Adventure Risk Challenge (ARC) is a youth development and outdoor education nonprofit committed to expanding equitable access to literacy and leadership development, to community building and belonging, and to nature-based and outdoor recreational experiences. ARC engages high school students from rural communities in Central and Northern California through a multi-year program progression. Academic-year programming is embedded within four rural high schools and includes weekly cohort meetings and monthly outdoor trips. Immersive, month-long summer courses incorporate multiple backpacking trips and hundreds of hours of literacy and leadership curriculum.

City of Dreams provides 3 core programs with multilingual support: Saturday group and 1:1 mentorship, after-school garden and wellness education, and teen life coaching. The group mentorship program, “Super Saturdays,” provides transportation, healthy meals, and youth development activities in outdoor spaces including but not limited to local and state parks and beaches. Hiking, surfing, kayaking, fishing and camping are amongst some of the enriching activities youth participate in and provide opportunities for youth to learn new skills, improve their overall confidence, and experience the health benefits of outdoor spaces.

Pomona Pathfinders on the MOVE is a 12-month innovative nature-based initiative designed to increase youth access to California’s State Parks, Beaches, and Local Parks. The program will provide outdoor education, build skills in nature-based activities, develop leadership skills, promote environmental stewardship, and gain practical job training and experience. The program aims to bridge the gap for youth by offering an inclusive and comprehensive curriculum that integrates outdoor activities, environmental education, and leadership development, while eliminating cost and transportation barriers.

La Habra Outdoors is designed to educate youth on Southern California’s water system by combining outdoor recreational activities with guided tours and activities. Participants will visit sites that will guide them along the flow of California’s water through rivers, lakes and basins, while learning of the anthropological relationship between each site. Youth will have the opportunity to experience a two-night camping excursion, enjoy activities at Lake Perris State Recreation Area, learn about the early agricultural history of the Inland Empire and its significance to the development of the region at California Citrus State Historic Park, and a tour of the Orange County Water District facility. From kayaking adventures to hands-on science projects, youth will develop a deep connection to nature while learning about water conservation and the rich history of the region.

Many Latine communities live within a few hours’ drive of some of our state’s most iconic parks but often do not have the opportunity to visit. Latino Outdoors will connect Latine community members in the Central Coast, Central Valley and Los Angeles to state parks in their area. Experiences will range from overnight camping trips to single day events and will be carried out by Latino Outdoor volunteer leaders who come from and live in the communities they serve.

To nature and nurture ourselves is a bilingual youth program designed to teach, facilitate, and practice mental and physical wellbeing within outdoor spaces. Each session begins at the Vista Hermosa Nature Park, which is accessible and centrally located to all four schools. The program begins with two 8-hr sessions that involve a field trip to a nearby State Park (Rio de Los Angeles and Malibu Creek). Each session will focus on two topics, how to be in nature and finding wellness outdoors, with each topic involves trainings and practices around hiking and camping preparation, the relationship of water and wellness, reflection journaling, creating comfortability in nature, and sensory exploration. The final session involves a 3-day, 2-night camping trip to Leo Carrillo State Park, where youth participants practicing what they have learned, as well as engaging in ocean activities.

Wonders of the Watershed offers a unique, hands-on learning experience for six 4th grade classes from East County San Diego, immersing them in the natural wonders of their local Sweetwater Watershed. Starting at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, students become young scientists as they explore riparian habitats, conduct groundwater and runoff experiments, and gain a deep understanding of what a watershed is and their place within it. They’ll then follow the water’s journey to its endpoint at the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where they’ll assess water quality and learn how their actions can impact the environment. By the end of the program, these students will not only have a holistic understanding of their watershed but will also be inspired to protect it, fostering a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.

In November 2023, California State Parks and the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the purpose to give FTBMI people access to the land and resources that have been theirs since time immemorial. The displacement of FTBMI Ancestors and the land dispossession they faced created an additional barrier to the Tribe’s ability to practice cultural traditions; deepening a disconnect between the Tribe’s citizens and their plant, animal, and environmental Ancestors. This MOU allows FTBMI to re-introduce Tribal citizens to traditional lifeways, customs, and ceremonies tied to the land. Land access has not been the only barrier faced by FTBMI people. With financial support from this program, FTBMI will coordinate excursions to CA state parks in the Tribe’s ancestral land where Elders and Knowledge Keepers will facilitate intergenerational learning and the opportunity for more Tribal citizens to connect to the land and actively participate in cultural and language revitalization. Reconnecting to the land can reawaken the much-needed connection to their homelands this project provides is a step towards that reawakening.

