From Andersonville National Historic Site and Federal Hall National Memorial to War in the Pacific National Historical Park, more than 40 units of the National Park System have received more than $50 million in funding to address maintenance and infrastructure needs.

The funding, part federal and part private raised via friends groups, flows through the Centennial Challenge program. Congress provided $20 million for the projects, while another $33 million was raised by more than 50 park partners to improve trails, restore buildings, and increase visitor access. The grants were announced Saturday by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Colorado Senator Cory Gardner during their joint appearance at Rocky Mountain National Park.

“Using public-private partnerships to help address the deferred maintenance backlog remains a priority for the Department and the Trump Administration," said Secretary Zinke. "Park infrastructure includes trails, signage, restrooms, lodges, roads, bridges and waterlines. These funds will help us continue to provide a world-class experience to visitors and ensure that these amazing places are around for future generations.”

“Many of the national parks that Americans treasure today would simply not exist without the strong partnerships and philanthropy that have benefited the national park idea for over a century,” said acting National Park Service Director Michael T. Reynolds in a release. “The Centennial Challenge program continues that proud tradition by matching dollars from Congress with generous donations from dedicated partners to make high-impact improvements in parks.”

Examples of the more than 50 projects the Centennial Challenge program will fund this year using partner donations and federal matching funds include:

• Centennial Challenge funds will complement a donation announced last year from philanthropist David M. Rubenstein to the National Park Foundation that will repair and restore the Lincoln Memorial in addition to expanding educational resources and public access.
• Funding from Yellowstone Forever will improve overlooks along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
• Friends of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park will restore heavily used frontcountry trails in the park.
• The Gettysburg Foundation will help create a multi-use trail at Gettysburg National Military Park that will connect the visitor center to a historic farm that was used as a field hospital during the battle.
• Friends of Saguaro National Park, the Western National Park Association, and G. Arthur Jansson are teaming up to create an accessible outdoor classroom space at Saguaro National Park.

Since 2015, the National Park Service has leveraged more than $45 million in funding from congress through the Centennial Challenge program to attract more than $77 million from partner organizations to support over hundreds of projects across the country that have improved visitor services and strengthened partnerships to reinvigorate national parks.

A complete list of centennial challenge projects and partners can be found at this site.