Exciting News: State Parks Heritage Fund Allocated $1 Million in FY25/26 Budget

Dear Arizona Heritage Alliance Members, Partners, and Friends,Jim McPherson, Vice President, Phoenix

On behalf of the Arizona Heritage Alliance Board of Directors, I’m proud to share three important victories in Arizona’s newly approved Fiscal Year 2026 budget – successes that underscore the real impact we’re making together to protect and promote our state’s historic, cultural, and natural treasures.

These achievements are more than policy wins – they are the result of powerful partnerships, strong public advocacy, and a shared commitment to making Arizona a better place for current and future generations.

  1. $1 Million Secured for the State Parks Heritage Fund

Thanks to our advocacy and your support, the State Parks Heritage Fund will receive $1 million in General Fund support for FY26. This investment reflects both Governor Katie Hobbs’ focus on environmental stewardship, the Legislature’s vote of approval, and the resounding bipartisan public support for conservation across Arizona.

The numbers speak for themselves. According to Noble Predictive Insights (Oct. 2024):

  • 84% of Arizona voters worry that young people aren’t spending enough time outdoors
  • 80% support increased funding for state parks
  • 76% favor restoring the State Parks Heritage Fund

This funding will expand outdoor recreation opportunities, support local economies, and safeguard our shared heritage. It’s a major step forward – but also a reminder of the work ahead to secure lasting, sustainable funding.

  1. State Historic Preservation Office Kept Open and Funded

With the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) facing a potential shutdown by August, our collective advocacy – led by the Arizona Preservation Foundation and Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, with the Alliance as a committed partner – helped prevent a devastating loss.

Thanks to emergency gap funding supported by Governor Hobbs and advocated for by Representatives Chris Mathis and Betty Villegas, the Arizona State Parks Board can now use up to $865,000 from the State Parks Revenue Fund to cover SHPO operations should federal Historic Preservation Fund dollars lapse in FY 2025–26. This critical funding would help to preserve SHPO’s 12 full-time staff positions and ensures that Arizona’s preservation infrastructure remains intact.

  1. $8.5 Million for Local Preservation and Park Projects

The FY26 budget also includes approximately $8.5 million in direct support for local preservation and parks initiatives statewide. This includes:

  • $4.5 million for historic projects in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Prescott, and Snowflake
  • $4 million for parks and open space projects in Peoria, Scottsdale, and the Verde Valley

These targeted investments illustrate the real, on-the-ground impact of our collective advocacy – benefiting communities, honoring heritage, and enhancing quality of life.

Moving Forward

These wins are significant, but they are not the end of the road. They are proof that coordinated advocacy works – and that the Arizona Heritage Alliance and its allies are driving real change. But we cannot stop here. We must keep building coalitions, engaging the public, and pressing for the long-term restoration of the Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund’s original Arizona Lottery funding. In a time of budget uncertainty, your voice, your outreach, and your support are more important than ever.

A Call to Action

The Arizona Heritage Alliance exists because people like you believe that Arizona’s historic places, cultural traditions, and natural landscapes are worth protecting. We are making a difference – but only if we keep going. Please continue to stand with us. Share our work, speak up, become a member, donate, and stay engaged. Every action you take strengthens our mission.

Contributions can be made online at AZHeritage.org or mailed to: Arizona Heritage Alliance, P.O. Box 16282, Phoenix, AZ 85011. Together, we can ensure that Arizona’s natural, cultural, and historic legacy endures – for our communities today, and for generations yet to come.

With gratitude,

Jim McPherson, President, Board of Directors and Russ Jones, Vice President & Legislative Task Force Chair

AZGFD and its Arizona Partners Put Record $24 million into Wildlife Conservation in 2023

Tourism to Grand Canyon National Park contributed $768 million to local economy in 2023

A group of visitors stands at the rim of the canyon taking photos of the sunrise
Yavapai Point sunrise, Sept. 2023

NPS Photo/J. Baird

News Release Date: September 11, 2024

Contact: Grand Canyon Office of Communications

A new National Park Service report shows that 4.7 million visitors to Grand Canyon National Park in 2023 spent $768 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 10,100 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $1.0 billion.

“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”

“We’re excited to see how the Grand Canyon continues to drive economic growth in our local communities,” said Grand Canyon Superintendent Ed Keable. “The spending by our visitors not only underscores the park’s allure but also highlights its vital role in supporting jobs and boosting the regional economy.”

The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.

An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.

