The Friends Of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Inc

What The Friends Of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Inc does

Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 58-2046056) founded in 1995 by then-Georgia State Parks Director Burt Weerts and headquartered in Cartersville, Georgia. It operates as the official supporting nonprofit of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' State Parks & Historic Sites Division, working through more than 50 local chapters that partner directly with individual parks and historic sites statewide. Its mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Georgia's state parks and historic sites through volunteer labor, fundraising, and educational programming, with 6,000+ volunteers contributing 75,000-80,000 hours annually (an in-kind value of over $2.25 million).

The organization's core product set centers on a tiered membership program (five tiers from Traveler at $75 to Sustainer at $175, with senior and military discounts) that unlocks benefits such as annual ParkPasses, free camping nights, picnic shelter rentals, and discounts on lodging, ziplines, and historic-site admissions. Layered on top are the Georgia State Parks Passport program (a $20+ keepsake booklet with recurring themed sticker challenges and a new Challenge Coin), the Run for the Trees: Happy Little 5K annual event ($36 registration), an online donation platform (one-time and recurring tiers of $10-$250 plus restricted campaigns such as the Daisy Bonner Gravesite Restoration), the Friends Legacy Society planned-giving program, and a Shopify-hosted merchandise storefront. The technology stack is conventional nonprofit infrastructure: a Drupal CMS website integrated with CiviCRM for donations, membership, and event management, Google single sign-on, an embedded live-chat widget, Shopify for e-commerce, and RunSignUp for race registration.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: recurring individual membership subscriptions (annual billing, auto-renewal available), one-time and recurring donations (including QCD-eligible legacy gifts), Passport and merchandise transactions through both owned digital channels and physical retail (state park gift shops and five metro-Atlanta REI stores), event registration fees, and restricted project fundraising. Customer segments are primarily individual park enthusiasts, donors and philanthropists (including legacy and memorial donors), and volunteers — supplemented by secondary segments of seniors and military members (discount-eligible), planned-giving donors, and educational/youth groups such as Dade County High School FFA. Distribution relies on direct-to-consumer online, phone and live-chat sales, in-person sales at every Georgia State Park front desk, mail-order, and the REI partnership.

Name

The Friends Of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Inc

Legal name

Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, Inc.

Website

https://friendsofgastateparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that supports Georgia's state parks and historic sites through tiered memberships, donations, a passport engagement program, and 50+ volunteer chapters mobilizing 6,000+ volunteers statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Park Support Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Park membership subscriptions
• Conservation volunteer programs
• Historic site preservation
• Nonprofit fundraising campaigns
• Outdoor recreation advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Cartersville

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual memberships across five tiers (Traveler $75, Explorer $85, Adventurer $99, Supporter $149, Sustainer $175) with discounted rates for seniors (62+) and military; auto-renewal option available.
2. Donations: One-time and recurring monthly donations in preset tiers ($10/$25/$50/$100/$250), with optional monthly recurring billing, honor/memorial designations, and dedicated project funds (e.g., Daisy Bonner Gravesite Restoration).
3. Passport Sales: Passport acquired via $20+ donation through the website; proceeds go to park upkeep, maintenance, improvement, and beautification. Also retailed via state park gift shops and partner REI locations.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online store at shop.friendsofgateparks.org selling branded items such as the Georgia's Wonders sticker illustrated by Jelly Press, Inc., gift memberships, and other park merchandise.
5. 5K Race Registration Fees: Happy Little Trees 5K registration at $36 per person, with proceeds supporting tree planting and forest protection in state parks.
6. Planned Giving / Legacy Society: Bequests, retirement asset beneficiary designations, life insurance policies, and Qualified Charitable Distributions (up to $100,000/year from IRAs for donors 70½+); tracked through the Friends Legacy Society.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Georgia's state parks and historic sites through a tiered annual membership program, a keepsake Georgia State Parks Passport with themed sticker challenges and a reward Challenge Coin, an online donation platform (one-time and recurring), a planned giving program (Friends Legacy Society), themed merchandise sold via its online store, and signature events such as the annual Run for the Trees 5K. The organization coordinates more than 50 local chapters and over 6,000 volunteers contributing 75,000–80,000 hours annually to preserve and enhance parks and historic assets.

