US National Park Service to Receive Largest Grant in Its History

The National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, is set to receive a $100 million gift, which the foundation described as the largest grant in its history.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the unprecedented donation comes from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. and is expected to have a major impact on America’s national parks.
Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, described the donation as a game-changer for the more than 400 national park sites across the country. While specific allocations are yet to be determined, the foundation has already highlighted key priorities, including the restoration of coral reefs at Biscayne National Park in Florida and trout species in Western parks.
In addition, the grant will not only support environmental preservation efforts but will also fund programs designed to increase access to national parks for young people, the AP reported.
“This grant will allow us to supercharge our efforts to ensure our national parks are for everyone, for generations to come,” Shafroth said.
The announcement of the donation comes as the National Park Service recorded 325,498,646 visitors across all national parks in 2023, a boost since the decline in visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Newsweek reached out to the National Park Service via online email form on Monday for comment.
The grant arrived during the National Park Foundation’s “Campaign for National Parks,” a $1 billion fundraising initiative aimed at enhancing the nation’s park system, the AP reported. N. Clay Robbins, chair and CEO of Lilly Endowment, said the donation was made to support the initiative.
“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,” Robbins said, according to the AP.
The need for the funds could be used to address issues such as a recent waterline break at Grand Canyon National Park, which has impacted the park’s water supply.
The pipeline break, which occurred last week along the North Kaibab Trail, has prompted park officials to implement immediate conservation measures, particularly on the South Rim, while preliminary steps are being taken on the North Rim until repairs are completed and water storage levels return to sustainable levels.
Since 2010, there have been 85 major breaks in the pipeline, disrupting water delivery to visitors and the park’s 2,500 year-round residents. The water supply is also essential for firefighting efforts in the park, which contains 800 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Repairing a single break in the Transcanyon Waterline can cost $25,000 or more, according to the National Park Service.
According to the AP, the foundation hopes to announce the first round of grants stemming from the Lilly Endowment donation later this year.