DENVER – Today, the Polis administration, the Outdoor Equity Grant Board, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the recipients of over $1.3 million in Outdoor Equity Grants to break down barriers to the outdoors and increase access to Colorado’s outdoor opportunities for youth.

“We are continuing to save people money and make sure that all Coloradans can access our world-class outdoors,” said Gov. Polis. “We’ve seen the transformative impact that these grants have had by breaking down barriers and empowering the next generation of Coloradans to experience, enjoy, and care for our amazing outdoors, and we are excited to continue this important work.”

The Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP), created by the passage of House Bill 21-1318, is tasked with soliciting applications from community, educational, and government organizations and selecting successful grant applications. The forthcoming Keep Colorado Wild Pass, signed by Governor Polis will provide a 60% discounted state parks pass that will be available with car registrations starting in January, is expected to raise meaningful revenue for outdoor equity access programs to complement and significantly bolster the efforts of the Outdoor Equity Grant Program.

“The intended benefit of these grants is to see more kids and families experience the outdoors, but the unintended benefits are far more transformational,” said Outdoor Equity Board Chair Benilda Samuels. “Outdoor Equity Grants support healthier communities, a stronger outdoor industry, and an increase in stewardship of our natural resources. We call this smart investing!”

The Outdoor Equity Grant Board accepted applications in the late summer and selected 27 organizations to receive grants this December. Programming funded by Outdoor Equity Grants will reach participants from Logan County to Montezuma County and will support activities from adaptive adventure sports programming to summer camps for youth with incarcerated parents.

In July, Governor Polis,  Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Executive Director Dan Gibbs, Department of Revenue Executive Director Mark Ferrandino, state legislators, and community leaders, and the Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP) announced the very first recipients of the Outdoor Equity grant with over $1.8 million in investments to youth and family serving organizations across the state. This Fall’s announcement of $1.3 million in grants brings total investment in youth programming to $3.1 million in 2022, through funding from the Colorado Lottery.

“Coming from an immigrant family, I recognize the invaluable benefits of strengthening connections to the outdoors and allowing youth and families to build a sense of place and curiosity in their community,” said Outdoor Equity Grant Board youth member Brayhan Reveles. “Outdoor Equity Grants support the transformation of traditional outdoor recreation access for our Colorado communities by addressing barriers such as distance to green spaces, transportation, gear access, and language.”

Since this summer, the grants have supported paddling days for people of color hosted by Diversify Whitewater at Lake Pueblo State Park, rafting and hiking field trips to Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area for fifth graders with the Colorado Canyons Association, the creation of after-school nature clubs at Title I schools in Thompson School District elementary schools and a myriad of other outdoor and educational activities.

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife congratulates the grant awardees and we look forward to hearing about their work to provide new outdoor experiences for youth across the state,” said CPW Acting Director Heather Dugan. “It’s exciting to see the transformative impact that the Outdoor Equity Grants are creating and to continue this work to ensure that all of Colorado's youth enjoy equal access to our state's parks, lands, and open spaces.”

The application period for Outdoor Equity Grants opens annually each fall. The next application period will open in August 2023 and distribute up to $2.25 million in grants. By 2025, the OEGP will distribute up to $3 million annually to support outdoor education programs and conservation opportunities for underserved youth as the program fund grows with Lottery distribution in the coming years.

“Congratulations to the grant recipients and the many Coloradans who will benefit with more opportunities to experience and enjoy our great outdoors,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “I appreciate the work of our Outdoor Equity Grant Board for their time and bringing their experience  and knowledge to expand these grants and opportunities to more deserving organizations and programs.”

Grant recipients include:

Adaptive Sports Association – Durango – $50,000
Asian Girls Ignite – Denver – $78,000
Colorado Center for the Blind – Littleton – $50,000
Colorado Discover Ability – Grand Junction – $50,000
Colorado Rocky Mountain School (HS)2 Program – Carbondale – $6,700
Connections for Independent Living – Greeley – $21,000
Denver Indian Center – Denver – $85,000
Environmental Learning for Kids – Denver – $75,000
Fort Collins Community Action Network – Fort Collins – $50,000
Friends of Youth and Nature – Hotchkiss – $67,180
Gypsum Elementary School – Gypsum – $5,000
Haseya Advocate Program – Colorado Springs – $70,000
International Rescue Committee – Denver – $30,000
Get Outdoors Leadville! – Leadville – $70,750
Montezuma Inspire Coalition – Cortez – $70,000
Mountain Dreamers – Frisco – $40,000
Northfield High School La Raza Club – Denver – $7,000
Sims Fayola Foundation – Denver – $50,000
Southern Ute Indian Tribe – Ignacio – $10,000
Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning – Denver – $40,815
Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports – Steamboat Springs – $25,000
The Nature Connection – Hotchkiss – $40,000
The Storytellers Project – Denver – $50,000
Vibe Tribe Adventures – Aurora – $80,000
ViVe Wellness – Denver – $70,000
Youth Club of Trinidad – Trinidad – $55,363
Youth Seen – Denver – $75,000