Product overview

Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Inc. operates a unified nonprofit engagement platform rather than a discrete software product: a Drupal website tightly integrated with CiviCRM forms the digital backbone, supporting the Friends Membership Program (with five tiers — Traveler, Explorer, Adventurer, Supporter, Sustainer — plus Gift Memberships), the Georgia State Parks Passport program (including the Passport Challenge Coin and recurring Passport Sticker Challenges such as Summer on the Rocks, I Love My State Parks Week, Monumental Memories, and Happy Little Trees), the Run for the Trees: Happy Little 5K annual event, an Online Donation Program, a more-than-50-chapter Volunteer Program, the Friends Legacy Society planned-giving program, and themed merchandise including the Georgia's Wonders Sticker via the Shop online store. Targeted fundraising campaigns like the Daisy Bonner Gravesite Restoration Project sit on top of this same platform. Together, these modules form a single portfolio under which memberships and donations fund volunteer-driven preservation, accessibility, and educational programming across Georgia's state parks and historic sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Friends Membership Program Annual membership portfolio for individuals and families at five price tiers ($75 Traveler, $85 Explorer, $99 Adventurer, $149 Supporter, $175 Sustainer), with stackable discounts for Seniors (62+) and Military members. Benefits include annual ParkPasses, free camping nights, free picnic shelter rentals, lodging discounts, zipline and historic site admission discounts, and access to member events; the program is for park enthusiasts seeking recurring benefits at Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites.
• Gift Memberships Purchasable gift membership available across all five membership tiers, delivered as an activation code redeemable at friendsofgastateparks.org/redeem or via phone, with membership materials shipped by mail. Aimed at individuals giving park access as a gift.
• Georgia State Parks Passport Keepsake booklet that documents visits across Georgia state parks and historic sites with photos, descriptions, and mini-adventure prompts (e.g., Fall Foliage, Waterfall Way). Acquired via a $20 minimum donation through the website, with 100% of proceeds supporting park upkeep, maintenance, improvement, and beautification. Available online, at any park gift shop, and at metro-Atlanta REI stores.
• Passport Challenge Coin Exclusive commemorative coin awarded to participants who visit every Georgia state park, complete their Passport, and submit a verification photo; celebrates dedication and adventurous spirit across the parks system.
• Georgia's Wonders Sticker Hand-drawn original sticker illustrated by Jelly Press, Inc., showcasing Georgia's geographic diversity (Amicalola Falls, Providence Canyon, George L. Smith kayaking, Dahlonega Gold Museum, Skidaway Island marshes). Sold as limited-availability merchandise via the online store at shop.friendsofgastateparks.org, promoted under the #georgiaswonderssticker social hashtag.
• Run for the Trees: Happy Little 5K Annual inclusive 5K event held between Earth Day and Arbor Day (April 18–26, 2026), inspired by Bob Ross and supporting tree planting and forest protection in state parks. $36 registration includes a Happy Little T-shirt, commemorative bib number, sticker, and Bob Ross-inspired finisher's medal; open to walkers, runners, bikers, skaters, paddlers, and mobility device users.
• Online Donation Program Online donation portal offering preset contribution tiers ($10, $25, $50, $100, $250), custom amounts, recurring monthly billing, and honor/memorial dedication options. Proceeds fund programming support, volunteer support, and education/outreach for Georgia's state parks and historic sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Volunteers contribute 75,000-80,000 hours per year, equating to over $2.25 million in in-kind value annually.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Burt Weerts (Retired Director of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites) and current DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon serves as ex-officio board member. Friends partners with DNR to protect, preserve and enhance Georgia's most important treasures, and Friends benefits are recognized at all Georgia state parks and historic sites operated by the Parks & Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Georgia EPD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard Chair Sarah Visser serves as Assistant Branch Chief, Land Protection, Georgia EPD, providing direct regulatory and environmental expertise. EPD regulates environmental operations including the generation, disposal, and cleanup of solid and hazardous wastes, scrap tires, underground storage tanks, and surface mining.
• National Association of State Park FoundationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes I Love My State Parks Week (May 10-16, 2026) nationally, bringing together state park foundations across the country. Friends of Georgia State Parks is proud to participate and runs the passport challenge during this week.
• REI (five metro-Atlanta stores)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREI has partnered with Friends to bring the Georgia State Parks Passport to five metro-Atlanta REI store locations, providing physical retail distribution to outdoor enthusiasts.
• Jelly Press, Inc.minorOthersOriginal illustrator of the Georgia's Wonders sticker. The hand-drawn artwork showcases Georgia's geographic diversity and is sold via the Friends online store.
• Aimee Copeland FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriends of Cloudland Canyon State Park will host the Aimee Copeland Foundation Buddy Training Class for the park's all-terrain chair on March 24, 2026, supporting accessible outdoor recreation.
• Dade County High School FFAminorOthersDade County High School FFA students spent a cold after-school afternoon volunteering to improve park accessibility at Cloudland Canyon State Park during National FFA Week (Feb 23, 2026), armoring a low, rough trail section with rocks gathered from nearby areas.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Warm Springs Memorial Advisory CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-collaborated with Friends of Roosevelt's Little White House and the Advisory Committee in 2023 to confirm and clear the location of Daisy Bonner and Jack Bonner's gravesites on Leverett Hill Road in Warm Springs, GA.
• Leverett Hill Baptist ChurchminorOthersUnder the leadership of Reverend Tracey Neal, members have maintained the Daisy Bonner gravesite at no cost to the Bonner family since the 2023 clearing.
• Friends of Roosevelt's Little White ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the more than 50 Friends chapters partnering directly with state parks and historic sites; collaborates with Friends statewide on volunteer projects, restoration, and events such as the Daisy Bonner gravesite restoration.
• Sons of the American Revolution (National Congress)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConvenes annually at Fort Morris State Historic Site for the 'Come and Take It' wreath-laying ceremony, honoring the Patriot resistance of November 1778.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• National Association of State Park Foundations: Umbrella network that organizes the national 'I Love My State Parks Week' in which Friends of Georgia State Parks participates. Peer as a coordinating body for state-level park foundations rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Conserving Carolina: Regional land conservancy in the Carolinas with similar membership, volunteer, and trail stewardship programs operating in a neighboring geography. Comparable scale, mission, and chapter-style structure.

