Philanthropic partnerships play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability and vitality of our national parks. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) National Historical Park is a nationally significant landmark that enriches the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, and the surrounding region. This continuous 184.5-mile park serves as a vital cultural, historical, and natural resource for millions of visitors and local residents each year. For all of us who love the C&O Canal, it is more than just a park – it is a living testament to our nation’s history and a sanctuary of natural beauty that deserves our collective stewardship.
The C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years, the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to Georgetown and sent on to markets in cities. Today, nearly two centuries after its groundbreaking, the C&O Canal’s legacy continues as a national historical park, each year ranking among our nation’s most visited national parks out of over 430 units in the National Park System. While visitors to the C&O Canal traverse trails, marvel at locks and admire the beautiful scenery, they also breathe life into nearby communities, sparking economic growth and vitality. Fueled by investment through the National Park Service and the invaluable contributions of our canal community, the C&O Canal endures as a vital economic cornerstone in our region.
For the C&O Canal, philanthropic support and partnership help to preserve its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. With over 1,300 historic structures and 20,000+ acres of ecological diversity, the park is a treasured resource for recreation, education, and connection to history and the natural world. Maintaining such a vast and complex site requires community engagement and support.
The C&O Canal Trust’s Support
The C&O Canal Trust was founded in 2007 as the official philanthropic partner of the C&O Canal. We work in close partnership with the National Park Service and an expansive canal community to raise funds to preserve the park for future generations and to broaden support through programs that highlight the park’s historical, natural, and cultural heritage and recreational opportunities. For 17 years, through the generosity of individuals, foundations, corporations, and community partners, the Trust has been instrumental in supporting conservation projects, infrastructure improvements, education programs, and visitor resources throughout the park.
The Trust is committed to providing robust support along the entire length of the towpath and adjoining trails. Our programs help to preserve and enhance the park’s historic and natural resources, while also fostering a strong connection among individuals who share a passion for protecting our public lands. In addition to programs, we raise funds to help expand the park’s capacity for education programs, beautification, natural resource conservation, and preservation. Each year, the Trust works closely with the National Park Service to fund projects that increase visitors’ enjoyment of the park’s historical, cultural, and recreational resources. Since 2007, we have directly granted over $1 million to the park.
Through direct funding, in-kind volunteer support, and the ongoing maintenance and preservation of historic structures through our Canal Quarters Interpretive Program, we contributed roughly $600,000 of support to the park in 2024.
Together with the NPS, the Trust provides essential support along the entire length of the park, helping to restore historic structures, maintain trails, and protect native habitats. This partnership exemplifies the collaborative spirit needed to preserve our public lands and ensure they thrive in the face of modern pressures.
Photo by Francis Grant-Suttie
From Georgetown to Cumberland, we welcomed nearly 5,000 individuals to the park for stewardship, educational outreach, and recreational programs in 2024. In total, we offered over 70 programs and welcomed 21 new partners.
Volunteers from across the park collectively removed over 20,000 pounds of trash and invasive or overgrown vegetation and refurbished over 200 features, resulting in a combined contribution of over $300,000 of in-kind support. Over 14,000 volunteers have contributed nearly $2 million of in-kind support since 2007.
Through Canal For All and other community outreach programs, we engaged youth in hands-on learning opportunities, inspiring a new generation of stewards who are committed to preserving our historic and natural places.
Photo courtesy of NPS
The Trust has been an integral partner with the park in expanding its award-winning Canal Classrooms education program through philanthropic support. Since launching the program in 2013, the park has engaged nearly 70,000 K-12 students in experiential learning opportunities. For many students, particularly those from Title 1 schools, this is their first introduction to a national park. Canal Classrooms makes important connections and fosters the next generation of our park’s stewards. With support from the Trust, the National Park Service is working to expand Canal Classrooms programming into the District of Columbia. Philanthropic support ensures the successful expansion and sustainability of the program, ensuring students throughout the whole 184.5 miles of the park can visit the C&O Canal for years to come.
Photo courtesy of NPS
The Trust launched the C&O Canal Biodiversity Campaign in 2022, raising over $200,000 to date to protect and preserve rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) plant species. With this funding support, C&O Canal natural resources staff have planted nearly 3,000 plants from 29 RTE species, boosting populations in habitat niches throughout the park. With continued support from the Trust, additional seeds will be collected and more RTE species will be propagated and outplanted in the future, ensuring one of the nation’s most biologically diverse parks endures for generations to come.
Photo by Trust Staff
Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Trust, along with funds from the National Park Service and the State of Maryland, towpath rehabilitation continues. To date, the Trust has helped the park secure over $7 million in funding from the Maryland State Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) through grassroots advocacy from canal enthusiasts. With these funds, 103+ miles of towpath will have been rehabilitated by the end of 2025, ensuring a safe and continuous path.
Finally, seven historic lockhouses in the park have been rehabilitated to date through the Canal Quarters Interpretive Program, welcoming an average of 3,000 visitors each year from across the country and international travelers. Each lockhouse has been rehabilitated and furnished to interpret a different time period, and each tells a unique story about the development of the C&O Canal. Annual revenue of $160,000+ funds the ongoing maintenance and preservation of these historic structures.
As the official philanthropic partner of the C&O Canal, the Trust fills an essential role by helping to confront challenges and build capacity with resources, advocacy, and community engagement. To preserve the park’s 20,000+ acres — while meeting the needs of visitors and ensuring its sustainability for future generations — we must continue to grow as an organization, expand our work, and deepen our connection with those who love the park.
In 2025, we look forward to sharing our ambitious new strategic plan that will guide the Trust’s future. This plan is built on four pillars that will strengthen our programs and expand our impact. Meeting our goals will be critical to helping the park continue to care for its incredible resources and provide unparalleled recreational opportunities. With our collective commitment, we can ensure the beauty, history, and biodiversity of the C&O Canal are protected and this extraordinary place thrives.
As a model of effective collaboration, the partnership between the C&O Canal National Historical Park and the C&O Canal Trust demonstrates the transformative impact of philanthropy on preserving America’s natural and cultural heritage. Through this successful partnership, key parts of canal history have been preserved, rare and native plant species have been protected, and educational and outreach programs have broken down barriers and helped learners of all ages connect with the park in their own backyard. We urge all stakeholders to recognize the importance of this partnership and to continue supporting the C&O Canal National Historical Park. Together, we can ensure the C&O Canal remains a vibrant and sustainable source of inspiration and connection and help keep its resources protected today and preserved for the future.
Top image by Francis Grant-Suttie
