History of the Friends Movement
Loosely organized since 1998, the Friends Alliance has been a confederation of peer practitioners seeking insights and connections by networking with others facing similar challenges. For the last 25 years, leaders have used their informal network to support each other, learn, and find community in their professional purpose. As the number of Friends Groups has grown, so has interest in and participation in the Friends Alliance network.
Thanks to the foundational support from the National Park Foundation, the National Park Service, and network members, the Friends Alliance emerged as an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2023.
“Your work is a force multiplier.”
NPS DIRECTOR CHUCK SAMS
Speaking to park partners at the 2022 Fall Friends Alliance Meeting
Who We Serve
National Park Friends Groups
We serve the leadership of nonprofit groups that have official philanthropic partnerships with the National Park Service.
National Park Service Leadership
We serve National Park Service superintendents as well as partnership staff within NPS by providing professional development, networking, and peer-to-peer mentoring
National Park Service Partners
The Friends Alliance is a community for park partners to share best practices for partnerships, visitor engagement, education, and stewardship of national parks.
Vision for the Future
We ENVISION shared, collaborative, and forward-thinking stewardship of our national parks — where our community leverages each other’s strengths, where we lift each other up in times of struggle, where we work with our partners to eliminate barriers to successful partnerships.
Join Today!
Join the community and be part of a network focused on philanthropy in national parks. Membership in the Friends Alliance gives you access to professional networking opportunities, discounts on the annual meetings, and resources to support your park partnership.