Potomac Waters Safety Campaign

DRAFT Document for the Establishment of Campaign within the Greater Washington National Parks Fund
May 23, 2006

1. Name of Fund: Greater Washington National Parks Fund: Potomac Waters Safety Campaign

2. Name and Address of Creator of Campaign: Greater Washington
National Parks Fund, Parks Council
National Capital Region
National Park Service
Room 350
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Washington, DC 20242

3. Type of Fund: Campaign of the General Fund: the National Park Foundation (NPF) reports the fund’s activities on its audited financial statements, manages the investment, and manages disbursements in consultation with the Regional Director, National Capital Region.

4. Purpose of Fund:

Funds will be expended, on a competitive basis for projects in any or all of the categories listed below, on a request basis.

The campaign is intended to provide reliable, significant monies on an annual basis, in perpetuity, to supplement funds appropriated by Congress exclusively for river safety activities within and related to any of the waters of the Potomac River watershed within, and connecting to, the Greater Washington National Parks.

Funds may be used:

a) to recruit and coordinate river safety volunteers for NPS units.

b) for river safety atlases, brochures, publications, public information and special events.

c) to manage a repository of donated materials and labor and commitments of donated materials and labor for safety activities and projects.

d) for maintenance and improvement on existing NCR water access areas, including water trails, and where appropriate, changes to assure accessibility by the mobility impaired.

e) to develop key broad safety educational and interpretive messages to go along with the development of the regional Potomac Waters Safety Campaign mission.

f) to reach out to and develop events for non-traditional and underserved communities to assure a broad range of support for Greater Washington National Parks and to promote water safety with outreach efforts to assure a broad range of volunteer stewards.
g) to assist partner sponsored recurring special safety events, a safety speaker series, award dinners, product sales, socials, etc.
h) to assist partner (i.e. concessions, cooperating association, etc.) sponsored safety sales items including the practical and useful as well as valuable or limited addition Potomac Waters Safety Campaign specific items.
i) to consider or develop a “micro” grant program for both parks and partners to have access to funds that would serve to develop “grass roots” water safety endeavors.
j.) to publicize and communicate success and best safety practices.

5. Contributions to the Fund: Contributions to the Fund are made payable to the Greater Washington National Parks Fund/National Park Foundation or to the NPF with Potomac Waters Safety Campaign specified on the check or in an accompanying letter.

6. Disbursements from the Fund: Disbursement authority is vested with the Regional Director, National Capital Region, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Room 336, Washington DC 20242. Funds are to be allocated by the Regional Director exclusively for the described uses. The Funds performance will be reviewed annually with the National Park Foundation to determine available income and a disbursement schedule.

All requests for disbursement shall be made in writing to the Foundation and signed by the Regional Director, National Capital Region.