National Park Foundation

“The organization is not required to file a form 990 with the internal revenue service pursuant to its irs determination letter; however, in 2012, the board elected to begin filing on a voluntary basis. The 990 form drafts are reviewed by the ceo, coo, cfo, and controller as well as the chief program officer, and the chief external affairs officer. The audit committee reviews the 990 and suggests edits where necessary. Once approved, the 990 is sent to the full board prior to submitting it to the irs. Each member of the board of directors will receive a copy of the form 990 including significant schedules prior to the submission of the form to the internal revenue service. Form 990 is filed after the board has been given a chance to review and provide feedback.”

“If an individual has a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest in connection with any foundation transaction or matter, the individual must immediately notify the president, chair of the board, or chair of the governance committee and disclose all the material facts concerning the actual or potential conflict of interest and his or her relationship to the transaction or matter at issue. If the conflict of interest arises in connection with the activities of any deliberative body (e.g., the board of directors, committee of the board), the individual with the conflict must immediately disclose the conflict to the other members of the body and the individual must not participate in the deliberation, consideration, or vote on the transaction or matter at issue. A notation must be made in the minutes of any meeting at which deliberation, consideration, or vote on the transaction or matter at issue is undertaken indicating that the individual with a conflict or potential conflict of interest was excused from the meeting during the time that consideration of the transaction or matter was undertaken, took no part in any discussion pertaining to the transaction or matter, and refrained from voting on the transaction or matter. The foundation also utilizes a mandatory disclosure policy under which each of the following categories of individuals is required to submit a mandatory annual disclosure statement of any known or potential conflicts of interest. The disclosure form requires identification and signature and is submitted to the president or vice chair. The following classes of individuals must submit the disclosure annually: a. Board of directors b. Officers and key employees c. Other specific appointees as designated by the president or the board of directors. The president shall maintain and annually update a file of mandatory disclosure statements signed by each above-named individual.”

“The compensation committee regularly conducts reviews of compensation for the president/ceo and other key employees. The committee uses various resources for determining comparable pay data during the deliberation and decision process.”

“Governing documents, the conflict of interest policy, and the financial statements are made available to the public upon request.”

“The organization's directors also include the following non-voting members of the Board of Directors: The Honorable Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ex-Officio Director Charles F. Sams, III, Director of the National Park Service, Ex-Officio Director Director Sams also serves as the Corporate Secretary via the enabling legislation.”

“LITIGATION SETTLEMENT - Enforcement actions brought by governmental authorities for violations of environmental or other natural resource laws are often settled on terms that require defendants to make community service or restitution payments. In turn, these types of payments are generally required to be applied in a manner that provides some redress for the underlying violations. From time to time, NPF is the beneficiary of settlement (or litigation) funds and collaborates closely with the National Park Service to invest these funds as directed by the settlement.”

“As the official nonprofit partner of the national park service, the national park foundation generates private support and builds strategic partnerships to protect and enhance america's national parks for present and future generations. Npf's overarching goal is to ensure america's national parks reach their fullest potential and touch as many lives as possible.”

