National Park Trust

What National Park Trust does

National Park Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, operating a dual mission of national park land preservation and youth/family outdoor education. The organization acquires critical parcels and inholdings—reportedly $33 million worth of land across 58 national park sites in 31 states—and transfers them to the National Park Service under its core Park Preservation program. On the programmatic side, it operates the Buddy Bison School Program serving 300+ Title I schools annually, Kids to Parks Day (an annual national event on the third Saturday in May, in its 16th year), a College Ambassador program across multiple universities, and Military Family Programs delivered in partnership with TAPS, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Blue Star Families, and Our Military Kids. Annual reach is cited at 445,000 children and adults.

The technology product is the ParkPassport mobile app, a free consumer-facing tool (iOS and Android) with digital passport badges, offline functionality, and 600+ curated park locations spanning NPS units, USACE lakes and rivers, NOAA marine sanctuaries, and state parks. Supporting infrastructure includes a Neon CRM-hosted donation platform, a Shopify merchandise storefront selling posters ($15.99-$17.99) and apparel ($21.99), and a content-heavy blog (453+ posts) and multi-platform social presence (Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn). Intellectual property is anchored on four registered brand identities: Buddy Bison, ParkPassport, Kids to Parks Day, and the Treasure Forever tagline.

The revenue model is overwhelmingly donations-driven, with four identified streams: individual contributions, corporate and foundation grants (Caesars Foundation's 15-year partnership being the most prominent, alongside Symetra, Edison International, Wyss Foundation), a three-year $20M Comprehensive Campaign, and modest merchandise sales. The organization reports 79% of resources directed to programs in fiscal year 2025 and holds top-tier nonprofit ratings including Charity Navigator Four Star, Candid Platinum Seal, BBB Wise Giving compliance, and CharityWatch top-rated. Named staff and partnership ties run deep with the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, NOAA, and USACE, providing structural advantages for both land transactions and educational programming.

Name

National Park Trust

Legal name

National Park Trust

Website

https://parktrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Park Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that acquires and transfers land to the National Park Service across 58 park sites while running youth outdoor education programs—including the Buddy Bison School Program, Kids to Parks Day, and the ParkPassport mobile app—serving 445,000 children and adults annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation and Land Preservation Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land preservation services
• Youth outdoor education
• Park conservation nonprofit
• School grant programs
• National park stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals supporting park preservation and youth programs. 79% of resources go directly to programs.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Partnership funding from corporations (Symetra, Caesars Foundation, Edison International, First Solar, Wyss Foundation) and foundations supporting youth outdoor education programs.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of national park-themed merchandise including posters ($15.99-$17.99), t-shirts ($21.99), and books. Proceeds support programming.
4. Comprehensive Campaign: Projected three-year, $20M Comprehensive Campaign following sunset of $1.5M federal funding to support organizational expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

National Park Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves national park land by acquiring critical parcels and in-holdings to expand and complete park sites, while operating a portfolio of youth and family outdoor education programs. Its offerings include the free ParkPassport mobile application for park discovery, the Buddy Bison School Program connecting K-12 students to parks, the annual Kids to Parks Day, a College Ambassador Program, Military Family outdoor programs, and school transportation/grants for under-resourced communities.

Product overview

National Park Trust operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on park preservation and youth outdoor education. The core offerings include the ParkPassport App (a free mobile application for discovering and tracking park visits), Buddy Bison School Program (connecting K-12 students to outdoor experiences), Kids to Parks Day (annual nationwide outdoor celebration), College Ambassador Program (university student-led outdoor initiatives), and Military Family Programs. Additionally, the organization conducts land acquisition to protect and expand national park sites. These programs are supported by grant initiatives (Kids to Parks Day School Grants, Every Kid Outdoors), educational merchandise, and the Treasure Forever Fund donor program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buddy Bison: Youth education program mascot and brand for the Buddy Bison School Program that connects K-12 students to outdoor park experiences.
• Kids to Parks Day
• ParkPassport App
• College Ambassador Program
• Treasure Forever Fund

