In agreement with the National Park Service, Peace Corps Park will be situated at a prime location on a triangle of federal land at the intersection of Louisiana Ave., 1st St. and C St. in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It is just a few minutes’ walk from both the U.S. Capitol and Union Station, across the street from the Taft Memorial and the National Mall.

Peace Corps Park is currently in the Construction Planning phase, after closing the Design Development phase with all regulatory approvals secured at the end of 2024. The team, along with our project management partners, have recently selected and purchased the granite that will be shaped into the Park’s three benches, producing detailed construction documents, and preparing for the off-site fabrication of the benches and pavers that will be installed after groundbreaking.

Peace Corps Park went through an extensive open competition to solicit a diversity of designs suitable for a small-scale site. Ultimately, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation retained Larry Kirkland and Associates, the accomplished design team behind the American Veterans Disabled for Life memorial, National Academy of Sciences and Denver Civic Center, among other projects.

Other notable design partners include Michael Vergason Landscape Architects and Master Stone Carver Nick Benson, who will hand-chisel the Park’s inscriptions.

Wee are confident that the design will accomplish Kirkland’s vision to create a contemplative space where people will reflect on the values of global peace and partnership.

In addition to features like a world map depicted without borders, and inspiring quotes from John F. Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, and world leaders who dedicated themselves to the pursuit of peace, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation will build a companion app and digital experience that will feature audio, video and text content about the volunteer experience and the history of the Peace Corps from both a domestic and international perspective.

Just as the story of the Peace Corps is ongoing and told not just in the past tense, so will Peace Corps Park continue to highlight content from contemporary volunteers and grow the digital companion long after the construction of the Park is complete.

Once built, the Park will primarily serve as a space for people living in, working in, and visiting Washington D.C. to relax and read or listen to stories (via the digital companion app) that will inspire them to find ways to serve their own communities.

In coordination with the National Park Service, the Park will also be used to host events such as volunteer reunions, ceremonies on notable Peace Corps anniversaries, storytelling events and educational visits. 

The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation will maintain long-term responsibility to manage the digital companion. All technology components will be remotely maintained, updated and enhanced as needed.

Because it will be desgnated as an official federal commemorative work, all funds for the construction of Peace Corps Park (including the maintenance endowment paid to the NPS) must be raised, from private sources, before we can break ground. Our current goal is to have all funds raised by the end of next year so that we may move forward in parallel with the 65th anniversary of the Peace Corps and the semiquincentennial (250-year) anniversary of the United States.

Construction (including season-appropriate installation of landscaping elements) will take nine months to a year to complete.

The Foundation is planning several keystone events where supporters can participate in this historic project. These include a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction, a Peace Corps 65th Anniversary celebration in 2026, a soft launch when initial elements are completed, a dedication ceremony to formally present the memorial to the nation, and a commissioning event when the Park is fully operational and turned over to the National Park Service. Specific dates and details for these full-day events will be announced as we approach each milestone. We encourage supporters to stay connected through our communications channels to receive invitations and updates about these special occasions.

Yes. Once the fundraising campaign for Peace Corps Park is complete, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation anticipates fundraising for other projects that elevate and support the Peace Corps and volunteer service community. These may include initiatives in partnership with the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, Peace Corps Writers, and other projects.

If you are aware of projects that align with Peace Corps values and are in need of funding, please let us know by emailing Chief Advancement Officer Glenn Blumhorst (gblumhorst@peacecorpscommemorative.org) or our general inbox at info@peacecorpscommemorative.org. 

We accept donations in many forms, including cash donations via bank transfer, credit card, or paper check, gifts of stock, distributions from Donor Advised Funds or Individual Retirement Accounts (required minimal distributions), or bequests made in a donor’s last will and testament. Visit our Ways to Give page for guidance on how to make a donation.

No. 

Because Peace Corps Park will be owned by the National Park Service and classified as an official federal monument of the United States, it is subject to certain restrictions that include no permanent on-site recognition of any donors.

A separate, independent initiative by the Peace Corps Legacy Association is planning a National Service Park in Plainview Minnesota, whose design includes a “Peace Corps Plaza” that will display personalized bricks that are being sold by the PCLA.

All contributors to Peace Corps Park will have their names permanently included on our digital donor wall organized by donation amount, with lead donors (at the $250,000+ giving level) being honored for a period of 10 years on a temporary pedestal at the Park site. The Foundation will also issue certificates of appreciation to all donors upon completion and dedication of the Park.

