ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the structure of National Park Service (NPS) funding today and argues that it is inconsistent with the mission of the agency. It introduces a series of ideas that could alleviate financial pressures on the NPS in the short term and make its funding more sustainable over the next century. The NPS is currently funded through a complex formula that includes Federal discretionary budget appropriations, revenue generated from fees and concessions, private philanthropy, and in-kind donations. Some NPS units are able to support a wider range of visitor services than others, due to their specific funding circumstances. Congress revised the concessions law in 1996 to introduce more competition in the process, which has enabled the NPS to earn a better return on franchise fees. The NPS should be permitted to divert some portion of unspent annual visitor fees to the endowment, given that the public pays such fees for the explicit purpose of supporting the Park unit.
