San Diego County CA— The San Diego Foundation announced $442,000 in grants for 11 local programs that will connect, protect and increase access to nature for underserved children and families throughout the San Diego region.
According to The San Diego Foundation Parks for Everyone report, many low-income, ethnically diverse communities have limited access to parks and open spaces. The Opening the Outdoors Program closes this gap by providing children and families in these San Diego communities with equitable access to nature.
The 2017 Opening the Outdoors Program will support collaborative projects that strengthen education and environmental efforts. Proposals from this year’s grant cycle will collectively engage more than 11,000 youth, 2,000 volunteers and 4,000 residents across San Diego County. These projects will also conserve and restore 5,500 acres of land, 8.9 miles of trails and improve 22 parks, while installing 2,310 additional native plants throughout the region.
“As we learned from the Our Greater San Diego Vision report, access to and appreciation of the outdoors is a core value shared among San Diegans,” noted Katie Rast, Director of Community Impact at The San Diego Foundation. “Thanks to the Opening the Outdoors Program, more San Diegans will grow up with a deeper connection to the outdoors and the local environment, which will help preserve our natural spaces for generations to come.”
The 2017 grants from the Opening the Outdoors Program are made possible thanks to funding through the Environment Endowment at The San Diego Foundation, Satterberg Foundation in partnership with San Diego Grantmakers, Brutten Family Fund, Willis & Jane Family Fund I, TCJ Fund, Eugene M. and Joan F. Foster Family Charitable Fund and other generous donors at The San Diego Foundation.
For more information about the Opening the Outdoors program, visit sdfoundation.org/opening-the-outdoors.