Next Round of Outdoor Equity Grant Program Recipients Announced

DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today announced the next round of recipients of Outdoor Equity grants, an opportunity made possible by a law championed by Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont. The grant program aims to increase access to outdoor opportunities for Coloradans and provides resources to underserved students and communities to help increase environmental learning opportunities, education, and outdoor activities.

Colorado’s great outdoors are some of the most incredible places on earth, but too many of our youth are unable to experience our parks, trails and open spaces. In 2021, the legislature passed a bill, HB21-1318, creating a grant program with revenue from the state lottery to support organizations that reduce barriers to Colorado’s outdoors for underserved youth and their families.

“Our outdoors are a critical component of our Colorado way of life that everyone should have increased access to, no matter where you live,” said Jaquez Lewis. “These grants will help create more equitable opportunities for youth and families to experience outdoor spaces and activities they may not have had access to before. I’m thrilled for the recipients, and am proud to have played an important role in ensuring the success of this program.”

The Outdoor Equity Grant Program focuses on creating opportunities for youth and their families from communities who have been historically excluded. The goal is to ensure they have equitable opportunities to become involved in recreational activities and experience Colorado’s open spaces, state parks, public lands and other outdoor areas. 

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

More information on the Outdoor Equity Grant Program is available HERE.