Products and services

• ParkPassport Mobile App Free mobile application that helps users discover, track, and explore national, state, regional, and local parks and public lands across the United States. Features a Digital Passport with custom badges, offline functionality, fishing information, accessibility details, virtual tours, Junior Ranger badges, live webcams, and educational videos.
• Buddy Bison School Program Nationally recognized youth education program that connects K-12 students from under-resourced communities to parks through field trips, classroom curriculum integration, and hands-on outdoor experiences. Partners with 300+ Title I schools annually.
• Kids to Parks Day Annual nationwide day of outdoor play celebrated on the third Saturday in May that encourages kids and families to discover, explore, and celebrate local, state, and national parks. Includes companion national school grants program.
• College Ambassador Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 445,000 kids and adults introduced to outdoors annually through youth and family programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SymetraflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 November 2025Symetra expanded partnership with National Park Trust to bring Buddy Bison School Program to Bryant Elementary School in Mableton, Georgia. Company has supported outdoor and educational programming for underserved youth across multiple states since 2022, focusing on environmental education and park access.
• National Park Service (NPS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for land acquisition, property transfers, and park boundary expansion. Collaborates on youth education programs and park preservation projects across 58+ national park sites.
• The Maple BrotherscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNew partnership with maple-powered snack brand on mission to reconnect kids to nature through food, stories, and experiences. Supports youth outdoor programs.
• Caesars FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner15-year partnership celebrating collaboration that connected tens of thousands of students with parks through Buddy Bison School Program, inspiring next generation of environmental stewards.
• USDA Forest ServiceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Every Kid Outdoors Small Grants Program supporting schools and organizations connecting elementary school-aged youth to public parks, lands, and waters.
• National Park FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded partnership supporting distance learning at five national parks and enhanced educational content delivery.
• Blue Star FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for free ParkPassport mobile app launch supporting military family park access and outdoor engagement.
• Edison InternationalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership on Southern California Kids to Parks Grant Program connecting third through eighth graders at Title I schools to local public parks.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing outdoor experiences for Gold Star families including trips to Zion, Mammoth Cave, Acadia, and other national parks for healing and connection.
• Our Military KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing actively serving military service members and families to national parks for cave exploration, hiking, fishing, and recreation.
• Bob Woodruff Foundation (Got Your 6 Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Park Trust joined Got Your 6 Network coalition of veteran-serving organizations supporting service members, veterans, and families.
• Project Healing Waters Fly FishingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing fly fishing clinics and trips for veterans at Yellowstone, Acadia, Cuyahoga Valley, Grand Teton, and other national parks.
• Code3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership creating outdoor opportunities for DC-area police officers to engage with under-served youth, including survivors of gun violence and homelessness.
• Caribbean SolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to protect national parks and marine ecosystems including coral reef conservation.
• National Military Family AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for military family outdoor experiences at national parks including Wolf Trap, Cabrillo, Indiana Dunes, and other sites.
• Brew Dr. KombuchaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership on Green & Clean Campus Challenge engaging college students in environmental stewardship.
• STEL+MAR WinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSTEL+MAR selected National Park Trust as official charity partner, with portion of wine sales supporting park preservation.
• Iron Star FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing meaningful outdoor experiences for under-resourced youth in Washington, DC area.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpanded ParkPassport app to include 463 USACE lakes and rivers for park finder functionality.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership including 17 National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine National Monuments in ParkPassport app.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Land Trust Alliance: National membership organization representing 1,000+ land trusts across the U.S. Not a direct operator but the umbrella body NPT belongs to; useful comparator on land trust standards, accreditation, and sector trends.
• REI Cooperative Action Fund: REI's nonprofit arm funding outdoor equity, public lands stewardship, and youth outdoor access. Adjacent/ecosystem player — competing for the same corporate ESG and outdoor-equity philanthropic dollars.

Direct peers

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation and creating parks/protected areas, with strong schoolyard and community park initiatives. Closely comparable on the land-acquisition + community access model NPT operates.
• Student Conservation Association: National nonprofit placing youth and young adults in conservation service projects on public lands. Direct peer on the youth-in-parks stewardship model that NPT's Buddy Bison and College Ambassador programs mirror.
• National Park Foundation: Official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, raising private funds for park projects and youth programs. Most directly comparable peer — same NPS-affiliated mission, similar donor base, and overlapping youth/outdoor programming.
• National Parks Conservation Association: Independent advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting and enhancing the National Park System. Direct peer in mission and constituency; differs in advocacy-led rather than land-acquisition operating model.
• Outdoors Alliance for Kids: National coalition of organizations focused on connecting youth with the outdoors, particularly under-served communities. Directly comparable mission overlap; NPT recently received their inaugural OAK Leaf Award.

Regional players

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Land trust specifically stewarding the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor. Comparable on land-acquisition-and-stewardship model applied to a single linear protected area rather than dispersed national park sites.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: One of the largest environmental nonprofits globally, with massive land acquisition and conservation programs. Overlaps NPT on conservation land work but operates at vastly greater scale across broader habitats and geographies.
• Sierra Club Foundation: Major environmental nonprofit supporting outdoor recreation, conservation, and advocacy. Comparable on outdoor-engagement mission but vastly larger membership base and broader environmental scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/natparktrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalparktrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-park-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalparktrust
• TikToktiktok.com/@nationalparktrust

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Park Trust