The National Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and preserving U.S. national parks, has received a gigantic $100 million donation, by far the largest donation it has ever received. With over 400 national parks to manage and fund, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and even the Lincoln Memorial, the money will go a long way in supporting one of the largest government programs ever created.
More broadly, the foundation says the funds will be used in four areas. One of them is to inspire future park managers so that the responsibility of preserving these sites can be passed on to the next generation. Of course, they also want to protect endangered wildlife. They also want to improve the visitor experience and use the money to present a more comprehensive historical narrative that does not ignore the contributions of minority groups in the establishment and maintenance of national parks and historic sites.
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The donation comes from Lilly Endowment Inc., the private philanthropic foundation established nearly 100 years ago by the family that founded pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company. That company has given record-breaking amounts to the federal government in recent years – and not just voluntarily. Eli Lilly has paid more than $2.7 billion in fines and settled thousands of lawsuits for deceptive sales practices and other violations. That’s a little less inspiring.
