The Alluvial Fan Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the many deferred maintenance projects that will benefit from the Centennial Challenge Program. – NPS Photo
NPS Centennial Challenge Program is Matching $20 Million in Congressional Funding with $33 Million from Partner Organizations to Support Maintenance Projects at National Parks
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Colorado Senator Cory Gardner announced today that the National Park Service is teaming up with partners across the nation to distribute nearly $50 million in high priority maintenance and infrastructure projects at 42 parks in 29 states. Congress provided $20 million for the projects as part of the Centennial Challenge program which will be matched by $33 million from more than 50 park partners to improve trails, restore buildings, and increase visitor access to parks.
Secretary Zinke and Senator Gardner made the announcement while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, which will receive $200,000 in federal funds matched by $200,000 from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy to reduce deferred maintenance on the Alluvial Fan Trail.
“Our national parks span twelve time zones and attract more than 330 million visitors every year. Some locations, like Rocky Mountain National Park, attract millions of visitors alone. This puts an incredible stress on the aging infrastructure at our parks and thanks to Centennial Grants and the generosity of public-private partners, we are able to distribute funds to rebuild our parks,” said Secretary Zinke. “Using public-private partnerships to help address the deferred maintenance backlog remains a priority for the Department and the Trump Administration. Park infrastructure includes trails, signage, restrooms, lodges, roads, bridges and waterlines. These funds will help us continue to provide a world-class experience to visitors and ensure that these amazing places are around for future generations.”
“Today, I stood alongside Secretary Zinke as he announced critical funding grants for Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park,” said Senator Cory Gardner. “We must continue to be good stewards of our National Parks and protect these treasures for future generations. I want to thank Secretary Zinke for highlighting a crown jewel of Colorado’s public lands, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the dedicated Park employees that care for this land every day.”
“Many of the national parks that Americans treasure today would simply not exist without the strong partnerships and philanthropy that have benefited the national park idea for over a century,” said Acting National Park Service Director Michael T. Reynolds. “The Centennial Challenge program continues that proud tradition by matching dollars from Congress with generous donations from dedicated partners to make high-impact improvements in parks.”
Examples of the more than 50 projects the Centennial Challenge program will fund this year using partner donations and federal matching funds include:
- Centennial Challenge funds will complement a donation announced last year from philanthropist David M. Rubenstein to the National Park Foundation that will repair and restore the Lincoln Memorial in addition to expanding educational resources and public access.
- Funding from Yellowstone Forever will improve overlooks along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
- Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park will restore heavily used frontcountry trails in the park.
- The Gettysburg Foundation will help create a multi-use trail at Gettysburg National Military Park that will connect the visitor center to a historic farm that was used as a field hospital during the battle.
- Friends of Saguaro National Park, the Western National Park Association, and G. Arthur Jansson are teaming up to create an accessible outdoor classroom space at Saguaro National Park.
Since 2015 the National Park Service has leveraged over $45 million in funding from Congress through the Centennial Challenge program to attract more than $77 million from partner organizations to support over hundreds of projects across the country that have improved visitor services and strengthened partnerships to reinvigorate national parks.
The following is a list of the projects receiving funding.
| Park Name | State | Project Title | Federal $ | Partner $ | Partner |
| Acadia NP | ME | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Multiple Park Trails | 192,286 | 259,112 | Friends of Acadia |
| Andersonville NHS | GA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance by Replacing Park Signage | 73,071 | 73,071 | Friends of Andersonville |
| Antietam NB | MD | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Historic Piper Farm | 6,000 | 6,490 | Save Historic Antietam Foundation |
| Apostle Islands NL | WI | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Raspberry Light Station | 3,657 | 3,657 | Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore |
| Badlands NP | SD | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Bison Fence | 475,000 | 475,000 | National Park Foundation, World Wildlife Fund |
| Biscayne NP | FL | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Elliott Key Visitor Center and Replace Park Signage | 166,475 | 170,790 | Florida National Parks Association |
| Blue Ridge Parkway | NC, VA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Humpback Rocks Farm, Sharp Top Shelter, and Moses Cone Estate | 303,149 | 308,880 | Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation |
| Blue Ridge Parkway | NC, VA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Historic Mabry Mill and Groundhog Mountain Structures | 62,863 | 76,791 | National Park Foundation, Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation |
| Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP | MD | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Swain’s Lockhouse | 100,000 | 108,160 | C&O Canal Trust, Friends of Historic Great Falls Tavern, C&O Canal Association |
| Chickamauga & Chattanooga NMP | GA, TN | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Moccasin Bend Orientation Plaza and Park Trails | 143,773 | 287,546 | Friends of Moccasin Bend |
| Cuyahoga Valley NP | OH | Provide Orientation and Interpretation at Visitor Contact Station | 1,492,333 | 1,492,333 | Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park |
| Delaware Water Gap NRA | NJ, PA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance through Replacment of Deteriorating Non-Code Compliant Cabins | 1,429,066 | 1,429,066 | Pocono Environmental Education Center |
| Denali NP & Pres | AK | Support Research for Three Long-Distance Migration Birds, the Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, and Hermit Thrush | 23,800 | 23,800 | Alaska Geographic, Denali Education Center |
