National Park Friends Alliance and Rocky Mountain Conservancy hosted leaders from nonprofit organizations who support national parks across the country, and the National Park Service at Rocky Mountain National Park for the 2026 National Park Friends Alliance Fall Meeting. This annual event focuses on strengthening the partnerships that support national parks and the communities connected to them.

Nearly 400 attendees participated in three days of learning, discussion, and connection in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. The meeting brought together nonprofit executives, board members, National Park Service staff, fundraising and communications professionals, and other leaders working to strengthen public-private partnerships across the National Park System.

“Nonprofit partners play an important role in helping parks respond to changing needs, build stronger connections with communities, and expand what is possible through partnership,” said Katie Nyberg, Executive Director of the National Park Friends Alliance. “Bringing this community together gives people the opportunity to learn from one another, build relationships from across the country, and share practical advice with one another in support of our national parks.”

Sessions throughout the meeting addressed funding park needs, stewarding the next generation of land conservationists, navigating partnerships with the National Park Service, managing volunteers, connecting with sovereign Indigenous nations, and more. Over time, the need has grown significantly for individual donors, foundations, and grant funders to support park philanthropic partners and for park partners to bolster relationships with the park sites they support.

The 2026 Fall Friends Alliance Meeting was hosted by Rocky Mountain Conservancy, the fundraising and education partner of Rocky Mountain National Park. As the local host, the Conservancy welcomed attendees to the region with custom field trips and offered participants a firsthand look at the role nonprofit groups can play in supporting parks, visitors, and surrounding communities.

“The value of the National Friends Alliance Fall Meeting is evident in the willingness of this community to share what they know,” said Estee Rivera Murdock, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Conservancy and incoming Board Chair of the National Park Friends Alliance. “When friends groups and park leaders connect with one another, they return home with new ideas, stronger relationships, and practical tools they can put to work immediately.”

The 2026 Fall Friends Alliance Meeting was made possible with support from Southwest Airlines, the National Park Foundation, Yosemite Conservancy, Gateway Arch Foundation, Rocky Mountain Conservancy, Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Naturebridge, Friends of Acadia, Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and Lantern Press.