To learn more about national parks in Arizona and how the National Park Service works with state name communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to https://www.nps.gov/state/az/index.htm

Arizona Heritage Alliance Announces $6 Million in Heritage Fund Grants for FY 2024 

PHOENIX, AZ  (July 15, 2024). The Arizona Heritage Alliance is pleased to announce the allocation of $6 million in Arizona State Parks Heritage Fund grants for Fiscal Year 2024. These grants, approved by the State Legislature and Governor Katie Hobbs as part of the state budget signed on June 30, 2023, will support 36 projects across Arizona, enhancing outdoor recreation, historic preservation, trail development, and environmental education. 

The grants are distributed as follows: 

  • 50% ($3 million) for local, regional, and state parks 
  • 30% ($1.8 million) for historic preservation projects 
  • 10% ($600,000) for non-motorized trails 
  • 10% ($600,000) for outdoor and environmental education 

“These grants represent a significant investment in Arizona’s natural and cultural heritage,” said Lani Lott, Executive Director of the Arizona Heritage Alliance. “From developing mountain bike parks to preserving historic buildings, these projects will enhance quality of life for Arizonans and attract visitors to our beautiful state.” 

The full list of approved projects includes: 

Local, Regional & State Parks: 

  • $500,000 for DeConcini Park Development (City of Avondale) 
  • $500,000 for Veteran & Centennial Park Upgrades and Repairs (Town of Duncan) 
  • $500,000 for Wa:k Community Park (Tohono O’odham) 
  • $500,000 for Sports Complex Phase I (Town of Pima) 
  • $464,519 for Bike and Trails Park Land Purchase (Town of Snowflake) 
  • $170,287 for 100-Acre Wood Mountain Bike Park Development (City of Tucson) 
  • $145,770 for Remembrance Garden and Park Improvement (City of Winslow) 
  • $110,000 for Foothills Park Development (Yuma County) 

Historic Preservation: 

  • $358,350 for Monroe Street Window Renovation (Housing Opportunity Center) 
  • $346,678 for Main Street (Arizona Copper Art Museum) 
  • $324,329 for Seargeant-Oldaker House Relocation & Rehabilitation (City of Phoenix) 
  • $170,546 for Cartwright Heritage House Preservation (Cartwright School District) 
  • $145,882 for Taawaki: Orayvi Sun Clan House Rehabilitation (Archeology Southwest) 
  • $104,966 for Renovation of the Historic Lehi Auditorium (Mesa Historical Society) 
  • $99,712 for St. Philip’s In the Hills Historic Church Preservation 
  • $95,916 for Historic Rialto Theatre Restoration 
  • $91,527 for 1908 Fair Store Sidewalk Preservation (Bisbee) 
  • $40,136 for Romero Site Interpretive Sign (Archaeology Southwest, statewide) 
  • $34,500 for Kerr Restoration (Arizona Board of Regents) 
  • $30,000 for Proctor-Leiber House Condition Assessment (Town of Oro Valley) 
  • $19,416 for Taliesin West Public Accessibility Improvements (Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation) 

Non-Motorized Trails: 

  • $120,000 for Garden Wash Phase III (City of Sierra Vista) 
  • $120,000 for Bean Peaks Gravity Flow System (Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance) 
  • $120,000 for Red Mountain Park Lot Improvements (Hawes Trail Alliance) 
  • $120,000 for Frontiere Trails Project (Coconino County) 
  • $120,000 for Verde Valley Circle Trail Segment 8 (Verde Valley Trail Fund) 
  • $100,000 for Finger Rock & Pontatoc Canyon Trail Enhancement (National Forest Foundation, statewide) 
  • $80,500 for Cottonwood Wash Trail (Town of Snowflake) 

Outdoor Environmental Education: 

  • $120,000 for Sky Island STEAM Express Mobile Lab (Bisbee Science Exploration & Research Center) 
  • $119,746 for Arizona Wildlife Federation Education Program (statewide) 
  • $119,724 for Outdoor Environmental Education Program (City of Flagstaff) 
  • $47,541 for Maricopa Trail Safety and Environmental Education (Maricopa Trail and Park Foundation) 
  • $40,652 for Camp Colton (Flagstaff Unified School District) 
  • $21,756 for Bike Bell Distribution (Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition) 
  • $21,000 for Exploring Arizona Watersheds (Grand Canyon Youth, statewide) 
  • $16,234 for Kiosk Trailhead Update (Flagstaff Trails Initiative) 

The Arizona Heritage Alliance congratulates all grant recipients and looks forward to seeing these projects come to fruition, benefiting communities across the state. Click here for more detailed information about each project.  Click here to view a map of the FY21 -FY 23 projects.