Trails and Tides: A Journey Across Landscapes is a collaborative project with Fresno Barrios Unidos and will offer experiences for families and individuals eager to explore nature, improve their mental and physical well-being, and learn about Indigenous cultures of California. Participants will have the opportunity to join seasonal excursions in select parks, lakes and coastal areas across California, providing diverse natural settings for exploration, artistic expression, and cultural learning. The goal is to foster environmental stewardship, cultural appreciation, and personal well-being by connecting participants with the beauty of nature and the heritage of Indigenous peoples. By integrating creative activities and cultural education, the project aims to enhance mental health and physical wellness while encouraging participants to continue visiting and appreciating state parks and recreational areas long after the program ends.

Salton Sea Arts and Culture Adventures in the Park is a year-long program for Imperial Valley youth that will feature monthly visits to nearby CA State Parks for the purpose of introducing arts, culture, and the environment. These experiences will offer classes in environment, pottery making, painting, bird watching and identification, and camping. Classes and programming will be delivered in partnership with the Bombay Beach Arts and Culture Center.

Homeboy Industries will provide healing opportunities in nature for formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated adults and youth in California’s Sierra District. Through this program, community members will spend time at Mammoth and Mono Lake engaging in outdoor activities such as kayaking, hiking, camping, and white-water rafting. We intend to cultivate lifelong connections between our community and California’s parks and nature; foster a community of healing in the outdoors; dismantle systemically racist ideologies that prevent our community from enjoying California’s state parks; and eliminate barriers to accessing and enjoying state parks and nature by providing all essential items including transportation, gear, food, etc. Homeboy is committed to showing their participants the world outside of their neighborhood by guiding them through outdoor excursions that will foster healthy and creative outlets that will stay with them and be taught by them to their future generations.

L.A. Rooted, founded in 2013 by members of the Raices Roots cyclists of color collective, empowers low-income youth of color in Los Angeles through culturally relevant, multidisciplinary education via bicycles. This program will provide an immersive four-week experience summer camp for youth ages 14-17 from Cypress Park, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, Echo Park, MacArthur Park, South Los Angeles, and Koreatown. Participants will practice and experience biking on city streets and park paths, setting up and breaking down camp, and riding on different terrains with camping gear. The program culminated in two overnight bikepacking trips to Bolsa Chica State Beach. Participants will engage in hands-on learning about environmental stewardship, including water testing, field biology, and climate change analysis.

Juntos al Aire Libre (Juntos), or ‘Together Outdoors’ youth-led environmental justice program lead by Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI). Participants can engage with Juntos in a leadership role developing events with the Youth Leadership Cohort or as a regular member who attends events. All participants will have the opportunity to attend four trips to the Salton Sea State Recreation Area where they will be introduced to topics such as native plants and animals of the Salton Sea region, careers at State Parks, public space planning and design, environmental justice issues (like air and water quality), and more. The goal of Juntos is to break down the barriers that are keeping young Eastern Coachella Valley residents from accessing local State Parks and recreational opportunities around the Salton Sea. KDI aims to strengthen local youths’ connection to the natural world, while building a local force of environmental justice leaders.

Reentry Reconnect: Nature for New Beginnings aims to provide healing and transformative experiences in California State Parks for individuals reentering society after incarceration. The program experience begins with virtual Zoom sessions introducing participants to the natural and cultural history of each park prior to the in-person park experience. Through this program, Land Together aims to provide participants with a grounding and transformative connection to nature, helping them navigate the challenges of reentry and fostering successful reintegration into society.

Lowell Community Development Corporation (Lowell CDC) is determined to remove barriers to the outdoors, our green spaces and public lands near and far for the families who live in downtown Fresno. Lowell CDC aims to increase access to nature, parks, and outdoor education for families by facilitating transportation, providing food, and creating programs and learning opportunities over the course of 2025. Experiences will range from daytrips to overnight camping trips at parks within a 3-hour drive from their home base. This program intends to increase the first-hand experience of people in the Lowell community to boost the confidence levels needed to explore new places and have adventures beneficial to their overall well-being.

Making Waves is a six-week summer program designed for young parents and their children. The program will provide weekly programming and transportation for families to Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, only 27 minutes from City Center, for a day filled with adventure, education, and fun. Each week brings new outdoor experiences, such as kayaking, swimming, hiking, or learning about local wildlife. This program offers young families opportunities to strengthen bonds, create lasting memories, connect with other young parents and build a supportive community.

