National Park Foundation Awards $10M To ‘Spark Innovation’ at 21 Parks

July 23, 2026

The National Park Foundation (NPF) has launched dedicated funding for parks and park partners to collaborate on innovative projects that will strengthen parks, expand what is possible and ensure these extraordinary places endure for generations.

The inaugural cohort, announced July 22, includes 18 grants totaling more than $10 million awarded to support 21 national parks.

National parks are rooted in natural, historic and cultural wonders, but they originated as a novel idea, and their future depends on continued innovation. Often called “America’s best idea,” the national park concept set the blueprint for protecting extraordinary places and sharing them with the world.

With the support of generous donors and partners, NPF is helping parks carry that spirit forward by creating more room to innovate, collaborate and experiment. These grants provide funding directly to those who know parks best, empowering them to test new approaches, implement scalable technologies and share what they learn so parks are stronger, and visitors can have better experiences. RVPRO