How is Onondaga Cave State Park funded?
Parks and Soils Sales Tax
This critical 1/10 of 1% tax is split evenly between funding Missouri State Parks and combating soil erosion across our state. It keeps our parks beautiful and sustainable. Thank you for your continued support when it appears on your ballot!
Revenue & Park Sales
A small percentage of the state’s general revenue helps with funding; additionally through park sales such as cave tickets and gift shop which is divided among all state parks and historic sites.
Onondaga Friends Association
Onondaga Friends Association generates funds through events (excluding educational activities and presentations), and through grants.
About Onondaga Friends Association
Why does the park need a friends group?
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Onondaga Friends Association (OFA) bridges the gap between state funding and community passion.
We enhance the park’s interpretive services, spearhead vital maintenance projects, and host unique educational events that the park couldn’t otherwise staff or fund. Ultimately, our goal is simple: to spark public excitement, boost local awareness, and welcome new visitors to this beautiful state park.
What does OFA do?
We bring our mission to life through equipment funding, community events, and special educational programming.
- Special Purchases & Park Support: We fund and acquire essential interpretive and educational tools that state budgets don’t cover. Past purchases include a solar panel and charge controller, a sling psychrometer, GPS units, tables for the nature classroom, and safety helmets for both children and adult cave tours.
- Cave Tours: We organize exclusive, volunteer-led underground experiences from spring through autumn.
- Community & Educational Events: We proudly sponsor free public programming to connect people with nature.
More about our events:
- Hot Night, Cool Cave Music – This exciting annual event offers the opportunity to get in out of the heat to hear wonderful music inside the naturally significant and acoustically wonderful Onondaga Cave Big Room. Always on the first Saturday of August.
- Cathedral Cave Night Tours and Off-Trail Caving – Ever wanted to take a night-time hike and cave tour? How about an off-trail muddy tour of an underground wonder? OFA offers special monthly tours from April/May to October.
- Onondaga and Cathedral Cave Photo Tours – Do you like to take cave photos, but tours move too fast? OFA offers photo tours that can last up to 3 hours in both Onondaga and Cathedral Caves. Bring your tripod! Occurs monthly.
- Special Park Events – OFA sponsors regular special educational (free) events, such as the Bat Festivals and the Green Living Fall Festival. We also hope to offer regular, free wildflower and birding walks.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of these events or activities, please contact us.
We are open to new ideas! Park staff and any other individuals may bring suggestions and assistance to the OFA board of directors, and volunteerism and donations are welcome! Please feel free to attend our quarterly board meetings (see the Events Listing) and learn about what you can do.
Go to our website: www.onondagafriends.org and contact us: onondagafriends@gmail.com.
Thank you for your help! Consider becoming a member and a volunteer for this beautiful state park. Riley the Bat thanks you!