Through the River KATS (Kids Activism Through Science) program, elementary to high school students from the Inland Empire will be introduced to their local natural areas through hands-on activities and field trips to connect youth with their environment and inspire stewardship. During the school year, students from underrepresented communities will embark on a series of field trips exploring the Santa Ana River watershed from its upper inland reaches to the ocean. The program’s goal is to empower students to explore, enjoy, and protect nature. Outdoor spaces have been made inaccessible to our target audience by our societal systems, including but not limited to transportation costs, time-consuming public transportation, the financial barrier created by the above, increasing urbanization, and additional parking or entrance fees.

Outdoor Outreach’s State Parks Discovery Project for Youth Leaders is a nature-based job training, early employment, and civic engagement opportunities for 24 youth from underserved San Diego communities. This innovative program reaches youth from communities that have been impacted by social inequities. Many of these youth are challenged by poverty, homelessness, home and community violence, and lack effective resources and support systems. Outdoor Outreach will provide participants with nature-based excursions and mentorship for young people, including 4 overnight trips and two 5-day backpacking trips.

Through the Routes of Hope Program, Poverello House seeks to facilitate outdoor experiences that bridge the gap for marginalized families and individuals deprived of California’s beautiful landscapes. Poverello House serves families throughout California’s Central Valley who are overcoming challenges related to addiction, homelessness, and trauma. The outdoor experiences provided through this program will benefit families receiving critical services from Poverello House, which aligns with its mission to enrich lives and spirits.

Project Avary’s Outdoor Leadership Program connects youth impacted by parental incarceration (CIPs) to nature through transformative outdoor experiences. Throughout 2025, the program will engage youth and young adults ages 8-25 in activities such as an overnight summer camp, weekend retreats, family days and epic adventure days like surfing and whitewater rafting – all taking place in breathtaking natural settings across California. This initiative will provide CIPs with the chance to experience the healing and transformative power of the outdoors. Through outdoor adventure, skill-building, and peer/mentor relationships, participants will develop the resilience and leadership capacities to overcome the generational impacts of parental incarceration. Ultimately, Project Avary’s Outdoor Leadership Program creates the opportunity for CIPs to forge lifelong connections with California’s State Parks and heal, grow and thrive outdoors while breaking cycles of incarceration.

Allensworth, founded in 1908, is the first town in California to be founded, financed, and governed solely by African Americans. San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority’s program will increase access and awareness of Col. Allensworth State. For African American individuals and families in the Bay Area and Northern California and students in the Fresno and Bakersfield Unified School Districts. The program will provide free tickets and meal vouchers for the 2025 October Rededication Festival, as well as designated field trip days for Fresno Unified and Bakersfield City School District students. This program cultivates a tradition that is relevant, historical, and exciting and has the possibility of increasing the overall percentage of African Americans who go to California State Parks. and celebrate annual events such as October Rededication Festival.

SHAW 4 Community’s 209 Hikes Program is a year-long initiative designed to connect underserved communities in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties with the natural beauty and wellness benefits of California State Parks. Starting January 2025, SHAW will organize monthly wellness hikes in various State Parks and will provide transportation, guided experiences, wellness workshops, and healthy nutritional meals. Each hike will also feature guest speakers who will educate the community on specific wellness topics and include community engagement games to encourage social interaction among participants.

A large population of school age children that live within a 100-mile radius of the Sierra area State Parks have never had the opportunity to recreate in snow, and they are not provided the opportunity to learn the relationship between the Sierra annual snowpack, forest health, water availability and climate change. The Snow Science and Adventure Program targets elementary and middle school students to learn about the recreational benefits and fun aspects of our Sierra snowpack as well as the science behind the snow. Through this program, Sierra State Parks Foundation will make the critical connection between our public lands and the recreation opportunities available and the environmental significance they provide. This program will offer three opportunities for engagement: a 1-hour PORTS program focused on snow science, a 2-hour field excursion and snowshoe adventure, and a post-outing learning assessment questions with creative activities in the classroom.

The Siskiyou County Office of Education (SCOE) is committed to fostering science literacy and environmental stewardship among students, educators, and the community. To address barriers such as barriers geographic isolation, economic challenges, and limited school resources these disparities, SCOE will provide a comprehensive program that brings science and nature directly to students—whether in the classroom, on field trips, or through overnight outdoor experiences. This initiative is rooted in the belief that all students, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to explore, learn, and grow in the natural world. The program will offer 23 science and outdoor education activities annually at no cost to schools, students and families. The curriculum, developed with local educators, is aligned with state science standards, and opportunities will be based on each school’s free and reduced lunch population to ensure equity.