Donors also receive invites to certain donor appreciation events throughout the year, and we will continue to acknowledge donors in our annual report and monthly newsletter.

We have been humbled by the support of many RPCV groups and cohorts, whose efforts and live fundraising totals are acknowledged on our Partners page, and we welcome all groups who want to amplify our efforts with campaigns of their own. 

Groups can also contribute beyond making financial gifts by sharing our newsletters with their membership or by inviting our team to join a meeting (either remotely or in person) to present the vision for Peace Corps Park in person.

We are committed to giving all groups in the Peace Corps community a seat at the table in making the Park a reality and invite you to reach out to Arianna Richard at arichard@peacecorpscommemorative.org to discuss partnership opportunities.

The board of directors is currently updating the budget with our recently retained project management team. We expect the comprehensive budget for Peace Corps Park to be in the range of $12 million - $14 million.

The budget reflects the comprehensive scope of creating a permanent national memorial on federal land in Washington, D.C. This includes the open design competition, specialized design and engineering planning for the site, the use of durable materials suitable for a 100+ year lifespan, extensive permitting and regulatory compliance, digital technology integration (visitor app and virtual explorer), construction standards that meet both National Park Service and U.S. Commission of Fine Arts requirements, payment into the NPS permanent maintenance endowment, groundbreaking and dedication events, modest operating and fundraising expenses, and inflation contingencies for construction and materials costs.

The budget for Peace Corps Park is quite modest when compared with other recent national memorials. The World War I Memorial, completed in 2024, cost $44 million, while the World War II Memorial cost approximately $175 million when completed in 2004. Given that Peace Corps Park incorporates modern digital technology, meets current federal construction standards, and accounts for the increased cost of materials and services due to inflation since these other projects were completed, our budget represents excellent value for creating a lasting tribute to Peace Corps service.

There are, of course, many organizations and programs that deserve the support of a generous community of donors.  the entire team at the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation, including our deeply accomplished and respected leadership and advisory board, as well as all of our existing donors from both within and outside of the Peace Corps community, believe that Peace Corps Park will have a meaningful impact on people's lives. 

The Park will serve as a powerful recruitment and educational tool, helping attract new volunteers to Peace Corps service, and inspire people with the values of peace and partnership to make an impact in their own communities. Many donors have told us that they view the project as complementary to programmatic giving, honoring past service while inspiring future generations to serve. 

From a fundraising standpoint, we need to have every dollar accounted for to cover all construction costs as well as the permanent maintenance endowment to the National Park Service before we can break ground. We need to ensure that we meet our fundraising goal of $12 million - $14 million before the authorizing legislation (signed by President Donald Trump in January 2021) expires in January 2028.

From a regulatory standpoint, we have already secured all of the approvals needed to complete the project, from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the National Park Service, the National Capital Planning Commission and other D.C. and federal agencies. We do not expect any regulatory issues to interrupt the construction of Peace Corps Park.

From a political standpoint, the Trump administration has consistently supported the continuance of the Peace Corps and its mission. The agency’s senior leadership team is solid and reflects this commitment. The White House has proposed no cuts to the Peace Corps budget for 2026 and we do not expect any political issues that would affect our ability to complete the project. In fact, Peace Corps Park will serve as a timely and vital symbol of support for the Peace Corps at a time when it is needed most.

In this unlikely scenario, any unused portion of donations raised in support of Peace Corps Park would be applied to a program with similar objectives or, if that is not possible, to the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation’s general fund, as outlined in our gift policy (see the “changed circumstances” section). Donors may also choose to have any unused portion of their donation refunded.

While this is an unlikely scenario, the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation's board of directors would take responsibility for finding a resolution to ensure the ongoing maintenance of Peace Corps Park, including launching a new capital campaign to assume the maintenance costs directly.

The original authorization in 2014 and the reauthorization in 2021 passed both Houses of Congress by unanimous consent.The Foundation will seek Congressional reauthorization in late 2027 if we have not yet raised the needed funds to begin construction. Per the current legislation, groundbreaking must occur before the authorization expires, with all construction funds raised by that date. Note, however, that we have already purchased the Silver Cloud granite blocks that will be used for the Park’s benches and are on track to break ground and begin construction before the legislation expires.