National Park Trust Inc.

“The draft 990 is first reviewed by the director of finance & administration (dfa) and executive director for accuracy and content. Prior to filing, the full board of trustees is provided a copy of the final form 990.”

“Each trustee and officer is required to review a copy of the conflict of interest policy, which requires each person to disclose any relationships, positions or circumstances in which he or she believes could contribute to a conflict. Following full disclosure of a possible conflict of interest, the board of trustees shall determine whether a conflict of interest exists and if so, the board shall vote to authorize or reject the transaction or take any other action deemed necessary to address the conflict and protect npt's best interests. The trustee or officer who has the conflict is recused from any discussion and vote.”

“The board of trustees reviews and approves compensation of the executive director, as well as reviews and approves compensation for other senior staff when requested by the executive director.”

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

“National park trust mission our mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Preserve parks today: for 35 years, national park trust (npt) has enhanced the national park system by acquiring high-priority land identified by the national park service (nps). These lands are located within or adjacent to national parks. To date, npt's efforts have resulted in the preservation of more than 31,000 acres benefiting 42 national park units in 29 states, washington, dc, and the u.s. Virgin islands. Npt selects, acquires, and protects parkland, providing funding as well as legal and real estate expertise. Our high-priority projects are on a "wish list" provided by the nps and focus on parcels located within current national park boundaries as well as lands adjacent to national park boundaries. All lands are donated to the nps for permanent protection. Npt also serves as a partner with national and local land trusts and friends groups to complete park preservation projects. Npt's land projects vary in size from great swaths of land, including the more than 10,000 acres to create the tallgrass prairie national preserve (ks) to equally important smaller parcels, such as the 12.5 acres located within the wild basin area of rocky mountain national park (co). Create park stewards for tomorrow: to ensure the preservation of our parks and public lands and waters in perpetuity, npt's unique comprehensive strategy also focuses on getting kids to parks with the goal of building the pipeline of future park stewards and outdoor enthusiasts. Npt has two national initiatives that get kids to parks. Our buddy bison school programs and national kids to parks daytm provide park experiences for under-served youth, their families and teachers. The park experiences funded by npt: 1) enhance classroom curriculum; 2) promote health and wellness through outdoor recreation; and 3) foster park stewardship through career awareness and volunteer opportunities. To date, npt provides funding for more than 60 title i elementary and middle schools in 17 states and washington, dc. More than 80% of students supported by npt qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch, the federal indicator of low income. To date, npt's programs have reached more than 2-million children and families and the programs have garnered recognition from leaders in the education, medical, recreation, and conservation communities including the department of interior (doi), national park service (nps), america's state parks, american academy of pediatrics, national recreation and park association, and federal every kid in a park initiative. Youth programs from hiking to the top of watchman overlook at crater lake national park, to canoeing along the anacostia river in washington, d.c., national park trust is making conservation relevant to thousands of students from inner city and rural communities across the country. Our programs center around our lovable pint-sized woolly mascot, buddy bison who reminds kids to "explore outdoors, the parks are yours!" buddy bison is not only a tangible reminder that kids need to get out and go, but he also connects kids across the country with each other. Families and teachers alike want to know "where's buddy bison been?" in addition to providing more than $325,000 in direct funding in the 2017-2018 school year to create robust park experiences for under-served youth, npt provides educators with classroom resources (books, maps, dvds, lesson plans, worksheets, stem activities, etc.) and a dedicated education team to introduce environmental concepts and enhance school curriculum in the areas of history, stem, geography, reading, language arts, music and art. As an extension of our rapidly growing buddy bison school program, npt also initiated national kids to parks day in 2011. This grassroots day of play engages children and families with parks nationwide, teaching them not only about park stewardship, environmental science, and history”

“Kansas: november 2017: 64 students from buckner performing arts and science magnet elementary visited tallgrass prairie national preserve. The students went on a tour of the historic house, barn, outbuildings, southwind nature trail, and lower fox creek school. They also learned about the prairie ecosystem. February 2018: 64 students from buckner performing arts and science magnet elementary students participated in the "aviation field trip" at the exploration place children's museum and science center. During the trip the 4th graders saw a planetarium film about fighter pilots, learned about the physics of flight, engineered and built their own planes, and explored the exhibits. April 2018: 45 4th grade students from woodland stem academy visited tallgrass prairie national preserve. The students went on a tour of the historic house, barn, outbuildings, southwind nature trail, and lower fox creek school. They also learned about the prairie ecosystem. Louisiana: march 2018: 70 4th-grade students from chalmette elementary went to barataria preserve. In addition to hiking through the bottomland forests of the preserves, the students explored the bayou with dip nets and collected a whole menagerie of aquatic creatures, from dragonfly larvae to leeches! They were joined by the hero volunteers from the local harrah's. May 2018: 64 4th-grade students from green charter went to barataria preserve. In addition to hiking through the bottomland forests of the preserves, the students explored the bayou with dip nets and collected a whole menagerie of aquatic creatures, from dragonfly larvae to leeches! They were joined by the hero volunteers from the local harrah's. Maryland: october 2017: 100 students from st. Ignatius loyola academy and 67 students from mount washington school participated in canoemobile at canton waterfront park. All the students learned about water safety and got to paddle in 24-ft long voyageur canoes. Spring yearly: 115 kindergarten students from harmony hills es took their annual trip to meadowside nature center to hike, explore the exhibits, and engage in environmental education programming. 2017-2018 was the 5th year participating in this program. April 2018: 110 4th graders from gaithersburg elementary went to black hill regional park for the "science on the pontoon" program, where students learned about watersheds, water quality, and the local wildlife. Minnesota: october 2017: 88 4th-grade students from bruce vento elementary visited the bruce vento nature sanctuary where they rotated through four stations led by north winds wilderness school, indigenous educator jim rock, city of st. Paul greencorps volunteers, and npt staff. May 2018: 88 4th-grade students from bruce vento elementary took a "big river journey" down the mississippi river, from fort snelling state park, down to harriet island in saint paul. Along the way students learned about river ecosystems, river geology and water quality, and the importance of watershed stewardship. Mississippi: november 2017: 135 4th-grade students from popps ferry elementary visited mississippi sandhill crane national wildlife refuge. Students met caesar's hero volunteers and big buddy at the sandhill crane visitor center before splitting into 4 different stations. They hiked through the pine savanna and discovered carnivorous plants, created coded "tags" for themselves and pretended to be sandhill cranes, explored the exhibits of the museum, and got hands on with a guessing game involving natural artifacts from plants and animals that call the savanna their home. May 2018: 100 3rd-grade students from popps ferry elementary went to the hattiesburg zoo. Missouri: march 2018: mullanphy ilc elementary took 80 4th graders to gateway arch national park. The students learned about lewis and clark's westward expansion, re-enacted the dredd scott case at the old courthouse, and rode of the st. Louis arch. Students also received their every kids in a park passes. March 2018: ash”

