Zion National Park Forever Project

ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS: ZION FOREVER PROJECT CONTINUES TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WITHIN ZION NATIONAL PARK BY LEVERAGING PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT TO ADVANCE HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT PRESERVE PARK RESOURCES AND ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCES. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ESSENTIAL SEWER SYSTEM UPGRADES TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND LONG-TERM OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY, AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE ENERGY RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE PARK. THESE EFFORTS ARE PART OF A BROADER STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE PARKS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG, EXTEND THE LIFE OF CRITICAL ASSETS, AND ALIGN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WITH EVOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL AND VISITATION DEMANDS. THROUGH TARGETED FUNDING AND CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, ZION FOREVER PROJECT HELPS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS AND ON-THE-GROUND NEEDS, ENSURING THAT VITAL SYSTEMS ARE MODERNIZED AND MAINTAINED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

SUPPORT DURING THE RECENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: ZION FOREVER PROJECT PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUSTAINING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PROTECTING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AT ZION NATIONAL PARK. AS THE PARKS OFFICIAL NONPROFIT PARTNER, THE ORGANIZATION STEPPED IN TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT AT A TIME WHEN FEDERAL RESOURCES WERE CONSTRAINED, HELPING ENSURE CONTINUITY OF KEY FUNCTIONS INCLUDING VISITOR SERVICES, FACILITY SUPPORT, AND RESOURCE PROTECTION. THROUGH CLOSE COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STAFF, ZION FOREVER PROJECT DEPLOYED PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO MITIGATE IMPACTS TO PARK OPERATIONS, MAINTAIN PUBLIC ACCESS WHERE FEASIBLE, AND SAFEGUARD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS RESPONSE UNDERSCORES THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION- DRIVEN COMMITMENT TO STEWARDSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF FUNDING DISRUPTIONS AFFECTING AMERICAS PUBLIC LANDS.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

ADVANCING SOLUTIONS TO PARK HOUSING CHALLENGES: ZION FOREVER PROJECT IS ACTIVELY ADVANCING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL STAFF HOUSING CHALLENGES WITHIN ZION NATIONAL PARK, RECOGNIZING THAT ADEQUATE HOUSING IS ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAINING PARK OPERATIONS AND DELIVERING A HIGH-QUALITY VISITOR EXPERIENCE. IN RESPONSE TO ONGOING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES DRIVEN BY LIMITED AND UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE REGION, THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRIORITIZED INVESTMENT AND PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE HOUSING AVAILABILITY FOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND SEASONAL STAFF. THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING, PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, AND COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS, ZION FOREVER PROJECT IS WORKING TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND OVERALL WORKFORCE STABILITY. THESE EFFORTS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PARKS OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE AND ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AND STEWARDING ZION ARE ABLE TO LIVE AND WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.

ENHANCING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE THROUGH EDUCATION INITIATIVES: WE CONTINUE TO FUND ALL OF ZION'S EDUCATION INITIATIVES, INCLUDING DISTANCE-LEARNING PROGRAMS THAT BROADCAST GLOBALLY, BRINGING ZION AND ZION RANGERS INTO CLASSROOMS AROUND THE WORLD. OUR JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM ENGAGES 43,000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY, HELPING THEM EXPLORE AND LEARN ABOUT THE PARK. ADDITIONALLY, OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS, SUCH AS "CONCRETE TO CANYON," BRING TITLE 1 SCHOOLCHILDREN INTO THE PARK FOR THEIR FIRST ZION EXPERIENCE AND FUND RANGER VISITS TO LOCAL CLASSROOMS, PROVIDING INVALUABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. ZFP ALSO FUNDS SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITYS (SUU) INTERGOVERNMENTAL INTERNSHIP COOPERATIVE (IIC), WHICH PLACES STUDENTS IN PUBLIC LAND POSITIONS ACROSS THE REGION, OFFERING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION LEADERS. FUNDING FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) TRAINING PROGRAMS: IN 2025, ZFP PROVIDED ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR VARIOUS SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) TRAINING PROGRAMS, ENHANCING THE CAPABILITIES AND PREPAREDNESS OF OUR RESPONDERS. THESE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING SESSIONS COVERED BASIC SAR TECHNIQUES, CLIMBING AND RAPPELLING, SWIFTWATER RESCUE, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING. ACKNOWLEDGING THE TOUGH CONDITIONS AND CHALLENGING SCENARIOS THAT SAR TEAMS ENCOUNTER, WE ALSO EMPHASIZED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR RESPONDERS AND CARETAKERS. THESE PROGRAMS ENSURE THAT OUR SAR TEAMS ARE NOT ONLY EQUIPPED WITH THE ESSENTIAL TECHNICAL SKILLS BUT ALSO POSSESS THE EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE STRESSES OF BEING ON-SITE DURING CRITICAL INCIDENTS. THIS FUNDING HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR SAR OPERATIONS, BENEFITING BOTH THE RESPONDERS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. PARTNERING WITH THE PARKS TO ENSURE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS: ZFP OFFERS FREE, CONFIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) EMPLOYEES, ZION FOREVER STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND INTERNS. THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDES WEEKLY, HOUR-LONG SESSIONS WITH LICENSED THERAPISTS FOCUSED ON TRAUMA THERAPY, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND OVERALL MENTAL WELL- BEING. THE PROGRAM IS PART OF A LARGER COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A RESILIENT, SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE AT ZION FOREVER AND AMONG THE NATIONAL PARK STAFF.

IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.