This project with the national park foundation supports safe, educational, and meaningful recreation experiences in national park service sites and neighboring communities

The National Park Service (NPS) Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education program (CFDA 15.954) awarded a Cooperative Agreement of $905,000 to the National Park Foundation on August 19, 2025, for a project completion date of December 31, 2026. The award supports the Junior Ranger Angler Program, a collaborative initiative between the National Park Foundation, National Park Service, and partner organizations designed to provide safe, educational, and meaningful recreation experiences to youth and families across approximately 45 National Park Service locations and neighboring communities spanning nearly every U.S. state.

Under this Cooperative Agreement, the National Park Foundation delivers comprehensive program support reaching an estimated 20,000 participants through introductory outdoor recreation activities including fishing, birding, hiking, and camping. The funded services include provision of recreational gear, transportation, staffing resources, and other direct program support necessary to connect families to National Park Service sites and public lands. This partnership model leverages federal investment to expand access to outdoor recreation and environmental education for underserved youth and family populations who might otherwise lack opportunities to engage with national parks and public lands.

This partnership supports junior ranger recreation programming for kids and families across the national park service to an estimated 45 locations and 20,000 participants across nearly every state in the U.S. The national park foundation, national park service, and partner organizations will collaborate to connect people and their families to national park service sites and other public lands through fishing, birding, hiking, camping, and other introductory recreation activities. Through grants and programming, the national park foundation supports parks and their partners to supply gear, transportation, staffing, and other program support.