Greater Washington National Park Fund

Briefing Statement
Bureau: National Park Service
Issue: Greater Washington National Park Fund
Park Site: Twelve National Capital Region Units
Date: March 12, 2002

Background: This is a summary of the status of activities related to the Greater Washington National Park Fund (GWNPF), created by National Capital Region (NCR) and the National Parks Foundation (NPF) in 2001. These activities include messaging, partnering and fundraising for twelve* of the thirteen NCR units. The Greater Washington National Parks include more than 100 sites, 2 million museum objects, 3,059 historic structures, 717 miles of trails and bike paths, 152 statues, 22 historic forts, 7 Presidential Memorials, 5 scenic parkways, 4 civil war battlefields, 3 historic canals, and 1 White House, comprising nearly 87,000 acres of NPS parkland. Collectively these parklands serve approximately 40 million visitors annually.

Current Status:
· Public Law 90-209, approved by Congress in 1967, established the NPF to encourage private gifts of real and personal property for the benefit of the National Park Service. The National Park Act of 1998 specifically authorized NPF to promote philanthropic programs of support at the individual park unit level.
· In 1999 the NCR Cluster identified the impact of budget shortfalls on current and future operations of parks as one of the highest regional priorities. They felt that one element of a comprehensive strategy to address funding needs could be accomplished by identifying a non-profit partner to develop private sector sources of supplementary support for parks in this region.

After a series of small discussions NCR park and program managers met with the NPS National Partnerships Office and NPF to further explore alternatives for a region-wide fundraising effort. After a day of discussion and presentations all of NCR's superintendents agreed that a collaborative fundraising effort is the best strategy for NCR parks to use to work with NPF to raise funds to supplement money appropriated by Congress.

The group developed an "initial design" to create a Greater Washington National Parks Fund of the National Park Foundation. Leveraging the efforts undertaken in conjunction with the creation of the NCR Partnerships Office and "Messaging Project", the goals of the initiative are to:
--Improve service to the community by developing programs and providing new opportunities to experience the parks.
--Improve communication to the residents of the metropolitan Washington, D.C area including Virginia, Maryland, the District, and West Virginia about the extensive resources that exist under the common bond of the local National Parks and that have a direct impact on their quality of life.
--Educate and motivate the public to help ensure long-term protection of resources under the National Park Service's care.
--Improve the public’s awareness of the National Park Service in the region.

· The Greater Washington National Parks Fund proposal was approved by the NCR
Cluster and Directorate in May 2001. The Fund is intended to ensure that the National Parks in the National Capital Region are more prominent and relevant to the diverse communities they serve and to supplement funds appropriated by Congress. Initial support for the creation of the Fund came from NPS park units, NPF, a loan from the LBJ Grove Fund, and a donation from L.L. Bean Company.

· The Fund is a committee of the NPF and is governed by up-to twenty volunteer
Trustees. Trustees are invited to serve by the NPF Board and are charged with increasing and coordinating philanthropic support for NCR National Parks. To date seven Trustees have been recruited to join the Fund and NPF will be talking to ten other civic leaders about their involvement in the coming months.

· In May 2001 NCR's Superintendent's and Regional Directorate formed the Parks Fund Council which serves as the liaison between the parks, the Executive Director, and the Trustees of the Fund. The Council is comprised of five elected members confirmed by the Regional Director. Current Council members include: Robert Sutton, Supt. MANA and Council Chair; Audrey Calhoun, Supt. GWMP; John Hale, Supt. NACE; Don Campbell, Supt. HAFE; and NCR Regional Director Terry Carlstrom.

· In January 2002 Nancy Sturm became the first Executive Director for the Fund. Nancy worked previously with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Parks & Conservation Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She manages the daily activities of the Fund and serves as the NPF Liaison between the Trustees and the National Parks of NCR.

· In February 2002, with the assistance of NPF and the LL Bean Company, the Fund and the NCR Messaging Project Workgroup completed a Greater Washington National Parks map. The map includes narrative and mapped information about each of the twelve NCR parks and their units, as well as information about the Fund.

The map will be printed by LL Bean and advertised in their spring catalogue that will go to 200,000 residences in the Washington metropolitan region this April. Customers will be encouraged to visit the LL Bean stores in Tyson's Corner, VA or Columbia, MD stores to pick-up a free copy of the map. As part of the promotion LL Bean will erect merchandising displays in each of the stores to advertise the Fund.

· The Messaging Workgroup, working with the Fund, is currently designing a brand identity for the Greater Washington National Parks, the Fund, and symbolic images for individual parks.

· The Greater Washington National Parks Fund is currently working to explore possible ways to assist the existing NPS National Capital Region Tree and Shrub Replacement Fund raise additional monies to create a permanent endowment to assist all of NCR parks purchase new and replacement trees and shrubs.

· On May 22, 2002 NPF and NPS will hold a "East Coast Park-Partners Reception" on the Cherry Blossom riverboat as part of the "East Coast In-Park Partnerships Seminar" that is being co-sponsored by NPS National Capital, Southeast and Northeast Regional Offices and the National Partnerships Office. The reception, which is being co-sponsored by the Greater Washington National Parks Fund, the Potomac Riverboat Company and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation, will bring together approximately two hundred and twenty five NPS and park partnership leaders, from all levels of government and the private sector, to enjoy an evening with park partners on the Potomac River. The new GWNP Fund Trustees will be invited to participate in this evening event.

* Wolf Trap Farm Park elected not to participate in this effort since it has a legislatively approved fundraising effort.

Contact:
Robert Sutton, Superintendent, Manassas National Battlefield Park and Chairman of the Greater Washington National Parks Fund Parks Council, (703) 754-1861
Nancy Sturm, Executive Director, Greater Washington National Parks Fund, (202)238-4170