Our Mission
Discover Your Northwest promotes the discovery of Northwest public lands, enriches the experience of visitors, and encourages stewardship of these special places today and for generations to come.
Our Vision
We envision more residents and visitors as active stewards who understand and care for the unique natural and cultural heritage of Northwest public lands.
Who We Are
Founded in 1974 as the Pacific Northwest National Parks Interpretive Association through the collaboration of local public lands organizations, Discover Your Northwest has since grown to partner with numerous public lands units across the Pacific Northwest. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an environmental social enterprise, our work, proceeds, and efforts all support education, outreach, and the sustainable enrichment of visitor experiences on public lands.
We believe passionately in the value public lands provide to people and are dedicated to ensuring they remain places of education, recreation, and inspiration for everyone. Our partnerships include the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Washington State Parks.
What We Do
Discover Your Northwest (DYNW) is active across public lands in the Pacific Northwest, working to enhance visitor experiences and support the lands we love. Our core activities include retail operations, grants and agreements, and fiscal sponsorships.
Our retail locations, primarily based in public lands visitor centers, offer books, maps, recreation passes, gifts, and more—each item helping commemorate visits while educating others about the unique value of these landscapes. Proceeds from sales directly benefit our public lands partners.
We also collaborate with foundations, agencies, and organizations to manage grant funds for programs that enrich both the people and public lands of the Pacific Northwest.
Through our fiscal sponsorships, DYNW serves as an incubator for emerging nonprofit organizations within local communities. By pooling resources and providing support, we help our fiscal sponsor partners grow, expand our impact, and create lasting positive change across the region.
In addition, DYNW provides quality jobs in rural, urban, and public lands gateway communities. We connect passionate professionals with an impactful organization, creating opportunities to engage in meaningful work that supports public lands and the communities that work side-by-side with public lands units.