Mountain Parks Foundation

What Mountain Parks Foundation does

Mountain Parks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperating association, headquartered at 525 N. Big Trees Park Rd in Felton, California, inside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Founded in 1973 as one of California State Parks' earliest cooperating associations, the organization is the exclusive nonprofit fundraising and programmatic partner for Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks in Santa Cruz County. It supports an annual footprint of roughly 2 million park visitors, 150 miles of trails, and 23,000+ acres of redwood forest. Core activities include funding interpretive and educational staff, recruiting and managing a large volunteer corps, operating the on-site Nature Store, coordinating school field-trip programs (notably Kids2Parks for Title 1 schools), and stewarding Big Basin through its post-2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire recovery.

The foundation operates a diversified revenue model built on individual giving (one-time, recurring, planned giving via bequests and charitable trusts), a tiered annual membership program ($35 student to $1,200 Benefactor including Golden Poppy Annual Pass), a physical Nature Store and modest e-commerce store, a tree-sponsorship program ($500-$25,000) for legacy memorials, and event-based fundraising (the 30-year Lobster Feed annual fundraiser was discontinued in May 2025 in favor of more mission-aligned programming). Sub-brands include Nature Store retail, the Redwood Rx nature-based wellness program, and the Kids2Parks education-equity initiative. Distribution channels are physical (in-park retail and visitor services), digital (SquareSpace-hosted site, blog, email newsletter, social on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter, and Matterport-powered virtual tours launched in January 2024), and partner-mediated (transit via Santa Cruz METRO Route 35, complementary visitor flow via Roaring Camp Railroads). The foundation has no parent company, no institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and a paid staff of 9 supported by a sizable volunteer team; it is governed by a Board of Directors with a separate non-voting Advisory Council that includes political and nonprofit-sector figures. There is no proprietary technology product; the foundation does not develop or license software.

Name

Mountain Parks Foundation

Legal name

Mountain Parks Foundation

Website

https://mountainparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mountain Parks Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cooperating association, founded in 1973, that exclusively supports Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks through donations, a tiered membership program, on-site retail, and educational and wellness programs serving 2 million annual visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation and Park Support Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• State park support
• Conservation education
• Redwood park stewardship
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Nature-based wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Felton, CA

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Annual memberships at various tiers ($35-$1,200) providing access to member benefits, decals, discounts, and exclusive events. One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters.
2. Nature Store Retail: Physical retail store inside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park selling souvenirs, nature-themed apparel, local artwork, books, trail maps, banana slug merchandise, and snacks. Also operates online store for prints and maps.
3. Tree Sponsorship Program: Tree sponsorship program offering living legacy memorials and gifts at various levels ($500-$25,000) based on tree age, size, and location within the parks.
4. Planned Giving: Planned giving options including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable lead trusts for long-term donor relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mountain Parks Foundation is a nonprofit cooperating association that supports Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks through fundraising, retail operations (Nature Store), educational programs (Kids2Parks), volunteer coordination, tree sponsorship, wellness programs (Redwood Rx), and interpretive services. It generates revenue from memberships, donations, retail sales, and sponsorships to fund trail maintenance, visitor centers, and conservation programs.

Product overview

Mountain Parks Foundation offers a portfolio of programs and retail products supporting Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks. The core offerings include a Nature Store selling merchandise and maps, annual and planned giving programs, tree sponsorships, and the Redwood Rx wellness program. Digital offerings include virtual tours and educational video content. The foundation also supports interpretive programs including backpacking adventures, Moonlight Madness events, and the Kids2Parks educational program, all designed to connect visitors with the parks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature Store: Retail store operated by Mountain Parks Foundation inside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, selling nature-themed merchandise, books, maps, and local artwork to support park programs.
• Redwood Rx
• Kids2Parks

