6%

of young National Park visitors are low-income.

Give Kids a Chance

First National Park Campaign

Help a kid visit their first National Park

Visiting a National Park is a life-changing experience. The chance for children to connect with nature, explore spectacular landscapes, and learn about environmental science is crucial for building a more sustainable future.

Yet rising costs on public lands is creating severe inequities in who can afford to visit them.

1 in 5

National Park visitors is a person of color.

Your gift will go a long way.

The Right to Explore SPC promotes legislative change, therefore donations are not tax-deductible.

40%

Schools that may otherwise never have had the chance embark on field trips to National Park sites. Kids get a chance to explore the beauty of America's National Parks. Students who take educational field trips in their youth grow to be more successful, happier, smarter, and healthier.

3.

Benefits of Educational Field Trips

95%

higher high school graduation rate

12%

higher annual income

59%

better grades in middle school and high school

63%

higher college graduation rate

Where your donations go

The Right to Explore is dedicated to making the most of every donation to this campaign. We keep our operating costs at a minimum to ensure that children in need receive the overwhelming benefit of every dollar spent.

1.

Candidate Criteria:

Using the list of schools you nominate, our team studies the finances and student body of every district to find where money is needed most.

2.

Partner schools will explore options for field trips and determine the overall associated costs. In combination with state funding, boosters, and PTO fundraisers, The Right to Explore will fill the gap in funding required to fulfill the field trip budget. The amount each school district receives will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Overall associated costs will vary depending on factors like location, number of students, and time spent in the parks. 

Be The Change.

Fight rising costs and increasing restrictions by signing our petition.

We are facing a crisis of outdoor recreation costs.

In less than 5 years, we have seen costs increase by 40% in many of our public parks and natural spaces. At this accelerated rate, it won't be long before fewer and fewer Americans can afford to visit our outdoor spaces. Outdoor recreation is becoming a luxury instead of a right. What problems does this cause? With increasing costs comes decreased diversity. A 2011 survey of diversity in National Parks found that "only 1 in 5 visitors was non-white," and "less than 2% of visitors were African Americans." This statistic mirrored a 2000 survey despite a 6% minority growth in the United States over the same 11 year period.

The contribution to the nation's economy every year by the National Park system.

The portion of the National Park economy that comes from recreation fees.

The same 2011 survey noted that "69% of Americans with household incomes of over $150,000 said they visited one or more national parks in the past two years, compared with only 22% of Americans with household incomes of less than $10,000." The National Park Service has conceded that there are significant barriers to entry for diverse groups, yet has only increased these barriers since conducting the survey. It is unfair to leave Americans behind. Every American deserves the right to explore their public lands as much as any other.