Washington's National Park Fund

Is it a video of a just-released fisher? A report of fish returning to the Elwha River after dam removal? Or tales from a Meadow Rover? WNPF collects stories from rangers and visitors, from our donors, and from hard-working volunteers who give back more in time than we could ever thank enough! Read it all at To The Parks!, our blog.

What’s YOUR Park Passion?

Could it be catching butterflies or counting marmots? Whatever your passion, there is a project waiting for you! An easy, ‘set it and forget it’ way to support the parks is through our specialty license plate program. These handsome plates speak to your love for our special places, and last year alone provided $234,000 for projects inside the parks. Of your $30 actual cost, $28 comes back to Washington’s National Park Fund and goes directly to the parks. Since its inception, more than $1.4 million has been raised for the parks through this program. That’s thanks to YOU!

Support Washington's national parks by buying a special license plate in honor of the parks!

Whether you’re a visitor, hiker, camper, skier, climber, kayaker, picnicker, wanderer, events lover, or license plate purchaser, there is a place for YOU at Washington’s National Park Fund!

What Washington's National Park Fund Is All About

Washington State is graced with three spectacular national parks, each different and special in their own unique ways: the grandeur and stately presence of Mount Rainier; the diversity of Olympic with its beaches, rain forest and grand peaks; and North Cascades with its heart-stopping vertical views, 400 miles of trails and 300 glaciers.

As the official nonprofit partner and the only philanthropic organization dedicated exclusively to supporting these parks through charitable contributions, Washington’s National Park Fund (WNPF) has a mission to deepen everyone’s love for, understanding of, and experiences in Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks. OUR VISION is for our three parks to be strong and vibrant, youthful, and everlasting.

WNPF supports programs that encourage young people and their families to experience these parks, enhance the visitor experience through trail and interpretive signage improvements, expand scientific knowledge in our own ‘living laboratories,’ and boost volunteer and search & rescue efforts. Alongside you and other outdoor-loving, park-minded supporters, we’re ensuring the preservation of precious lands, improving trails and campgrounds, funding more volunteer and youth programs, and providing research dollars for glacial analysis and the study of those incredible critters that call the parks home. To find a project that speaks directly to you, see our park priorities .

Join Us For A Virtual Field Trips

We imagine that even when you’re not in the parks, you’re probably longing to get out and enjoy your next park adventure — at this time, probably more so than ever before. And WNPF hopes to help us get to the parks -- safely, that is. That’s why we’re inviting you to our new series of virtual field trips to Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks -- so you can still enjoy the parks that you love but in a safe way and learn more about them from the comfort of home. Learn more and sign up at wnpf.org/field-trips!

Set aside your lunch break for us -- all of field trips start at 12 Noon PST and last for approximately 45 minutes. Most of our field trips are suitable for adults and teens, and programming for children is noted in the description and says JUNIOR RANGER in the title.

Not able tomake it? Don't worry -- all of our recent virtual field trips are recored and posted on our website after they’ve taken place. We look forward to seeing you online!

Raise Your Paddle At our 2021 Auction For The Parks

We are going virtual for the 2021 Auction for the Parks! We will be celebrating National Park Week as bidding opens Monday, April 19 at 4 p.m. and runs through the week. Then, we will gather virtually to celebrate the closing of the auction at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 23.

We need your help so we can reach our goal! This year, we are focusing on projects that embody our core pillar of “volunteerism & stewardship.” After all, a donation that supports a volunteer program has even more impact, since it not only provides vital funding for park services that park staff may not be able to complete on their own but also results in volunteers putting in hours of their own time to make our parks better, stronger, and even more vibrant.

This year, our three Fund-A-Need projects are:

• Safeguarding and Sharing the Magic of the Meadows in Mount Rainier National Park: Since the Meadow Rover program began 20 years ago, fewer people are venturing off trails, reducing both damage for these pristine subalpine meadows and Search and Rescue incidents. Support for this program will ensure this positive trend continues.

• Monitoring the Effects of Warming Climates on Subalpine Ecosystems in North Cascades National Park: Your support benefits the Cascade Butterfly Project, in which community science volunteers monitor butterflies in the region’s high mountain meadows. These dedicated volunteers help to track butterfly trends, conduct survey work and talk to visitors about butterfly stewardship and climate change.

• Restoring Trampled Trails and Flooded Lands with Native Plants in Olympic National Park: Your support will allow the Matt Albright Native Plant Nursery to accommodate drop-in volunteers and incorporate a new team of 150 urban youth from the park’s YMCA partnership into service learning and nature stewardship.

From artwork to outdoors equipment and apparel—from learning about the unique coastal life in tidepools in Olympic National Park to private watercolor classes taught in two of the most scenic locations on earth, Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park—there is truly something every park lover will want to raise their paddle for. Learn more at wnpf.org/auction-for-the-parks.

Stay in touch with WNPF

There’s lots happening in our parks, and we want to keep you in the loop! Consider signing up for our emails or following us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. For more information and to see all of our upcoming events, visit our website at wnpf.org.

The "Tree of Life," aka the "Root Cave Tree," Olympic National Park / Rebecca Latson

Spring at Longmire Meadow, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

Sunrise-tipped mountain tops at the Diablo Lake Overlook, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, North Cascades Complex / Rebecca Latson

Why WNPF?

Inadequate federal funding has compounded over the years. Our national parks are facing a significant backlog of maintenance projects. You, as a national park visitor, experience the effects first-hand. Some recreational areas are closed because roadways can’t be properly maintained. Areas that are maintained are sometimes opened later in the season. Visitor centers open later and close earlier. Generous donors to the Fund fill many of these gaps, and it’s a significant boost to those loyal, hard-working rangers who do so much with so little. Consider a donation!

Over the years, Washington’s National Park Fund and park leadership have developed an efficient system. Park superintendents work with their management teams to identify those projects that would drop by the wayside without philanthropic support. While priorities have evolved over the years, today’s four core areas of concentration center on:

The Value of a Volunteer

Each park operates their own volunteering program directly. Through the sweat and toil of volunteers, trails are improved, invasive weeds are pulled, and citizen science is performed. For more info, contact Mount Rainier, North Cascades, or Olympic National Park directly.

But just as important as volunteer work is volunteer donations. Corporations can support Washington's National Park Fund through matching gifts, sponsorships and in-kind gifts, while individuals can donate directly, through the Over the Top Society or Parks for all Seasons, workplace giving or estate gifts. These are vital programs and have been effective at raising funds for the parks; in the last few years alone donations have provided more than $5.85 million for the parks!

Whether you’re a visitor, hiker, camper, skier, climber, kayaker, picnicker, wanderer, events lover, or license plate purchaser, there is a place for YOU at Washington’s National Park Fund!

These are your parks. Enjoy and support them!