On Monday morning, the National Park Foundation — the nonprofit arm of the official National Parks Service — announced a historic $100 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The grant is the largest ever received by NPF, and the largest grant benefiting national parks in the 108-year history of the NPS.
In fact, it comes right on time for the NPS annual birthday celebration, which is honored on August 25 every year — marking the date in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson established the NPS. (The NPF was later founded by Congress in the 1960s.)
This grant, according to a press release from NPF, “celebrates a pivotal moment in safeguarding the future of America’s treasured national parks.”
Confronting mounting foot traffic, responding to a changing climate, and navigating the social and cultural landscape of the country’s public lands, this endowment will help NPF in four key priority areas, according to a press release.
Those areas include:
- Creating opportunities for young people to expand environmental stewardship, a deeper understanding of history, and connection to the natural world
- Addressing critical biodiversity concerns that will ensure the longevity of diverse, fragile ecosystems and wildlife that call these parks home
- Accommodating unprecedented growth and providing a “world-class” visitor experience through new technologies and accessible infrastructure
- Providing a more comprehensive and inclusive narrative of the communities whose voices, contributions, and experiences have been left out of the American story
Specific plans for the money haven’t yet been actualized, but Will Shafroth, president and CEO of NPF, told the Associated Press that it will prioritize restoring coral reefs at Biscayne National Park in Florida and restoring trout species in western national parks, both of which have been part of recent investments from the foundation.
“The impact of this gift will be felt in our parks and in surrounding communities for generations to come,” Chuck Sams, director of the NPS, said in a statement.
“This is a truly visionary investment, and an example of how the power of philanthropy can amplify this crucial work that we all believe in so much.”
Though this grant marks a historic moment for the national parks (and its targeted areas of improvement), it’s part of a much larger call to action: “The Campaign for National Parks.”
This is NPF’s $1 billion fundraising goal to help address urgent needs across the country’s 430 national park sites. Additionally, park partners and other nonprofits share a goal of $3.5 billion to generate more support for the future and long-term health of the national parks.
One of those cherished partners is now the Lilly Endowment.
“Our founders were inspired by the beauty and wonders of the natural world and supportive of research and educational programs about archaeology and the cultural history of our nation,” N. Clay Robbins, chairman and CEO of Lilly Endowment, said in a statement.
Lilly Endowment was founded in 1937 with gifts of stock in pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and Company, according to the foundation’s website.
(Eli Lilly is the pharmaceutical company that capped the price of insulin at $35 in 2023, following heavy pressure and pushback from activists and at the behest of a multi-million dollar lawsuit).
With the drug company’s major success (the company’s stock currently sits at a 52-week high of $972.53 per share), the Endowment has blossomed. In the years since its inception, it has made grants totaling nearly $15.2 billion to over 11,000 charitable organizations.
“At the end of 2023, the Endowment’s assets totaled nearly $62.2 billion, which will be used to benefit future generations,” Lilly Endowment’s website shares.
Robbins continued: “We believe the National Park Foundation’s campaign will enhance the programming in and promote the future vibrancy of our country’s marvelous system of parks, monuments, and historic sites.”
It’s a vision shared by NPF.
“The National Park Foundation is inspired by, and incredibly grateful for, this extraordinary gift from Lilly Endowment,” Shafroth said in a statement.
“For over 50 years, private philanthropy has played a vital role in bridging the gap between park needs and available funding. This grant will allow us to supercharge our efforts to ensure our national parks are for everyone, for generations to come.”
Header image courtesy of NPS/David Restivo
