Our MissionThe Santa Monica Mountains Fund works to protect and encourage appreciation and understanding of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Fund achieves this by supporting National Park Service efforts in education, science, research, improved facilities, citizen engagement, stewardship and philanthropy.

Our StrategyThe Fund invests its monies in projects to achieve the mission of the organization. Principal recipients are the park agencies that operate within the mountains. In addition, the Fund sponsors research projects, internships and provides stipends to augment the staffing resources available to successfully complete these projects.The Santa Monica Mountains Fund endowment works to ensure a continuing source of future park funding. As federal and state budgets remain uncertain, the Fund seeks to build toward a stable future that allows park managers to focus on the protection of resources and the enjoyment of visitors, rather than negotiating budget shortfalls.

HistoryThe Santa Monica Mountains Fund was established in 1988 to support the education and resource protection efforts of the National Park Service and California State Parks in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Originally incorporated as the Santa Monica Mountains Parklands Association, the organization was formed by concerned citizens to represent the interests of the public in the development of parklands and recreation opportunities within the mountains.