The Senderos Naturales program at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park was created in response to the need for greater access to green spaces for Sonoma County’s Latino community. The Senderos Naturale program offers Latino-led, bilingual nature programming and outreach tailored to the needs of families. Outings are carefully designed to align with the seasonal offerings of our public guided hikes, such as mushroom foraging, wildflower walks, native plant exploration, and full moon hikes, among others.

This grant will also support programming specifically aimed at strengthening relationships between the Mishewal Wappo tribe, Sonoma Ecology Center, and California State Parks. This will enable seasonal cultural gatherings led by Wappo the tribe, provide opportunities for tribal members to reconnect with their ancestral lands and traditions, and cover transportation costs to improve access for tribal families, staff time for programming and coordination, and expenses for cultural experts, supplies, and materials needed for traditional ceremonies and educational activities. This support will enhance tribal capacity, strengthen partnerships with State Parks, and promote the preservation and celebration of Wappo culture.

Ultimate Journey to Millerton Lake will support learning opportunities and outdoor experiences for Fresno’s youth on the outdoors at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. The program is engaging and interactive, with more than 25 hands-on activities that promote environmental stewardship, problem-solving, critical-thinking and creativity. Youth will have the opportunity to enjoy Millerton Lake SRA through activities such as a hike on the Buzzards Roost Trail, fishing programs, paddle sports programs (kayaking and standup paddle boarding), a bald eagle tour, and opportunities to learning about the park’s wildlife ecosystem.

Exploring the Kumeyaay Coast at Torrey Pines will provide Tribal members from the Kumeyaay Nation the opportunity to re-connect with their ancestral lands along the coastline of La Jolla (a.k.a. the Kumeyaay Coast) through the guidance of Tribal experts and scientists from the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation (LPLF). The Jamul Indian Village of California (JIV) has developed this program in partnership with the LPLF with the objective of creating a unique coastal experience for Tribal youth and young adults who will visit locations along the Kumeyaay Coast. This program is intended to serve as a pilot project that will be further developed and expanded as an ongoing program in future iterations to provide access to ancestral lands and enjoyment for all Tribal members within the Kumeyaay Nation.

TreePeople education staff have observed a historical lack of access to nature in communities served by this project. As a result, this project will focus not just on an individual park location, but on whole ecosystem health – and how students can make a difference in their own communities. This funding will support TreePeople’s mountain-to-ocean-themed State Park trips, providing 150 public school students with education on watershed cycles, ecosystem connectivity, and nature-based solutions. This unique format, based on NextGen Science Standards, will be provided to a new cohort of students at KIPP SoCal Public Schools in the underserved South Los Angeles community of Watts. This program allows students to see for themselves how the environmental features of each topography affect local-level climate conditions, habitat responses, and needs for conservation action. Curricula will also augment environmental equity by including post-trip activities for youth through volunteer, service-learning projects during non-school hours, such as tree plantings and kitchen composting – building continued connections to stewardship.

Explore Parks is dedicated to empowering Modesto’s underserved communities by connecting them with nature with guided trips to Central Valley State Parks and recreation areas. These outings cover essential topics such as conservation, local ecosystems, and relevant tribal history, empowering individuals with knowledge and inspiring them to become environmental advocates. Tuolumne River Trust (TRT) will run summer programming at Caswell State Park, Dos Rios State Park, and the Woodward Reservoir, where participants can explore using kayaks, bikes, and walking.

The Watershed Explorers Program will connect 60 8th graders from low-income backgrounds to San Diego’s state parks, beaches and watersheds through three 3-day camps in 2025. Economic barriers, transportation challenges, and limited awareness have historically prevented San Diego’s BIPOC and low-income communities from enjoying the natural beauty and recreational opportunities that state parks have to offer, with 90% of participant families sharing that they visit California State Parks either rarely or only once a year. This program will overcome these barriers, delivering a multi-day experience at no charge to families and providing transportation options for all students. Through a multi-faceted program that combines environmental education, hands-on conservation work and community building, students will explore the interconnectedness of land, water, and people, cultivate a sense of belonging in the outdoors, and step into environmental stewardship roles.

The Youth Mentoring Action Network (YMAN) is expanding its Youth Wellness Collaborative (YWC) to connect underserved youth from the Inland Empire with California’s state parks and coastal wonders. This project will transport young people of color to state parks and beaches, offering them transformative experiences in nature. This initiative isn’t just about visits; it’s about creating lasting connections to California’s natural heritage, promoting healing, and empowering youth through education, recreation, and cultural exploration. By providing regular trips to locations like Chino Hills State Park and Leo Carillo State Park, YMAN is breaking down barriers of access and fostering a new generation of environmental stewards.