2016 Annual Report
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2016 ANNUAL REPORT NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION 1 Olympic National Park OUR MISSION The National Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service, enriches America’s national parks and programs through private support, safeguarding our heritage, and inspiring future generations of national park enthusiasts. OUR LEADERSHIP (OCTOBER , TO SEPTEMBER , ) PRESIDENT & CEO Will Shafroth The plurality of stories preserved within our national parks BOARD OF DIRECTORS tell of a land molded over millennia, the lives of ancient The Honorable Sally Jewell CHAIR civilizations, the forging of a new nation and the people Al Baldwin VICE CHAIR who helped shape it. They are more than the beloved iconic Jonathan B. Jarvis landscapes in the west – they encompass our history during SECRETARY Brien M. O’Brien chapters of struggle and triumph, preserving the resources TREASURER that define who we are as a people and where we have been. Ellen S. Alberding Rhoda Altom For the past 100 years, the National Park Service has served The Honorable Elizabeth Frawley Bagley as the nation’s storyteller and the caretaker of our natural, Austin Beutner cultural, and historical inheritance. Such a monumental Kathleen Brown Karen Swett Conway undertaking was born from, and enhanced by, public-private Tom Goss partnerships – a legacy that the National Park Foundation Stephen L. Hightower carries forth today. Peter Knight Orin S. Kramer Ellen R. Malcolm Established nearly 50 years ago as the official charity of Henry R. Muñoz, III America’s national parks, we support parks and programs John L. Nau, III through private philanthropy, safeguarding our national Roxanne Quimby Robert S. Rivkin treasures and engaging the next generation of park stewards. David E. Shaw Through our unwavering commitment to this work, we Bryan S. Traubert ensure the continued preservation and relevancy of the Ernesto M. Vasquez Mary Jo Veverka National Park System as it enters its second century. Gregory Annenberg Weingarten 2 2016 ANNUAL REPORT NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION 3 Grand Teton National Park Message from the president & vice chair Will Shafroth | PRESIDENT & CEO, National Park Foundation Al Baldwin | VICE CHAIR, National Park Foundation n August 25, 2016, a centennial celebration foster public access, and repair and restore this iconic O was held at the iconic Roosevelt Arch in memorial so that it can continue to educate and Yellowstone National Park. We watched as the park inspire current and future generations. shimmered beneath a stunning sunset and for those in aendance, there was a collective appreciation that David Rubenstein’s gi¢ to the Lincoln Memorial is could be felt for all of our national parks – for what they one example of how individuals, foundations, and south of Alaska and one of the most pristine estuaries opportunities, including hiking, canoeing, fishing, and do and what they mean to all of us. That moment on corporations stepped up to support the campaign in California will now thrive. snowmobiling. This extraordinary gi¢ carries on the the birthday of the National Park Service represents a in an extraordinary way, allowing for transformative philanthropic tradition from which the national parks sentiment that resonated throughout 2016. The parks investments across the park system. Powerful A great example of the value of effective partnerships were born more than 100 years ago. community was unified by the momentous celebration examples of how these efforts protect our national emerged in Wyoming where the future of a 640-acre and by the understanding of our imperative to inheritance can be seen from coast to coast. tract of land within Grand Teton National Park was at Thanks to generous donations from National Park preserve them for future generations. stake. With only eight months to complete the project, Foundation supporters – two-thirds of which came the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and the from individuals – we have currently raised over $400 The tremendous excitement surrounding The parks community was unified National Park Foundation joined forces to raise $23 million for the campaign, exceeding our original goal of the National Park Service’s anniversary by the momentous celebration and million in private funds. The successful acquisition $350 million. Given our collective commitment to do enabled the National Park Foundation to of this critical inholding will protect wildlife corridors what is necessary for these places, the National Park publicly announce the Centennial Campaign by the understanding of our for elk, bear, and antelope and provide uninterrupted Foundation Board of Directors made the decision to for America’s National Parks. When it was imperative to preserve them for vistas of the Tetons for future visitors to enjoy. increase our fundraising goal to $500 million to further introduced in February of 2016, we set an future generations.” strengthen and shape the future of our parks. ambitious goal of $350 million, making it the The important investments