C&O CANAL TRUST INC

The C&O Canal Trust is the keystone bridge between private citizens and the Park. We provide the ways and means for all those who value the C&O Canal NHP to contribute directly – through philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy – to the Park we love today, and to the one we hope to leave to future generations. In all its work, the Trust aims to marshal the resources of the community -- its energy, expertise, and material wealth – to preserve, protect, and restore the unique assets of the Park and provide a solid basis for future stewardship.

What are your strategies for making this happen?
· Protect, preserve, and restore the Park: Fundraise for Park infrastructure projects; preserve Canal Quarters lockhouses; advocate for
federal and state funding.
· Enhance the visitor experience: Improve the accessibility and aesthetics of visitor use areas; help visitors navigate the Park using
technology; provide quality interpretive experiences; work with partners to promote economic growth and Park tourism.
· Build a community of support and stewardship: Grow community philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy; develop future stewards by
supporting the Park’s Canal Classrooms program; extend outreach to diverse populations so that Park visitation and stewardship resemble
neighboring communities.
· Achieve operational excellence: Adopt best nonprofit practices; increase development to meet organizational growth objectives; structure the
Board and staff to achieve maximum organizational potential.

The Trust has an active and committed 19-member Board of Directors, each of whom makes an annual contribution of at least $1,000. All but one director serve on one or more of five Board committees. The Board meets quarterly and is responsible for the governance of the Trust, approval of the budget, and fiduciary responsibility for the organization. It hires and evaluates the President, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Trust. The Trust’s staff is made up of seven fulltime professionals, and one part-time associate. Our work would not be possible without the assistance of the approximately 1,300 volunteers who are the “boots on the ground” in the Park. Of that number about 900 are Canal Pride volunteers who undertake maintenance, beautification, and preservation projects in the Park, 32 Quartermasters who oversee the daily operation of our Canal Quarters lockhouses, and 100 volunteers who are critical to the success of the Trust’s annual Park After Dark gala.

Since 2007, the Trust has:
· Raised $425,000 for Park infrastructure projects.
· Contributed $290,000 to Canal Classrooms that, since 2013, has reached 67,000 K-12th grade students.
· Recruited 12,000 volunteers to perform service valued at $1.2 million.
· Made available 7 historic lockhouses to 6,000 overnight visitors.
· Led advocacy resulting in $5.7 million from the state of Maryland for towpath re-surfacing and canal re-watering.
· Brought over 500 Latinx and African American youth to the Park in 2017, 2018, & 2019 for recreation, service, and learning as part of the Canal For All program. In 2019, the Trust provided paid work for 12 teenagers who worked in the Park as a Conservation Jobs Corps crew.
· Launched the C&O Canal Explorer mobile app to help visitors navigate the Park and learn about its features.
. The Trust completed the first year of its new 5-year Strategic Plan that aims to strengthen community support for the Park as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2021, and faces the challenges of the future.