Direct peers

• New York State Parks Foundation: State park support organization for New York, with membership, donation, and volunteer programs. Directly comparable mission and revenue model.
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Trail-focused 501(c)(3) that supports a major Southeast corridor through membership, volunteer trail crews, and donations. Comparable volunteer-hour economics and donor base, with overlap in Georgia's mountain parks.
• California State Parks Foundation: Major California-based nonprofit supporting state parks through memberships, grants, and volunteer engagement. A larger-scale analogue in the most populous U.S. state.
• Texas State Parks Foundation: State-level 501(c)(3) supporting nonprofit for Texas state parks with comparable membership, donation, and volunteer programs. Most directly comparable to Friends of Georgia State Parks in mission, structure, and product mix.
• Florida State Parks Foundation: Florida's official state park supporting foundation, running membership tiers, volunteer programs, and statewide fundraising. Operates as a near-identical model in a larger park system.
• Friends of the Smokies: 501(c)(3) supporting Great Smoky Mountains National Park through memberships, donations, and a large volunteer program. Closest analogue in the national park context with similar chapter/membership model.

Broad incumbents

• National Park Foundation: Official national-level nonprofit of the U.S. National Park Service, running memberships, donations, and pass programs. Operates one tier above Friends as the federal analogue.
• The Trust for Public Land: National land conservation nonprofit working with state and local partners on park creation and protection. Adjacent mission overlap and a comparable mix of policy expertise, donors, and state-level project work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/friendsgapark
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofgastateparks

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Friends Of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Inc