Eastern National
“Promote the public’s understanding and support of America’s national parks and other public trusts.”
The work
What they do
Cooperating association serving over 150 national park sites primarily in the eastern US. Operates bookstores and funds educational programs.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “TO SERVE AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS AND OTHER PUBLIC TRUSTS AND THEIR VISITORS”
Where the money went, FY2024
The work, and what it cost
Bringing people into the fight
$26.3MEASTERN NATIONAL IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL SERVICE INSTITUTION RECOGNIZED PURSUANT TO AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO AID AND PROMOTE THE INTERPRETIVE, HISTORICAL, SCIENTIFIC, RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES OF THE NATI...
Including $3,508,141 granted onward, most of it $3,508,141 to National Park Service.
Read it as they filed it
EASTERN NATIONAL IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL SERVICE INSTITUTION RECOGNIZED PURSUANT TO AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO AID AND PROMOTE THE INTERPRETIVE, HISTORICAL, SCIENTIFIC, RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. EASTERN NATIONAL ALSO DEVELOPS PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER INTERPRETIVE MATERIALS RELEVANT TO THE PARKS AND THEIR THEMES. EASTERN NATIONAL OPERATES RETAIL OUTLETS AT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT OFFER EDUCATIONAL AND INTERPRETIVE PRODUCTS TO THE VISITORS OF THE PARKS. APPROXIMATELY 95% OF THE NET INCOME FROM THIS ACTIVITY IS SET ASIDE TO BE DONATED BACK TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OR OTHER AGENCY IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS TO SUPPORT THE PARKS AND ASSIST WITH THEIR INTERPRETIVE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
82 cents of every dollar goes to the work
That ratio is a good sign, not a scorecard. Plenty of great groups run leaner and lumpier. What matters is the extremes, and Eastern National is nowhere near one.
$26,285,177 programs, $5,310,801 management, $356,124 fundraising. Form 990, FY2024.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at Eastern National? Claim this page.
Those 10 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If Eastern National is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 11The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $16,080,398 |
| 2012 | $17,812,459 |
| 2013 | $16,382,898 |
| 2014 | $18,010,776 |
| 2015 | $19,863,323 |
| 2016 | $23,400,804 |
| 2017 | $23,836,030 |
| 2018 | $24,084,960 |
| 2019 | $26,569,969 |
| 2020 | $9,701,062 |
| 2021 | $21,727,847 |
| 2022 | $29,840,460 |
| 2023 | $34,677,762 |
| 2024 | $32,154,337 |
From $16.1M in 2011 to $32.2M in FY24, with no missed filing in 14 years.
The record
On the Hill
Eastern National has hired federal lobbyists: 5 filings from 2019 to 2020. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on natural resources.
Eastern National files 2 related organizations on its return: The National Park Service Employee And Alumni Trust Fund (501(c)(3)) and Employee & Alumni Association Of The National Park Service (501(c)(4)). A related organization shares people or purpose; it does not share the books.
Ways in
How to help
82 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with Eastern National
79 years on the ground, 10 volunteers, 82 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.