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.
Watch and learn more about the Corps Foundation’s work.
BREAKING NEWS
The LAKES Act
We Need Your Support! Corps Foundation Announces LAKES Act Legislation!
The Corps Foundation is thrilled to announce the proposed LAKES Act with bipartisan support! Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Lakes Access Keeping Economies Strong legislation that’s building support everyday.
This bipartisan bill would improve outdoor recreation facilities in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)-managed areas, provide new opportunities for public-private investments, and give local districts more flexibility to reinvest their resources.
Specifically, the LAKES Act will include authority for the US Army Corps of Engineers to retain up to 80% of recreation use fees to be reinvested directly to the Corps project where the fees were collected. This gives local managers the flexibility to repair infrastructure and complete maintenance with funds already paid by the visiting public. This long awaited authority will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to join other Federal land management agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in retaining recreation fees.
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.
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.
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.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR WORK
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.
THE LATEST FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
Al and Tina Carpenter, volunteers at Strom Thurmond Lake, are presented the 2023 Corps Foundation Enduring Service Award at the lake's Volunteer Village on June 26, 2024. Ms. Avis Kennedy, member of the Board of Directors of the Corps Foundation, presented Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter with a plaque recognizing them for their 10 years of excellent volunteer service at Strom Thurmond Lake. In addition, Al and Tina were the first recipients of the newest edition of the Corps Foundation coins. The Carpenters also received a check for $250 from the Corps Foundation. They were selected from an impressive group of individuals nominated for their continued service and accomplishments at Corps of Engineers lakes, lands, and waterways throughout the United States. The presentation was attended by about 15 of their fellow volunteers at the lake, which is located on the Georgia/South Carolina state line, as well as Operations Project Manager Scott Hyatt, rangers and other Natural Resources staff from the lake.
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#volunteerism #education #giveback #volunteerlife #support #volunteerappreciation #volunteering #volunteers #Philanthropy #community #givingback #nonprofit #change #dogood #volunteer #helpingothers #AppreciationAwards #awards #recognitionaward #ServiceAward #TeamRecognition #ThankYou
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The Corps Foundation presented the 2023 Individual Enduring Service Award to Ed Reining of the Soo Locks Visitors Center Association at their annual meeting on June 27, 2004, in Ste. St. Marie, Michigan. Sam Wagner, a member of the Board of Directors, represented the Corps Foundation and made the presentation in front of a crowd of over 100 of Ed's co-workers, friends, Detroit District leadership, and family as part of Engineer Day 2024, when the public is permitted to walk across the locks. In recognition of Ed's outstanding volunteer efforts over the past 20 years, the Corps Foundation presented Ed a plaque, 'new' Corps Foundation coin, and check for $250.
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#volunteerism #education #giveback #volunteerlife #support #volunteerappreciation #volunteering #volunteers #Philanthropy #community #givingback #nonprofit #change #dogood #volunteer #helpingothers #AppreciationAwards #awards #recognitionaward #ServiceAward #TeamRecognition #ThankYou
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What a great partnership.
Check out this new partnership linking the Corps Foundation, Miss T.’s Math Maps, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)!
The new free activity sheets with maps help kids develop their math and geography skills while picking up Bobber the Water Safety Dog’s life-saving message about safe fun around the water. In this activity, students learn the vital geography concept of watersheds across the United States.
Miss T.’s Math Maps are a way for children from kindergarten through high school to learn about identifying and plotting points in a coordinate plane - while learning geography! The watershed maps let kids use math skills to map major U.S. watersheds. Miss T.’s maps offer the opportunity to spread awareness of the USACE stewardship and recreation programs—including our water safety mission – a message crucial to deliver to our nation’s youth—in a fun, interactive way.
FREE Math Maps© are made possible by the education partnership between Miss T’s Math Maps, USACE, and the Corps Foundation.
Here is your link to the free Maps for download.
www.travelingmisst.com/product/usace-watershed-math-map
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#watersafety #education #watershed #watersheds #watersafety #watersafetyawareness #bobber #geography #usace #usarmycorpsofengineers #misstmathmap #mapping #map #mathmap #mathematics #math #maths #education #collaboration #newpartnership #partnership #partnershipgoals #support #teamwork
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The Corps Foundation’s Enduring Service Volunteer Award honors the long-term service and outstanding accomplishments of volunteer individuals and families. Each year the Corps Foundation presents the award to two individuals or families who display exceptional voluntary leadership, and have made or are making a positive difference in Corps lakes, waterways and the communities they serve. The Corps Foundation announced the 2023 “Enduring Service” awardees last June in a Summer E-Blast.
This year’s award winners were:
• Edward Reining, the individual award winner with 20 years of dedicated service at Soo Locks Visitors Center Association, Michigan
• Al and Tina Carpenter, the family award winner with 10 years of dedicated service at J Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake, South Carolina
The Enduring Service Award was established in 2016 by the Corps Foundation as a method of recognizing volunteers, who are essential to the operation of recreation areas at Corps lakes around the country. The Corps Foundation is the only nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to supporting Corps operated lakes and waterways around the country. The awards were presented at the lake projects where the awardees volunteer and we would like to share some photos taken during the presentations.
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#volunteerism #education #giveback #volunteerlife #support #volunteerappreciation #volunteering #volunteers #philanthropy #community #givingback #nonprofit #change #dogood #volunteer #helpingothers #appreciationawards #awards #recognitionaward #serviceaward #teamrecognition #thankyou #accomplishments
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Corps Foundation Seeking New Board Members!
The Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Environmental Education Foundation a.k.a. the Corps Foundation is looking for diverse candidates to build our sustainability of our future and expand our outreach. Our success in building new partnerships, increasing support to the recreation program and advocacy means we need to expand our Board of Directors. The Foundation is seeking five new members to its National Board of Directors. Will you help us?
Watch and learn more about the Corps Foundation’s work.
vimeo.com/688551760
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#environment #lakes #naturelovers #nature #waterways #corps #boardmember #businessleadership #creativepreneur #decisionmakers #digitalwork #diversity #entrepreneurmindset #giveback #growth #stayinspired #successfulwomen #support #volunteer #womanownedsmallbusiness #womenempowerment #womeninbiz #womeninbusiness #womeninspiringwomen #womenownedbusinesses
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