Highly Quotable
“Nature is our eldest mother; she will do no harm.”
— Emily Dickinson, poet
Spending time in nature has well-researched benefits. According to an article from UC Davis Health, nature can improve our thinking, reasoning and other mental abilities; can boost our physical wellness; and can improve our mental health—all worthwhile reasons to step outdoors.
Unfortunately, in the U.S. around one in three people, including 28 million children, have no access to a quality park close to home, according to the Trust for Public Land. That’s why improving access to nature is a common goal for so many organizations, from local and state park agencies to nonprofits.
Among those nonprofits that dedicate themselves to the great outdoors is the Outdoor Industry Association’s Outdoor Foundation.
Founded in 1989 by a group of 14 outdoor industry leaders, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) today is made up of business leaders, climate experts, policy makers and outdoor enthusiasts—all “committed to sustainable economic growth and climate positivity while protecting—and growing access to—the benefits of the outdoors for everyone.”
As part of the association, the Outdoor Foundation is “dedicated to getting people outside for their health, the health of communities and the health of the outdoor industry.” The foundation accomplishes this through a combination of community investment with its Thrive Outside Initiative, as well as groundbreaking research, which includes annual reports on outdoor participation trends. Working with partners, the foundation addresses equity barriers to help improve access to the outdoors.
The Thrive Outside Initiative “awards multi-year capacity-building grants to diverse communities to build and strengthen networks that provide children and families with repeat and reinforcing experiences in the outdoors.” It is a community-led initiative—a cooperation between local and national partners and supported by three years of funding.
Some examples include:
- In Grand Rapids, Mich., Our Community’s Children—a partnership of the City of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Public Schools and the Parks and Recreation Department—leads the initiative.
- In Oklahoma City, Okla., the OKC Riversport Foundation works with a network of partners to grow an active, outdoor lifestyle among youth.
- In Philadelphia, the National Wildlife Federation brings together regional organizations, stakeholders and existing networks to create pathways for equitable access.
- In St. Louis, the newly created River City Outdoors is working to activate a network of community stakeholders to make outdoor recreation more accessible and equitable.
- In Seattle, the King County Play Equity Coalition brings together regional nonprofits, for-profits, government entities and other networks to identify strategies for equitable access to the outdoors.
Other cities involved in Thrive Outside include San Diego, Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Chicago and Boulder/Denver.
Since the Thrive Outside Initiative’s 2019 launch, the Outdoor Foundation has helped to connect tens of thousands of kids and their families to the benefits of the outdoors. In 2023, Thrive Outside communities engaged more than 95,000 participants. On a broad scale, in 2023, Thrive Outside networks were at the forefront of the development and implementation of millions of dollars of new resources for outdoor programming, centered around increasing equitable access to outdoor recreation and engaging underrepresented and historically excluded communities. RM
Tell Us All About It!
Know of a nonprofit organization that has influenced recreation, sports and fitness for the better? Send your suggestion to [email protected].
