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Western National Parks Association

EIN 86-0107049 · Oro Valley, AZ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 66 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SINCE 1938, WNPA ADVANCES EDUCATION, INTERPRETATION, RESEARCH, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE NATIONAL PARKS ARE INCREASINGLY VALUED BY ALL.

Income
$15.4 million
Spending
$14.7 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
16 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 94%
Employees
227
Volunteers
34
Highest pay
$245,247, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 66 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $10.9 million spent. INTERPRETIVE AND EDUCATION SERVICES: WNPA PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN FURTHERING THE CONNECTION PEOPLE HAVE TO PARKS. WNPA PARTNERS WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO SUPPORT ITS MISSION AND ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, AND APPRECIATION OF NATIONAL PARKS THROUGH THE DISCOVERY OF RELEVANT PRODUCTS, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES. WNPA OPERATES MORE THAN 78 PARK STORES IN VISITOR CENTERS AT 72 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UNITS ACROSS 12 WESTERN STATES, OFFERING THOUSANDS OF INTERPRETIVE AND EDUCATIONAL BOOKS AND OTHER PRODUCTS. THESE BOOKS AND PRODUCTS PROVIDE MEANINGFUL AND LONG-TERM CONNECTIONS TO THE PARKS. WNPA WAS FOUNDED IN 1938 AS A NONPROFIT PUBLISHING PARTNER TO HELP THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THEIR PARKS. WE CONTINUE THAT TRADITION WITH AWARD-WINNING, WELL-RESEARCHED, BEAUTIFULLY ENGAGING BOOKS TO HELP VISITORS LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PARTNER PARKS. MORE THAN 200 PUBLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY IN PRINT. WNPA ALSO PUBLISHES JUNIOR RANGER BOOKLETS FOR PARK VISITORS AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE. AT THE NATIONAL PARKS STORE IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, WNPA HOSTED ART SHOWS WITH SPEAKERS, CULTURAL DEMONSTRATIONS, AUTHOR EVENTS, AND OTHER EXPERIENCES IN AN EFFORT TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO THE NATURE, CULTURE, AND HISTORY WITHIN PARKS AND THE REGIONS IN WHICH THEY EXIST.
  2. $1.7 million spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH & PROGRAMS: WNPA HOSTED NEARLY 100 FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS (E.G., PRESENTATIONS, FILMS, AUTHOR EVENTS, AND CULTURAL DEMONSTRATIONS) AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN TUCSON, AZ, REACHING APPROXIMATELY 2,000 TOTAL ATTENDEES IN 2024. WNPA ALSO HOSTED THE NATIONAL PARK EXPERIENCE PAVILION AT THE TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS, THE THIRD LARGEST BOOK FESTIVAL IN THE US WHICH INTRODUCED THOUSANDS OF FESTIVAL VISITORS TO WNPA AND ITS PARTNER PARKS. VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN A DOZEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS IN TUCSON AND SOUTHERN ARIZONA, INCLUDING THE SOUTHEAST ARIZONA BIRDING FESTIVAL, LA FIESTA DE TUMACCORI, AND TUCSON MEET YOURSELF. STAFF ALSO PARTICIPATED, ALONG WITH PARK PARTNERS, IN THE ANNUAL TUCSON RODEO AND TUCSON PRIDE PARADES AS WELL AS OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS. WNPA PROVIDED PROGRAMS TO LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS IN TUCSON FOCUSED ON WNPA, THE NATIONAL PARKS STORE, AND LOCAL PARTNER PARKS. WNPA PROVIDED FUNDING FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR MISSIONS, INCLUDING PARKS IN FOCUS, A PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH TO NATURE THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY; AND IRONWOOD TREE EXPERIENCE, A PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND BECOME STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS FUNDING HELPED ENGAGE MORE THAN 800 ARIZONA YOUTH WITH OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS. FINALLY, WNPA STAFF ATTENDED THE NATIONAL PARK FRIENDS ALLIANCE, PUBLIC LANDS ALLIANCE, ARIZONA ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR INTERPRETATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
  3. $1.2 million spent. GRANTS AND DONATIONS TO PARK PARTNERS: WNPA PROVIDED OVER $1 MILLION IN DIRECT AID AND RESEARCH GRANTS TO MORE THAN 70 PARTNER PARKS ACROSS 12 WESTERN STATES IN FY24. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH NATIONAL PARK STORES, WNPA GIVES DIRECT DONATIONS TO THE NATIONAL PARKS IN SUPPORT OF CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, INTERPRETATIVE, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED BY PARK RANGERS. THESE ACTIVITIES ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH YOUTH, AND ENGAGE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. NUMEROUS EVENTS WERE FUNDED DURING THE YEAR IN NATIONAL PARKS. EVENTS INCLUDED LIVING HISTORY DEMONSTRATIONS AND ENCAMPMENTS, SEVERAL CULTURAL FESTIVALS, JUNIOR RANGER CAMPS, ART EXHIBITIONS, AND ARCHEOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS. EACH OF THE PARTNER PARKS AFFILIATED WITH WNPA RECEIVED DIRECT DONATIONS IN 2024. THE ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN NATIONAL PARKS WITH GRANTS AWARDED TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS. GRANTS ARE USED TO SUPPORT A WIDE RANGE OF RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT HELP CREATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PARKS, INCLUDING THE NATURAL RESOURCES; THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ONCE LIVED THERE; CLIMATE IMPACTS, AND THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL HISTORY AT THE PARK SITES. WNPA CELEBRATED ITS 85TH ANNIVERSARY IN JULY 2023, AND SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1938, WNPA HAS PROVIDED NEARLY $149 MILLION IN AID TO OUR PARTNER PARKS TO FUND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES, AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
  4. $330,979 spent. VISITOR PROGRAM SERVICES: THROUGH COOPERATING AGREEMENTS WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WNPA PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SERVICES IN THE 12 STATES WITH AFFILIATED PARKS. THESE INCLUDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT, PROGRAM FACILITATION, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, PRINTED MATERIALS AND PUBLICATIONS, EXHIBIT DESIGN AND FABRICATION, AND OTHER INTERPRETIVE ACTIVITIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1942.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.