Form 990 for tax year 2025

Totals

Total revenue

$14,094,530

Total expenses

$9,789,269

Contributions and grants received

$6,430,969

Grants paid

$4,733,887

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$477,240

Other revenue

$7,186,321

Total assets, end of year

$22,673,329

Total liabilities, end of year

$842,609

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$21,830,720

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$6,633,246

Management and general expenses

$1,633,537

Fundraising expenses

$1,522,486

Program service expenses (Part III)

$6,633,246

Program services were 67.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2025

• SUPPORT DURING THE RECENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: ZION FOREVER PROJECT PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUSTAINING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PROTECTING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AT ZION NATIONAL PARK. AS THE PARKS OFFICIAL NONPROFIT PARTNER, THE ORGANIZATION STEPPED IN TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT AT A TIME WHEN FEDERAL RESOURCES WERE CONSTRAINED, HELPING ENSURE CONTINUITY OF KEY FUNCTIONS INCLUDING VISITOR SERVICES, FACILITY SUPPORT, AND RESOURCE PROTECTION. THROUGH CLOSE COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE STAFF, ZION FOREVER PROJECT DEPLOYED PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO MITIGATE IMPACTS TO PARK OPERATIONS, MAINTAIN PUBLIC ACCESS WHERE FEASIBLE, AND SAFEGUARD CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THIS RESPONSE UNDERSCORES THE ORGANIZATIONS MISSION- DRIVEN COMMITMENT TO STEWARDSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF FUNDING DISRUPTIONS AFFECTING AMERICAS PUBLIC LANDS.

  Expenses $1,674,257

• ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS: ZION FOREVER PROJECT CONTINUES TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WITHIN ZION NATIONAL PARK BY LEVERAGING PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT TO ADVANCE HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT PRESERVE PARK RESOURCES AND ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCES. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD ESSENTIAL SEWER SYSTEM UPGRADES TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND LONG-TERM OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY, AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE ENERGY RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE PARK. THESE EFFORTS ARE PART OF A BROADER STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE PARKS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG, EXTEND THE LIFE OF CRITICAL ASSETS, AND ALIGN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WITH EVOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL AND VISITATION DEMANDS. THROUGH TARGETED FUNDING AND CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, ZION FOREVER PROJECT HELPS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS AND ON-THE-GROUND NEEDS, ENSURING THAT VITAL SYSTEMS ARE MODERNIZED AND MAINTAINED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

  Expenses $4,958,989 · Grants $4,733,887

• ADVANCING SOLUTIONS TO PARK HOUSING CHALLENGES: ZION FOREVER PROJECT IS ACTIVELY ADVANCING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL STAFF HOUSING CHALLENGES WITHIN ZION NATIONAL PARK, RECOGNIZING THAT ADEQUATE HOUSING IS ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAINING PARK OPERATIONS AND DELIVERING A HIGH-QUALITY VISITOR EXPERIENCE. IN RESPONSE TO ONGOING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES DRIVEN BY LIMITED AND UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE REGION, THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRIORITIZED INVESTMENT AND PARTNERSHIP EFFORTS TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE HOUSING AVAILABILITY FOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND SEASONAL STAFF. THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING, PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, AND COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS, ZION FOREVER PROJECT IS WORKING TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND OVERALL WORKFORCE STABILITY. THESE EFFORTS DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PARKS OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE AND ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AND STEWARDING ZION ARE ABLE TO LIVE AND WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

• ENHANCING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE THROUGH EDUCATION INITIATIVES: WE CONTINUE TO FUND ALL OF ZION'S EDUCATION INITIATIVES, INCLUDING DISTANCE-LEARNING PROGRAMS THAT BROADCAST GLOBALLY, BRINGING ZION AND ZION RANGERS INTO CLASSROOMS AROUND THE WORLD. OUR JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM ENGAGES 43,000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY, HELPING THEM EXPLORE AND LEARN ABOUT THE PARK. ADDITIONALLY, OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS, SUCH AS "CONCRETE TO CANYON," BRING TITLE 1 SCHOOLCHILDREN INTO THE PARK FOR THEIR FIRST ZION EXPERIENCE AND FUND RANGER VISITS TO LOCAL CLASSROOMS, PROVIDING INVALUABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. ZFP ALSO FUNDS SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITYS (SUU) INTERGOVERNMENTAL INTERNSHIP COOPERATIVE (IIC), WHICH PLACES STUDENTS IN PUBLIC LAND POSITIONS ACROSS THE REGION, OFFERING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION LEADERS. FUNDING FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) TRAINING PROGRAMS: IN 2025, ZFP PROVIDED ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR VARIOUS SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) TRAINING PROGRAMS, ENHANCING THE CAPABILITIES AND PREPAREDNESS OF OUR RESPONDERS. THESE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING SESSIONS COVERED BASIC SAR TECHNIQUES, CLIMBING AND RAPPELLING, SWIFTWATER RESCUE, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAINING. ACKNOWLEDGING THE TOUGH CONDITIONS AND CHALLENGING SCENARIOS THAT SAR TEAMS ENCOUNTER, WE ALSO EMPHASIZED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR RESPONDERS AND CARETAKERS. THESE PROGRAMS ENSURE THAT OUR SAR TEAMS ARE NOT ONLY EQUIPPED WITH THE ESSENTIAL TECHNICAL SKILLS BUT ALSO POSSESS THE EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE STRESSES OF BEING ON-SITE DURING CRITICAL INCIDENTS. THIS FUNDING HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR SAR OPERATIONS, BENEFITING BOTH THE RESPONDERS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. PARTNERING WITH THE PARKS TO ENSURE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS: ZFP OFFERS FREE, CONFIDENTIAL PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) EMPLOYEES, ZION FOREVER STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND INTERNS. THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDES WEEKLY, HOUR-LONG SESSIONS WITH LICENSED THERAPISTS FOCUSED ON TRAUMA THERAPY, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND OVERALL MENTAL WELL- BEING. THE PROGRAM IS PART OF A LARGER COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A RESILIENT, SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE AT ZION FOREVER AND AMONG THE NATIONAL PARK STAFF.

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

  $4,733,887

  GENERAL SUPPORT

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2025

Filed

10 August 2026

IRS schema version

2025v4.0

Source object

202612249349300511

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