Products and services

• Nature Store A physical retail store located inside Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, staffed by volunteers and selling nature-themed merchandise including souvenirs, apparel, local artwork, books, trail maps, and snacks. Open year-round with seasonal hours for park visitors.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program with multiple tiers (Park Supporter $60, Park Friend $120, Park Advocate $250, Park Steward $600, Park Benefactor $1,200) offering benefits including decals, newsletters, store discounts, event discounts, member-only events, and Golden Poppy Annual Pass for top tier. Senior and student discounts available.
• Tree Sponsorship Program Donation program allowing supporters to sponsor trees in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park as living legacy memorials, with levels ranging from $500 to $25,000 based on tree age, size, and location within the parks (Redwood Grove Trees $10,000, Landmark Trees $15,000, Redwood Loop Trail Trees $25,000).
• Redwood Rx Wellness Program Nature-based wellness program offering guided activities including yoga, Qi Gong, nature journaling, forest bathing, and creative writing in Henry Cowell, Fall Creek, and Big Basin parks. Designed to promote health and well-being through immersion in redwood environments.
• Kids2Parks Educational Program Park equity program bringing students from Title 1 schools on curriculum-based field trips to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to provide outdoor educational experiences and inspire future environmental stewards. Reaches hundreds of school groups annually.
• Virtual Tours Digital content offering Matterport-based virtual walk along the Redwood Loop Trail and Visitor Center at Henry Cowell Redwoods, allowing remote exploration of the park for those unable to visit in person.
• Michael Schwab Fine Art Prints Limited edition fine art prints commissioned to celebrate Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks, created by artist Michael Schwab. Sold unframed at 14 1/16 x 30 inches with archival-quality pigment on neutral-pH paper, available through the online store.
• Trail Maps Trail maps for Henry Cowell and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks available for purchase online through the e-commerce store or at the Nature Store inside the park.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million+ visitors served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• California State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1973Mountain Parks Foundation is the official Cooperating Association partner for Big Basin and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Parks. Established in 1973 as one of California's earliest cooperating associations. MPF provides funding, staffing support, volunteer recruitment and management, retail administration, and public relations support.
• Save the Redwoods LeaguemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting the protection and appreciation of redwood state parks. Listed among organizations sharing belief that healthy parks make healthier communities.
• Sempervirens FundmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization dedicated to preserving redwood forests and state parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains area.
• Friends of Santa Cruz State ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in the Kids2Parks program and other initiatives supporting state parks in Santa Cruz County.
• California State Parks FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partner supporting California State Parks. Randy Widera, Director of Philanthropy at California State Parks Foundation, serves on MPF Advisory Council.
• Valley Women's ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter contributing to park protection efforts.
• Parks CaliforniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Art in the Park event and other collaborative park programs.
• Santa Cruz METRO Transit DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTransit partner providing Route 35 weekend bus service to Big Basin during summer months.
• Bay Federal Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner and corporate sponsor.
• Clif Bar Family FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation partner supporting environmental initiatives and park programs.
• Roaring Camp RailroadsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighboring Felton business offering train excursions through redwood forest, complementary visitor experience.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Save the Redwoods League: Major redwood conservation nonprofit and named MPF partner; both organizations fund stewardship, protection, and public access to redwood forests in California, and overlap on landowner-relations, donor development, and conservation advocacy. Save the Redwoods is broader geographically while MPF is park-anchored, but they co-fund programs and share the same donor pool.
• California State Parks Foundation: Statewide nonprofit supporting all California State Parks; named MPF partner with cross-membership on MPF's Advisory Council. Operates at a broader scale but shares the same cooperating-association model, donor pool, and park-philanthropy mission.
• Sempervirens Fund: Santa Cruz Mountains-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving redwood forests and state parks in the same geography as MPF. Named MPF partner and direct overlap in mission (redwood preservation), donor base, and programmatic focus.
• Parks California: Named MPF partner collaborating on Art in the Park and other park programs. Mission-aligned California state parks nonprofit focused on access, equity, and stewardship - directly comparable as a California state park support organization.
• Anza-Borrego Foundation: Cooperating association for Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California - same cooperating-association model, same donor development and in-park retail approach as MPF. Directly comparable in structure and California state park context.
• Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks: Named MPF partner collaborating on the Kids2Parks program and other Santa Cruz County state park initiatives. Same geographic footprint, same nonprofit cooperating-association model, and overlapping donor base within Santa Cruz County.
• Yosemite Conservancy: Official cooperating association for Yosemite National Park with a comparable operating model: retail, memberships, donor programs, and direct partnership with park management. Highly relevant as a benchmark for MPF's potential scale and programmatic offerings.
• Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: Official cooperating association for Golden Gate National Recreation Area operating a park-anchored nonprofit retail and donor model analogous to MPF's Nature Store and membership programs.

Emerging players

• National Park Trust: National nonprofit focused on completing land acquisition for parks and connecting youth to the outdoors. Comparable in mission areas (park protection, youth engagement via field trips) though operates nationally rather than at a single park.

Peers

• Tahoe Fund:

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/mountain_parks
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mountain.Parks.Foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mountainparksfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-parks-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Mountain Parks Foundation