By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–The San Diego Foundation announced $629,000 in grants to 20 local nonprofit organizations.
These funds aim to enhance equitable access to outdoor spaces for children, families, and residents throughout San Diego County.
“Access to the outdoors is critical for personal well-being,” stated Pamela Gray Payton, SDF’s Vice President and Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer. “But not everyone has easy access to safe outdoor spaces. SDF and its partners enable more people to enjoy the health benefits of the outdoors and become environmental stewards in our region.”
The grants are part of the San Diego Foundation Opening the Outdoors Program, which strives to connect, protect, and expand equitable access to outdoor areas across the county. Since its inception in 2010, the program has collaborated with over 90 nonprofits, benefiting more than 75,000 local youth and families, particularly those in underserved and park-deficient communities.
The initiative underscores the foundation’s commitment to fostering environmental stewardship and improving the quality of life for San Diego County residents by ensuring that everyone experiences the benefits of nature.
The 2024 Opening the Outdoors grantees include:
BIPOC Support Foundation – $45,000 for the Explore Next Door Program.
Horn of Africa – $45,000 for the Park Adventures for Refugee Children Project.
La Maestra Foundation Inc. – $45,000 for the La Maestra’s Center for Youth Advancement Program.
Outdoor Outreach – $45,000 for the Outdoor Voices Youth Leadership Program.
San Diego Natural History Museum – $43,000 for the “Outdoors for All” program to broaden participation in community science.
Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center – $38,000 for the school-based Children’s Garden Science and Nutrition Program.
The EcoLogik Institute – $38,000 for The EcoLogik Project: Connecting the Next Generation to Nature and Technology.
SAY San Diego – $37,000 for the Real Connections to the Outdoors Program.
San Diego Canyonlands Inc. – $36,000 for the Environmental Career Opportunities Initiative.
Botanical Community Development Initiatives – $32,000 for the Community Access to Safe, Green Space in Eastern Oceanside Program.
Groundwork San Diego – Chollas Creek – $32,000 for the Advancing Outdoor Equity and Advocacy in the Chollas Creek Watershed Program.
City Heights Community Development Corporation – $27,000 for the Silver Strand for All: Meaningful Experiences & Equitable Access Program.
Earth Discovery Institute – $27,000 for EDI Explorers: Education through Recreation Program.
Living Coast Discovery Center – $24,000 for the Trail to Bay Program.
Groundswell Community Project – $24,000 for the Welcome to Your Waves Program.
Coastal Roots Farm- $23,000 for the Equitable Outdoor Environmental Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Program for Escondido Union School District.
Urban Surf 4 Kids – $20,000 for the Unlocking the Ocean Surf Therapy Camps.
San Diego Parks Foundation – $18,000 for the Come Play Outside Nature Camp.
Ocean Discovery Institute – $15,000 for Promoting Equitable Access to the Outdoors for Students in an Urban & Diverse Community Program.
Un Mar De Colores – $15,000 for the Surf Therapy Program.
This year’s grants continue support of nonprofit organizations who have previously partnered with the foundation. The continued support grants demonstrate the growing commitment of SDF to provide multi-year funding and grow trust-based philanthropy, an approach to giving that addresses the inherent power imbalances between funders, nonprofits, and the communities they serve.
Nature is not an amenity but a necessity for the well-being of all San Diegans. However, many local communities lack critical access to parks and green space, as demonstrated in the SDF Parks for Everyone 2020 report. Equitable access to parks and green space is more important than ever to ensure every San Diegan has a strong quality of life.
To learn more about the San Diego Foundation Opening the Outdoors program, visit SDFoundation.org/outdoors.
