Several Olympic National Park support organizations help the park, and each one does a different job. Washington’s National Park Fund is the park’s official philanthropic partner, Friends of Olympic National Park is a local, volunteer-led friends group, and you can also give straight to the park or give your time. This guide explains how the park is funded and lays the options side by side, so you can pick the one that fits you.
We’re FONP, so we have a stake in this. We’ve tried to describe everyone fairly, using each organization’s own words or the National Park Service’s.
How is Olympic National Park funded?
Like every national park, Olympic runs mainly on federal money. Each year the National Park Service budget goes to Congress for review and approval, and that pays for staff, operations and upkeep across the park system.
Recreation fees add a second stream. According to the National Park Service, at least 80 percent of recreation fee revenue stays in the park where it is collected, under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. So your entrance pass at the Hoh or Hurricane Ridge does real work close to home.
The third stream is private generosity. Gifts, grants and volunteer hours cover things the federal budget doesn’t reach, from youth programs and research to trail work and cleanups. That’s where the organizations below come in.
The main ways to support Olympic National Park
Washington’s National Park Fund
Washington’s National Park Fund is a 501(c)(3) and the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks. The National Park Service’s own Olympic National Park donation page points donors to the Fund first.
The Fund raises private money and awards grants for projects that park staff and leadership choose each year, based on needs federal dollars don’t cover. Its focus areas include science and research, visitor experiences, volunteerism and stewardship. It offers many ways to give to Washington’s national parks, such as monthly gifts, stock, workplace matching and a Washington national park license plate.
Friends of Olympic National Park
That’s us. Friends of Olympic National Park was founded in 2002 and registered as a 501(c)(3) in 2023. We’re a volunteer-led group with a volunteer board of 12 community members, and we work in close partnership with the National Park Service.
Our work is hands-on and local. We educate, volunteer, fund and honor: guided walks, cleanups, trail work, Junior Ranger Day and two annual awards for people who give the park their best. Members join for $15 to $30 a year, and every gift helps our projects around the park.
Giving directly to the park
The National Park Service also accepts donations to Olympic National Park itself. The park’s donation page explains how to mail a gift to the Superintendent in Port Angeles. This suits people who want their money to go straight to the park rather than through a partner group.
Shopping at the park store
Discover Your Northwest runs the park store, and the National Park Service lists it as an official nonprofit partner. Books, maps and guides bought there help support the park’s educational work.
Giving your time
Time is a gift the park can’t buy. Volunteers register through Volunteer.gov, and the park runs its own programs, from coastal cleanups to camp hosting and marmot monitoring. Partner groups listed by the park include the Washington Trails Association for trail work and CoastSavers for beach cleanups.
Our crews welcome first-timers too. You can join beach cleanups in Olympic National Park, help our adopt-a-trail crew on the Heart O’ the Forest Trail, or browse all our volunteer opportunities near Port Angeles.
Advocacy groups
Some groups support the park by speaking up for it rather than funding projects. Olympic Park Advocates, for example, describes its work as protecting the park’s wilderness and ecological integrity, and it has done so for more than 70 years. If policy is your passion, that kind of group may suit you best.
Olympic National Park support options compared
| Option | What it supports | How to help | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington’s National Park Fund | Grants for park-chosen projects at three parks | Gifts, monthly giving, license plate | Donors who want the park’s official philanthropic partner |
| Friends of Olympic National Park | Local volunteer projects, education, awards | Membership, gifts, volunteering | Neighbours who want hands-on, local involvement |
| Direct gift to the park | Olympic National Park itself | Mail a gift to the Superintendent | Giving straight to the park |
| Park store | Educational materials and programs | Shop at park stores | Visitors picking up a book or map |
| Volunteering | Cleanups, trails, monitoring, events | Volunteer.gov and partner groups | People with time to give |
How to choose the right way to help
There’s no wrong answer here, and many people do more than one. A few questions can help you decide.
- Do you want to see the work? A local friends group lets you join the crews, walks and meetings.
- Do you want gifts matched to the park’s own priority list? The park’s philanthropic partner funds projects the park selects.
- Is money tight? Volunteering, buying a park pass and sharing what you learn all count.
- Do you live far away? A membership keeps you connected through our friends-only member newsletter.
How Friends of Olympic National Park helps
Our mission is to preserve Olympic National Park’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations. In practice, that means seven projects, from beach and visitor center cleanups to the Winter Perspectives series and guided insect, mushroom and wildflower walks.
Each year we also present the Most Inspirational Friend and Most Inspirational Park Employee awards. You can read more about Friends of Olympic National Park, meet our volunteer board of directors and see our history since 2002.
If FONP sounds like your fit, you can become a member of Friends of Olympic National Park for $15, $25 or $30 a year. You can also make a gift to support Olympic National Park by mail or email, at any amount. For a seasonal reason to give, see our Giving Tuesday 2026 appeal.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the official partner of Olympic National Park?
Washington’s National Park Fund is the official philanthropic partner of Olympic National Park, as stated on the park’s own donation page. Friends of Olympic National Park is a separate, local, volunteer-led friends group.
How is Olympic National Park funded?
Mostly through the federal budget that Congress approves each year. Recreation fees add more, with at least 80 percent staying in the park where they are collected, and private gifts, grants and volunteers cover needs the budget does not reach.
Can I donate directly to Olympic National Park?
Yes. The National Park Service accepts gifts to the park itself, mailed to the Superintendent in Port Angeles. The park’s donation page on nps.gov has the details.
What is the difference between Friends of Olympic National Park and Washington’s National Park Fund?
The Fund raises money and makes grants for projects the park selects at three Washington national parks. Friends of Olympic National Park is a local volunteer group focused on Olympic, running cleanups, trail work, walks, education and awards.
How can I volunteer at Olympic National Park?
Register through Volunteer.gov and look for park programs or partner groups. Friends of Olympic National Park also runs volunteer days, such as cleanups and trail work, listed on our volunteer page.
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