| Dry Tortugas NP | FL | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Traverse Magazines at Fort Jefferson | 237,637 | 548,316 | HTR Foundation through South Florida NP Trust |
| Everglades NP | FL | Reduce Deferred Maintenance by Repurposing Deteriorating Facility into Visitor Center – Planning and Design | 720,000 | 800,000 | South Florida National Park Trust, Everglades Association |
| Federal Hall NMem | NY | Restore and Illuminate the Wall Street Facade at Federal Hall | 189,280 | 300,000 | National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy |
| Gettysburg NMP | PA | Install a Multi-Use Trail to Connect the George Spangler Farm with the Museum and Visitor Center | 394,271 | 459,837 | Gettysburg Foundation |
| Glacier NP | MT | Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species Infestations through Inspections | 60,000 | 60,000 | Glacier National Park Conservancy |
| Golden Gate NRA | CA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Fort Cronkhite | 628,912 | 644,635 | NatureBridge |
| Grand Teton NP | WY | Reduce Deferred Maintenance in South Jenny Lake Visitor Use Area | 757,356 | 1,267,202 | Grand Teton National Park Foundation |
| Great Smoky Mountains NP | NC, TN | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Rainbow Falls Trails and Historic Structures | 124,945 | 312,711 | Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
| Great Smoky Mountains NP | NC, TN | Conduct Natural Resource Projects including Native Species Re-introductions and Forest Pest Control | 72,000 | 169,182 | Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains Association |
| Great Smoky Mountains NP | NC, TN | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on the Palmer House Museum and Replace Exhibits | 38,470 | 38,470 | Great Smoky Mountains Association |
| Great Smoky Mountains NP | NC, TN | Conduct Research and Natural Resource Projects on Wildlife Such as Elk, Black Bears, and Exotic Wild Hogs | 18,600 | 55,744 | Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation |
| Hawaii Volcanoes NP | HI | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on and Kilauea Hale | 15,600 | 15,600 | Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park |
| Kalaupapa NHP | HI | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at the Bayview Complex and Pali Trail Overlook | 52,173 | 52,425 | Pacific Historic Parks |
| Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP | VT | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Park Trails and Replace Park Signage | 45,448 | 53,617 | Woodstock Foundation |
| Mount Rainier NP | WA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on multiple park trails | 24,878 | 24,878 | Washington’s National Park Fund |
| Mount Rainier NP | WA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on the Wonderland Trail | 89,427 | 89,427 | National Park Foundation |
| Multiple | Multiple | Complete Deferred Maintenance Projects at Multiple Parks | 850,000 | 850,000 | National Park Foundation |
| National Capital Parks-East | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Carter G Woodson Home National Historic Site – Planning and Design | 425,000 | 425,000 | National Park Foundation and other donors |
| National Mall & Memorial Parks | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Lincoln Memorial and Redesign the Unused Spaces Beneath the Memorial into a Multi-Use Service Area | 4,840,000 | 16,000,000 | National Park Foundation |
| National Mall & Memorial Parks | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument | 650,000 | 650,000 | National Park Foundation |
| National Mall & Memorial Parks | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance at West Potomac Park | 15,000 | 16,224 | Trust for the National Mall |
| National Mall & Memorial Parks | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance Near Mt. Vernon Triangle | 10,000 | 10,816 | Downtown Business Improvement District |
| Ocmulgee NM | SC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on the River Trail and Improve Accessibility | 75,000 | 75,000 | NewTown Macon, Georgia Department of Transportation |
| Padre Island NS | TX | Protect Sea Turtle Population through Beach Patrols and Nest Recovery | 30,000 | 30,000 | Multiple Donors |
| Pullman NM | IL | Document and Archive Oral History Recordings | 3,750 | 3,750 | National Park Foundation |
| Pullman NM | IL | Develop Junior Ranger Program | 15,850 | 15,850 | National Park Foundation |
| Rock Creek Park | DC | Construct Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance | 320,000 | 320,000 | Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy |
| Rock Creek Park | DC | Restore Woodland Area along Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway | 17,846 | 71,240 | Rock Creek Conservancy |
| Rock Creek Park | DC | Reduce Deferred Maintenance in Chevy Chase Circle | 16,368 | 17,705 | Friends of Chevy Chase Circle |
| Rocky Mountain NP | CO | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Alluvial Fan Trail | 200,000 | 200,000 | Rocky Mountain Conservancy |
| Saguaro NP | AZ | Create Accessible Outdoor Classroom Space | 107,323 | 108,300 | Friends of Saguaro National Park, Western National Park Association, G. Arthur Jansson |
| Sleeping Bear Dunes NL | MI | Construct Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail | 561,000 | 561,000 | Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation Trails, Inc. and Michigan Department of Transportation |
| Tallgrass Prairie NPres | KS | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Multiple Park Trails | 121,935 | 135,223 | National Park Foundation |
| Thomas Edison NHP | NJ | Repair Historic Line Shafts in the Heavy Machine Shop | 9,999 | 9,999 | Friends of Thomas Edison NHP |
| Thomas Edison NHP | NJ | Improve Accessibility, Preservation and Educational Use of Edison Archives 1926-1931 | 49,999 | 56,746 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey |
| Tule Lake Unit | CA | Support Programming for Students to Participate in the Tule Lake Pilgrimage | 62,556 | 130,000 | Tule Lake Committee |
| War in the Pacific NHP | GU | Implement Reef Ranger Summer Camp | 7,500 | 7,500 | Pacific Historic Parks |
| Whiskeytown NRA | CA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Multiple Park Trails | 15,260 | 15,260 | Friends of Whiskeytown |
| Yellowstone NP | ID, MT, WY | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Trails, Retaining Walls, and Overlooks | 2,416,320 | 2,416,300 | Yellowstone Forever |
| Yellowstone NP | ID, MT, WY | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Stephens Creek Bison Facility | 150,342 | 154,669 | Yellowstone Forever |
| Yosemite NP | CA | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Lower and Multiple Backcountry Trails | 264,002 | 294,065 | Yosemite Conservancy, California Conservation Corp |
| Zion NP | UT | Reduce Deferred Maintenance on Lower and Middle Emerald Pools Trails | 346,337 | 348,240 | National Park Foundation, Zion National Park Foundation |