in our water, land, and largest ever fundraising campaign for the wildlife preservation efforts culminated in the As we ring in the National Park Service’s next century and National Park System. At Point Reyes National Seashore, our investment designation of the 413th national park in the north prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National of $2 million, matched by the National Park Service, woods of Maine. On the 100th anniversary of the Park Foundation on December 18, 2017, our mission to Our launch was magnified by another historic achieved the restoration of the Drakes Estero National Park Service, National Park Foundation protect our nation’s rich natural and cultural heritage announcement: patriotic philanthropist David ecosystem. Among the many native species impacted Board Member Roxanne Quimby made a generous and connect all Americans to it has never been more Rubenstein continued his support of our national by this joint effort are California’s harbor seals – donation of 87,500 acres that allowed for the creation important. A vibrant second century for our parks would parks by contributing $18.5 million to support the one-fi¢h of which are born and raised along the of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. not be possible without you and your generous support. renovation of the Lincoln Memorial. The donation sandbars of Drakes Estero. By restoring the ecological The new park unit preserves pristine wildlife Thank you for contributing to our work to ensure our will enable the expansion of educational resources, balance, the only West Coast marine wilderness area habitat and provides exciting outdoor recreational parks continue to thrive for future generations. 4 2016 ANNUAL REPORT NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION 5 Every Kid in a Park Message from the acting director Mike Reynolds | ACTING DIRECTOR, National Park Service hen the National Park Service began planning invite all people, especially multicultural millennials, W for our centennial eight years ago, we knew to explore and engage with the more than 400 this milestone had to be more than a birthday party. national parks and community-based programs. Certainly we wanted to throw the celebration of Now, more than one in three millennials report a century, to excite, engage, and thank our vast being familiar with Find Your Park. While increasing These examples highlight the importance of public- Thanks to the National Park Foundation, we are able community of national park visitors and supporters. awareness is a crucial first step in establishing the private partnerships. Without private philanthropy, the to share our collective history in the places where More than that, we wanted to leverage the historic relevancy of our parks, the National Park Foundation’s Find Your Park movement would not have flourished, the it unfolded. In doing so, more people will be able moment to introduce our parks and programs to new work doesn’t end there. transportation needed to get kids to parks would not to see themselves reflected within the National audiences, seeding the next generation have been secured, and unique work and recreational Park System. Stonewall and Belmont-Paul National of national park stewards. To tackle this programs in parks would not have been possible. Monuments now join the growing list of parks where ambitious undertaking, we partnered with the Through grants in support of the Every the National Park Foundation’s support helped us to National Park Foundation. Kid in a Park program, 147,000 fourth Private philanthropy also plays a pivotal role in enabling establish parks that tell a more inclusive American the National Park System to tell a more complete story, including Pullman National Monument, graders were able to experience the Nurturing life-long connections to national American story. Two of the national parks designated in Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, parks and protecting these remarkable wonder of our public lands – 73% of 2016 demonstrate the pivotal role of the National Park and César E. Chávez National Monument. places are core elements of the mission whom were first-time visitors." Foundation in achieving that important mission hand in of both the National Park Service and hand with the National Park Service. In New York City, the The work of the National Park Foundation during the National Park Foundation. In 2016, first park to interpret the LGBTQ civil rights movement our centennial year helped us harness the power of the partnership between our two organizations, In 2016, the National Park Foundation backed a myriad was established as Stonewall National Monument. Here, the entire parks family. The remarkable community especially in spearheading the nationwide centennial of initiatives to support the work of parks, programs, in addition to the $2 million it has commied to help of national park supporters grew in 2016 – and its celebration, resulted in unprecedented support for and park partners. Through grants in support of the establish the new park, the National Park Foundation is impact continues to resonate across the country.