Outer Banks Forever is the official nonprofit fundraising partner of our three Outer Banks national parks: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Since our founding in 2019, through the support of more than 1,700 individuals, families, businesses, and organizations, we have raised $1 million to preserve much of what makes the Outer Banks such a treasured place to live, work, and play. By diversifying our national parks’ funding sources through nonprofit fundraising, our parks are better equipped to innovate, respond quickly to community and visitor needs, and achieve the margin of excellence we have come to expect when we think of these amazing places.
We remain steadfast in our mission to protect and enhance these special places, now and forever. We continue to work closely with our National Park Service partners, and we encourage you to continue visiting our Outer Banks national parks and recreating responsibly. Make sure to thank our National Park Service rangers and our park store staff for the incredible jobs they do, every day!
Our parks can only thrive through the generosity of people like you – and they need your support now more than ever. Here are some ways you can give back to our Outer Banks national parks today:
Parks Forever Fund: Our Outer Banks national parks continue facing challenges like adapting to a changing coastline, preserving the many historic structures they manage, and budget and staffing cuts at a time when our parks continue to experience high levels of visitors.
One of the ways we support and prepare for our parks’ greatest needs is through our Parks Forever Fund, which allows us to pool funds from donors, as well as our local business partners, to be able to adapt to immediate needs as they arise and create a sustainable way to address longer-term needs.
When you make a gift to our Parks Forever Fund, you support important initiatives like:
- Education and preservation through the creation of internships that engage the next generation in protecting our parks and the stories they tell, increasing our parks’ capacity to provide engaging experiences for you and your loved ones.
- Restoration and conservation of our unique barrier islands through much-needed invasive plant species removal.
- Enhancing the visitor experience by funding projects that address the needs of visitors of all ages and abilities, so everyone can learn about and enjoy the rich history and beauty of these places.
Adopt A Pony: Legend has it the Ocracoke Banker ponies arrived in the Outer Banks with shipwrecked explorers in the 16th or 17th century, and they have called Ocracoke Island home ever since. Now, you can help these beautiful and unique ponies by symbolically adopting one! Your support of the ponies – individually or the herd – will help to pay for their ongoing care and feeding. When you adopt a pony with a gift of $50 or more, you will receive an adoption certificate and a picture of your pony or the herd to keep.
Checkout Counter Donations: When you make a purchase in one of our park stores, you have the option to donate at the register! Your donation supports initiatives like increased accessibility, diverse storytelling, and enhanced visitor experiences in our parks.
Shop Our Online Store: We are a proud member of the Eastern National family of brands. Your purchase from our online store will ensure that future generations continue to experience all that our parks have to offer.
Sign Up to Volunteer: To be notified about volunteer opportunities with Outer Banks Forever and our Outer Banks national parks, click here to sign up for our volunteer email list.
Adopt A Beach: Adopt A Beach is a program developed by our partners at Cape Hatteras National Seashore to encourage our community to protect a major part of what makes the Outer Banks so special. Volunteers who participate in the Adopt A Beach program help maintain pristine Seashore beaches through regular cleanups, further connect with our community, and have their name displayed on their adopted section in recognition of their commitment.
We’d like to thank our business partners Amabile Co. (adopted Ramps 38-58) and Swells’a Brewing (adopted Ramp 55 to Hatteras Inlet) for generously giving of their time by supporting this important effort!
More Ways to Give: For more ways to give, including business partnerships, donor advised funds, honorary and memorial gifts, matching gifts, and many more, click here.
To stay connected with Outer Banks Forever, join our email list, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or reach out to us at: info@obxforever.org.