Projects Advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

For the past several years, Washington’s National Park Fund has worked in tandem with Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks with an eye on providing more services, more programs, and more support to those who face challenges accessing park experiences. We’ve funded bus transportation and science education, provided virtual field trips, recorded programs for Spanish speakers, and launched projects with tribal communities all with the intention of expanding the welcome to all. We’ve funded trail crews for those who had never had the opportunity before. We’re opening up internship opportunities to tribal youth so together, we can learn and grow together.

We continue to cling to this principle: Our national parks belong to everyone and everyone deserves the opportunity to experience them. Together, we remain committed to continuing to focus our attention on expanding access for all. Join us by sharing some of your hard-earned dollars. Truly, we’re seeing your gifts in action.

Support Our Efforts

Recent Projects

In recent years, with the support of our donors, we have fully funded the following projects that advance diversity, equity, and/or inclusion in our parks. Funds are then either been distributed to the parks or held until the parks are ready to receive them.

Fiscal Year 2021

Mount Rainier National Park:

  • $78,000 for the Volunteer Program
  • $47,000 for WNPF’s Washington Trails Association (WTA) Partnership
  • $15,000 for Transportation Grants for Low-Income Schools

 

North Cascades National Park:

  • $23,000 for the Community Resilience through Food Sustainability Project with the Lummi Nation
  • $2,000 for Supplemental Transportation for Youth Conservation Groups

 

Olympic National Park:

  • $26,000 for Adventures in Your Big Backyard
  • $21,500 for the Tribal Pathways Internship Program
  • $17,000 for the Middle School Science Program

Fiscal Year 2020

Mount Rainier National Park:

  • $50,000 for the Volunteer Program
  • $24,000 for NPS Academy
  • $23,000 for WNPF’s Washington Trails Association (WTA) Partnership

 

North Cascades National Park:

  • $83,000 for the Community Resilience through Food Sustainability Project with the Lummi Nation

 

Note: Under the direction of the parks, fundraising efforts for several projects involving schools, including Adventures in Your Big Backyard and the Middle School Science Program in Olympic National Park and transportation grants in Mount Rainier National Park, were put on hold due to the uncertainty that COVID created during fiscal year 2020; fundraising commenced in fiscal year 2021.

Fiscal Year 2019

Mount Rainier National Park:

  • $25,000 for Engaging Diverse Youth and Families through the Junior Ranger Program
  • $20,000 for WNPF’s Washington Trails Association (WTA) Partnership
  • $12,000 for the Latina Trail Crew
  • $12,000 for Transportation Grants for Low-Income Schools (pictured above)
  • $5,000 for the Boys & Girls Club Outdoor Leadership Program

 

North Cascades National Park:

  • $12,000 for the Lummi Nation Youth Program

 

Olympic National Park:

  • $25,000 for Adventures in Your Big Backyard
  • $13,000 for the Middle School Science Program

Through these projects, we’ve provided more than $500,000 to our three parks in the last three years. You can learn more about all of these projects in our Projects Portfolio.

Cover photo (by NPS): Students hear from a ranger in Mount Rainier, made possible with transportation support from WNPF; footer photo (below, by NPS): students participate in “Adventures in Our Big Backyard” in Olympic National Park 📷

Your Role to Play

We are proud to support the efforts of our park partners to open their doors to all – but we can’t do it without your help. You can make a difference for our parks and help create a more equitable, accessible park experience by supporting projects like these.

Find Projects