite Conservancy
Yosemite Conservancy is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Yosemite’s resources and providing enriching visitor experiences in the park. Their philanthropic partnership with Yosemite goes back more than 95 years.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of the Yosemite Conservancy, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
Yellowstone Forever
Yellowstone Forever is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Supporters of Yellowstone Forever help fund projects that conserve native wildlife and biodiversity and contribute to a healthy and resilient ecosystem for the future.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of Yellowstone Forever, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
Shenandoah National Park Trust
Shenandoah National Park Trust is the official philanthropic partner of Shenandoah National Park. They work to protect the park and also create programs to inspire the next generation of national park stewards.
Launch your own fundraiser on behalf of Shenandoah National Park Trust, or visit their official website to learn more about how you can support their efforts.
Buy an Annual Pass and Visit Parks
Purchasing a national park pass is a super cool way to actively support the National Park Foundation and Service! The annual pass gives you access to more than 2,000 Federal recreation sites for a full year. Imagine being able to visit and experience the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the country! The National Parks and Federal Lands Annual Pass makes that dream a reality.
You can either purchase your pass online or in-person if you would prefer to go about it that way.
There you have it! A few examples of how you can get involved and donate to our national parks! Together, we can help support the people who work day in and day out to make sure our parks stay protected and are still here for future generations to enjoy. By donating to the national parks, you are taking steps and making strides towards a healthier and more beautiful planet for all of us.
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