National Park Service advances plans to relocate Chequamegon Point Light Tower
(Apostle Islands National Lakeshore News Release) BAYFIELD, Wis. — Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has awarded a...
Friends of the Apostle Islands among the winners of prestigious grant
What do the Apostle Islands, Great Basin National Park, Glacier National Park, Friends of Acadia, the Virgin Islands, and Yellowstone Forever have in common? All of these recently joined over 70 other national park units and the organizations that support them as recipients of 2026 Capacity Building Grants from the National Park Foundation. The program is a part of over $5 million in grants awarded to strengthen the organizational and philanthropic capacity of park partners like Friends of the Apostle Islands.
Bob Geraty, NPF, Jeff Rennicke and Jill Rennicke outside the US Capitol – file photo
“Friends is honored to be among those organizations included in the National Park Foundation grants for 2026,” said Executive Director Jeff Rennicke. “No place is an island, even the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. We are all stronger together and grants like this only strengthen our ability to work in support of the places we all love.”
The National Park Foundation (NPF) began deploying capacity-building grants in 2020 to support partners as they build new capabilities, increasing their impact on-the-ground in national park units across the nation. With more than 270 grants issued to date, NPF has helped park partners invest in creative solutions to their most pressing internal needs. Today, demands on our national park community are growing, which is why it’s more important than ever to invest in partners.
“Behind so much of the work happening in our national parks are nonprofit partners committed to helping these special places thrive and endure,” said NPF’s Chief Program Officer Lise Aangeenbrug. “The National Park Foundation is proud to be part of the broader national park community and continue our investments in empowering park partners to raise more support, engage more people, and take on new opportunities alongside the National Park Service. That’s good for parks, and it’s good for everyone who cares about them.”
And it is good for everyone who loves the Apostle Islands. “Friends of the Apostle Islands is proud to be a part of such a strong, impactful community,” Rennicke says. “We plan to use this grant to build an even stronger membership program, offer more volunteer opportunities, and programs to bring together sailors, paddlers, boaters, and everyone who loves these islands. Join us today to help us strengthen our commitment to the places you love.”
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