Transformational gift to significantly increase local conservation and resiliency efforts through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Wild East Action Fund

HARPERS FERRY, W.V. — The Dunleavy Foundation has made the largest philanthropic gift in the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) history, a $5 million donation in support of the Wild East Action Fund to advance local efforts to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the landscape surrounding the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

As the ATC celebrates its centennial in 2025, this gift will amplify the nonprofit’s commitment to protect, manage, and advocate for the Appalachian Trail and its landscape so it can remain a place of life-changing discovery. The Dunleavy Foundation’s transformational donation aims to support conservation partners in collectively protecting over 200,000 acres of the Appalachian Trail landscape — safeguarding clean water, wildlife habitat, working farms, and cherished outdoor spaces — while supporting local communities and long-term resilience across the region.

Sandra Marra, ATC president and CEO remarked: “Caring for the A.T. is not just about maintaining a trail; it is about protecting a piece of American identity and conserving, as visionary Benton MacKaye stated, ‘a realm,’ of healthy forests and wildlife habitats, of sweeping vistas and landscapes. The Dunleavy Foundation’s gift — the largest donation to the ATC’s $50 million Centennial Campaign to date — will enhance efforts to ensure a conserved, connected, and resilient A.T. landscape. We are grateful for the foundation’s commitment to this beloved Trail that offers transformational experiences, a haven for biodiversity, and connects both people and communities.”

The ATC’s Centennial Campaign launched publicly to provide necessary funding to ensure the A.T. remains a powerful force for conservation, recreation, and community engagement for the next 100 years. The Dunleavy Foundation’s gift brings the ATC closer to achieving its goal, taking the total raised from $29 million to $34 million to date.

“My love for the Appalachian Trail began with the countless hikes during my years in the Boy Scouts and later at Dartmouth College,” said Dr. Keith Dunleavy, co-founder of the Dunleavy Foundation. “Over the years, this passion deepened from more than just a physical challenge and a cherished opportunity to clear one’s head to an appreciation for the breathtaking vistas and the diverse environments found along this true national treasure. Together with Dr. Katherine Kirby Dunleavy, my wife and co-founder of the foundation, we believe it’s critical to protect vital pieces of America’s natural heritage for generations to come, and we are pleased to do our part to help keep the Trail alive.”

Spanning nearly 2,200 miles and attracting millions of visitors annually, the Appalachian Trail is the world’s longest hiking-only footpath and a vital wildlife corridor. The A.T.’s 26.7-million-acre landscape is globally significant for its rich biodiversity, carbon-sequestering forests, essential water resources, and recreational opportunities. However, the diverse ecosystems surrounding the Trail face ongoing threats from development, extreme weather events, wildfires, and fragmentation.

Since 2018, the Wild East Action Fund has provided more than $2.5 million toward land protection, capacity building, and conservation planning, enabling the protection of more than 88,000 acres in all 14 states that the A.T. traverses. These grants provide initial funding that gives conservation projects credibility, or they provide the last, critical dollars needed to bring projects to completion. WEAF grantees join the hundreds of conservation partners from Maine to Georgia that work to connect and protect the Appalachian Trail Landscape through the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership.

“By supporting our partners’ on-the-ground work, the ATC is ensuring that local conservation needs are met and the A.T. landscape and the experience it provides to millions of visitors is protected for generations to come,” said Dan Ryan, the ATC’s vice president of conservation and government relations. “Thanks to the Dunleavy Foundation’s tremendous support, the Wild East Action Fund will continue to be a critical tool in the greater Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership’s collaborative efforts to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. and its surrounding lands.”

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Founded in 1925, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy works passionately to manage and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. As the only non-profit devoted exclusively to the entirety of the Trail and its landscape, we endeavor to keep its vast natural and scenic beauty healthy, resilient, and connected, so that everyone can experience its transformative power for generations to come. Together with our supporters, partners, and thousands of volunteers, we keep the Trail alive. To learn more, visit appalachiantrail.org.

About The Dunleavy Foundation
The Dunleavy Foundation is a private foundation focused on investment in organizations, people, and ideas that promote sense of purpose, self-reliance, impactful leadership, and a lasting benefit to society. The foundation believes people thrive when they are engaged in work that matters, that the world needs mission driven leaders, and that funding and advising organizations with a goal and vision for a better future creates opportunities for continual, incremental, transformational, and sustainable improvement in the lives of others. To learn more, visit dunleavyfoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Ann Simonelli, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, asimonelli@appalachiantrail.org
Kim Collins, Dunleavy Foundation, Kim.collins@dunleavyfoundation.org