“Washington, d.c.: yearly program (october 2012 to present): 1000 students from local d.c. Buddy bison schools canoe on the anacostia river with national park service, the army corps of engineers and wilderness inquiry. (stokes pcs, neval thomas elementary, el haynes, west education campus, patterson elementary, friendship public charter school, and more). March/april 2013 to present - npt brought 30 fifth grade students from washington jesuit academy to rock creek park where they learned about their local wildlife and studied planets at the only planetarium in a national park. Sept/oct 2014 to present - 40 third-grade students from neval thomas elementary visited the national mall and memorials park to see the places they studied in school. Yearly program (october 2015 to present): 350 students from e.w. Stokes elementary visited watkins regional park. The students rotated through activities that included learning about the nature center then went on a hike. Feb 2018: washington school for girls took 30 students to rock creek park for a planetarium program and a hike. National kids to parks day this national day of play was launched in 2011 by national park trust. May 19, 2018: 432 mayors from all 50 states participated and promoted the more than 1,200 registered park events on kidstoparks.org. A senate resolution was passed proclaiming the day "national kids to parks day." more than 1 million individuals participated coast to coast . As a result of the school contest, npt provided park experiences for over 5,100 students from 92 schools. Npt also partnered with the national non-profit blue star families which served 1,130 active-duty military families with 18 kids to parks day events at 11 of their chapter locations across the country. Land and park preservation programs npt continues to make great progress with our park conservation efforts. In the late 1990s, we were the lead organization to create a new unit of the national park system dedicated to preserve our country's prairie ecosystem - the tallgrass prairie national preserve. Npt continues to be instrumental in adding critical private lands to other parks including kennesaw mountain national battlefield park, ga; bruce vento nature sanctuary, mn; yosemite national park, ca; and harpers ferry national historical park, wv. In 2014, we transferred the title of the ivanpah desert tortoise research facility in mojave national preserve, ca to the national park service to help protect this endangered species. We continue to support the facilities research. In 2016, we transferred the title to 32 acres of needed land for indiana dunes national lakeshore, in to the national park service. We are currently working on several new unique preservation projects including: pictured rocks national lakeshore, mi appalachian national scenic trail, ny harry s. Truman national historic site, mo c&o canal national historic park, md for a complete list of all of our completed projects, please visit our website at www.parktrust.org. Recent and ongoing projects include: arkansas: johnnycake ranch (ongoing since 2003) npt holds the conservation easement on this 2000 acre ranch, which abuts the ouachita national forest and the poteau mountain wilderness area. The forest is home to 79 proposed, endangered, threatened, and sensitive species. The easement also provides habitat protection for the bald eagle. The conservation easement benefits both the wilderness area and the national forest by providing a buffer zone to ensure the continued ecological viability of these federal assets. March 2013 through march 2017: npt renewed contract with oklahoma based land trust to oversee easement responsibilities on arkansas project. For 2018, npt is contracting with a northwest arkansas based land trust to oversee easement responsibilities on the project. California: mojave national preserve (ongoing since 2009) npt is managing mitigation funds for a desert tortoise facility at the preserve. July 2012: npt”

“Public education npt undertakes and conducts programs to educate and raise the profile of national parks and their needs with the public, park agencies and congressional delegates. Npt circulates its publication, "npt news" (electronic newsletter) which describes critical parkland acquisitions and related issues. This publication educates the public on how they can help support efforts on the protection of national parklands. Npt also conducts its annual bruce f. Vento public service award event to honor a public servant for his or her commitment to the environment; and his or her service, skill and innovation in support of our public lands; and to provide the public with information on such service. In june 2018, the award recipient was senator martin heinrich from new mexico. Npt also conducts its american park experience award event to recognize an individual or group that has made outstanding contributions to enhance the awareness and appreciation of our nation's parks, wildlife refuges and historic landmarks and to provide the public with information on such contributions.”

“The process has not changed from the prior year.”