Bank of America

Bank of America’s $100,000 grant will be focused on conservation efforts, tribal employment, and educational and cultural opportunities throughout the park. The funds will support the restoration of historic trails, workforce training programs for American Indian teens living on adjacent tribal lands, and the transformation of the iconic Desert View area into an Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site. The grant will also assist with the transition throughout the park to dark-sky certified lights and lighting fixtures, minimizing light pollution. 

Bank of America’s centennial grant continues a long history of serving both Arizona’s and America’s national parks. The bank has been serving clients in Arizona for over 120 years and has been committed to environmental stewardship for decades. In 1968, then-Bank of America President and CEO Rudolph Peterson was invited to sit on the first board of the newly-created National Park Foundation to support the mission of the National Park Service.

“The Grand Canyon is a landmark for visitors around the world, but for many Arizonans, including myself, it has become a personal passion,” said Benito Almanza, Bank of America’s Arizona market president, who has completed 14 Grand Canyon hikes. “Our grant helps ensure that Grand Canyon continues to thrive for the next 100 years through sustainable opportunities and access for visitors, Arizonans, and the tribes who make the park a true national treasure.”