National Park Service

Funds National Park Service in United States, using nps.gov to run public innovation-facing program paths.

The National Park Service (NPS) is a U.S. federal bureau within the Department of the Interior (DOI), founded in 1916. It manages 400+ park units and administers major federal grant programs funded primarily by Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease revenues — not tax dollars.

NPS runs two principal grant funds: the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), established 1976, which supports competitive and formula grants for historic preservation (~$200M+ annually); and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), established 1965 and permanently reauthorized in 2019, which funds outdoor recreation acquisition and development. Competitive HPF programs include Save America's Treasures, Tribal Heritage Grants, African American Civil Rights Grants, HBCU Grants, and others. Competitive LWCF programs include the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) and Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants.

NPS grantmaking is administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division (STLPG) and targets governments (federal, state, tribal, local), nonprofits, and universities — not for-profit businesses or startups. All competitive grants apply via grants.gov.