OUR IMPACT
Americans love recreating on the water, and when they do – it’s most likely on a lake or waterway managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the largest provider of water-based recreation in the country! The Corps Foundation is the only nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to supporting our nation’s lakes, rivers and the lands surrounding them. The Corps Foundation works to connect contributors, businesses, communities and “Friends” organizations to benefit visitors and help ensure healthy lakes and waterways for current and future generations.
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Announcing our Enduring Service nominations! Nominations must be received by April 1, 2026. Click HERE for more information and nomination form.
National Resources Management Annual Report!
HOW WE ARE HELPING
Supporting Recreation
Did you know that USACE operates and manages over 430 recreation sites and 12 million acres of land and waters in 42 states? Over 270 million visitors annually enjoy the recreation activities at these sites, and their tourism dollars support local, mostly rural, gateway communities. Federal funding for boating and fishing facilities and management has declined in spite of increased public demand. LEARN MORE…
Donations and memberships to the Corps Foundation provide financial support to improve programs and facilities that directly benefit the public.
Stewarding Public Lands
We partner with agencies, organizations and local community efforts to sustain operations, improve recreational facilities, preserve natural and cultural resources and enhance the visitor experience. The Corps Foundation pursues a variety of fundraising, and grant opportunities to help keep USACE public lands open to the public, support the outdoor recreation economy and leverage public-private resources.
Education and Advocacy
Visitor safety is a #1 priority for USACE. The Corps Foundation supports USACE and the efforts of their employees and volunteers to educate the visiting public in ways that promote safe and sustainable use of lands and waters managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation has secured over $1 million in funds to help promote the award-winning Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns campaign. Free campaign materials are available for at PleaseWearIt.com and by following Please Wear It on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Water Safety
The Corps Foundation educates and supports the visiting public and volunteers to promote safe and sustainable use of Corps lands and waters. Visitor safety is the #1 goal when using lakes and waterways managed by USACE. The Corps Foundation secured $1 million in funding for the award-winning “Life Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns” campaign for water safety. Read about our success at PleaseWearIt.com.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
The Corps Foundation advocates for increased funding to address operational needs, unfunded maintenance and infrastructure restoration. We advocate for policy changes to increase opportunities for partnering, and leverage public-private resources. We work to build a case for stakeholder support by communicating the limitations of Federal Funding and the importance of partnerships to help meet public demand.
Why Join
People join the Corps Foundation to help keep access available to their favorite lake or waterway. Your financial support benefits the parks, and the volunteers who dedicate their service to maintaining water recreation for everyone. JOIN US…
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The Corps Foundation uses 100% of your membership and donation funds to directly support education programs, stewardship projects and contribute toward partnership opportunities. Americans are enjoying their public lands more than ever before. In fact, outdoor recreation now comprises over 2% of the American economy. Despite this demand, public lands agencies, including the US Army Corps of Engineers, continue to face reduced Federal funding that could impact your access to lands and waters of the US.
Your financial support helps Corps projects and their friends groups connect, grow, and increase their capacity to fulfill the Corps’ natural resource education mission on lakes and waterways across America.
Advocate for America’s Waterways!
Advocacy Toolkit PDF
Advocacy Toolkit XLSX
See our latest advocacy efforts here.
Water Water Everywhere
Thanks to the Corps, there are countless parks at the many lakes and waterways. Click on the map to find your favorite.
Throwback Thursday: today we mourn the loss of Judith V. Rice. Judy passed away recently from pneumonia. Those of you who knew her will agree she was competent, professional, well-respected, and well liked while she served in USACE Headquarters. The Corps Foundation offers its sincere condolences to those of you who knew her.
Here is the 2002 Headquarters Natural Resources Management staff. Very back row: George E. Tab, Jr. Middle row, left to right: Denise Y. White, Darrel E. Lewis, Stephen B. Austin, Timothy R. Topliesek, Debra J. Stokes. Front row, left to right:Judith V. Rice, Christine Vassar, Janice Smith.
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Announcement! corpsfoundation.org/news/
"Enduring Service Volunteer Award" Nominations
The Corps Foundation “Enduring Service Volunteer Award” is an annual award honoring long term service (6 years or more) and outstanding accomplishments by an individual and/or families that volunteer at Corps lakes and waterways; and who have achieved results in such areas as conservation, education, recreation, safety and community engagement. Additionally, these volunteer efforts should contribute to the advancement of:
• Positive relationships between the Corps management, the visitors and the local community.
• Public knowledge of and involvement in the Corps natural resources management program.
• Partnerships and collaboration with other community organizations locally, regionally or nationally.
Applications deadline is April1, 2026. Application forms can be found at the above link. Nominations will be reviewed and winners will be announced in the summer.
corpsfoundation.org
NEWS “Enduring Service Volunteer Award” Nominations The Corps Foundation “Enduring Service Volunteer Award” is an annual award honoring long term service (6 years or more) and outstanding acco…0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Throwback Thursday: If you attended this training program for park rangers and managers in 1977, we would love to hear about it. What were the highlights? What do you remember? For the rest of you, look at the topics. Do you see similarities to what we talk about today? Thanks to Bonnie F. Bryson, Ed.D for providing these photos
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If you've been involved in interpretation for the US Army Corps of Engineers, you know the name Viola Bramel. It looks like she's about to retire.
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Throwback Thursday: these smiling faces belong to attendees of the 1995 Portland District Park Ranger Workshop. From left: Mauricio Philho, Jon Carlson, Len Vaglia, Brian McCavitt, Greg Webb, Don Hibbs, David Weiss, Rebecca Miner, Tammy Schroeder, Darin Furry, Robin Norris, Tom Thompson, Mark Eddings, Dustin Bengston, Anna Bates, Larry South, Don Funk Shelley Gimbal, and Diane Luiz. They are standing in the town of Cascade Locks, Oregon. That is Table Mountain in the background across the Columbia River in the State of Washington.
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