“Protect national parks - the national park foundation secures private and philanthropic funds to enhance, preserve, and restore the natural and historical resources stewarded by nps, as well as enhance the visitor experience for the 300+ million annual visitors. The foundation's support is invested primarily through strategic partnerships. Under the protect pillar, npf delivers programmatic impact to the parks in the following strategic areas: (1) landscape and wildlife conservation - npf commits to conserving native wildlife and restoring critical habitats and ecosystems in the nation's most treasured places for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. From majestic mountain ranges in alaska to the vast sawgrass prairies of florida's everglades, national parks have safeguarded the nation's stunning landscapes, natural habitats, and native wildlife from modern development. Today, national parks protect and preserve 85 million acres of land including world heritage sites, iconic landmarks, and many threatened and endangered species. Many sites are increasingly subject to environmental and human impacts that threaten the health of wildlife. Rising sea levels, changing weather patterns, and ecosystem degradation are leading to paradigm shifts in society. Conservation and preservation are at the core of the foundation's mission. (2) history and culture - nearly half of the nation's national parks are primarily historic or cultural in their mission, but few americans visit them or even know they exist. As america's storyteller, these national parks can engage all audiences and tell a broader and more inclusive story of american history. Npf helps to safeguard the historic sites and collections that hold american's shared history, recognizing that the national discourse is ever evolving to reflect on the past, engage the present, and imagine the future. With this work, npf aims to share more comprehensive and inclusive stories that amplify the full range of experience and voices that are woven into the fabric of the united states. (3) resilience and sustainability - in partnership with nps and other partners, npf is making national parks more resilient and sustainable by supporting innovative solutions to improve park infrastructure and to make it easier for park visitors to be good stewards of the places they love. Npf supports ongoing work across the entire national park system through waste reduction efforts, water conservation projects, and investments in renewable and alternative energy projects. The preservation of parks is central to the national park service's mission, and nps's green parks plan acts as a road map of areas to focus on now and in the future to build resilient green infrastructure and educate park visitors on climate change and sustainability. (4) parks of the future - two hundred million more visitors are expected annually in national parks by 2040, a 60 percent increase from 2018 levels. National parks must be prepared to address the changing demographics and a diversity of needs for these new visitors. From visitor congestion to the workforce of the future. From recreational access to campground and transportation experiences of the future. From how audiences feel welcome to how new audiences can be developed and cultivated. National parks must remain nimble and invest in strategies today that ensure world class visitor experiences tomorrow. Through transformational investments in both emerging technologies and proven solutions, npf envisions a stronger and more resilient national park system in 2040.”

“Connect people with national parks - the national park foundation is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for people to visit and connect with our national parks and the programs they offer. Npf works to invite all people to experience, enjoy, and create life-long relationships with national parks and bring parks to people. This is accomplished by way of investments to reach underrepresented audiences, increase diversity and inclusion, create digital experiences and attract younger, multicultural generations and families to engage with national parks. In addition, the national park foundation is dedicated to establishing national parks as powerful learning environments that provide in-depth experiences that shape lives and build the next generation of national park stewards. The foundation's programs focus on connecting audiences to introductory experiences in our national parks, fostering lifelong connections, and building strong partnerships. Under the connect pillar, npf delivers programmatic impact to the parks in the following strategic areas: (1) youth engagement and education - the average child spends five to eight hours a day in front of a digital screen and only about 12 minutes of active time outdoors. National parks are america's largest classroom, offering unparalleled educational resources as hands-on laboratories poised to inspire a new generation. Npf supports youth education & engagement programs that provide ways for kids to enjoy, understand, and connect with the nature, history, and culture of parks through a variety of classroom subjects at national parks across the country. Education programs tied to parks enhance classroom curriculum and have a transformative impact on students, increasing critical thinking skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation to learn. Beyond time spent in the parks, classroom activities conducted before and after in-park or virtual field trips reinforce what students learn during their visit. (2) outdoor exploration - national parks hold the power to inspire a sense of wonder and a love of exploration. Exploration of parks' wildlife, landscapes, history, and culture is an important and memorable element of national park experiences for all visitors. Npf supports ongoing opportunities to promote access for everyone to experience, enjoy, and cultivate life-long connections to the social, mental, and physical health benefits of the outdoors through magnificent national parks. By teaching valuable lifelong skills, collaborating with partner organizations to foster inclusion, and promoting the engagement of communities of color with outdoor recreation, npf's outdoor exploration programs create and deepen longstanding connections to national parks for all. (3) communities and workforce - national parks are the landscapes where american's build community and cultivate stewardship. Npf supports an expansive network of local non-profit organizations, volunteer groups, and service corps dedicated to critical preservation and restoration projects across the country. Npf's communities & workforce programming aims to grow the capacity of partners, as well as inspire and diversify the next generation of outdoor leaders. Through efforts like service corps crews that preserve historical sites, restore trails, and remove invasive species in parks, npf's communities & workforce programs highlight the power of teamwork and collective dedication to preserve the nation's most treasured places. Additionally, increased fundraising and management capacity of the park partner community strengthens collective support of critical preservation, restoration, and protection projects in parks across the country.”

“This amended return corrects form 990, part vii, section a to disclose an omitted board member from the original filed return. Form 990, part vi, lines 1a and 1b also updated for added board member along with form 990, part i, line 6.”