Environment
What We Fund
We Believe
We believe that natural spaces are vital to the health and wellbeing of individuals, local communities, and the common good — and that people who feel connected to the outdoors will actively protect our shared natural resources.
Our Aspiration
Ensure that all people have access to natural spaces and the mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing they provide.
Increase opportunities for youth to participate in outdoor activities.
Encourage lifelong stewards of nature as well as active lifestyles.
What We Fund
To support achievement of our aspirations, we seek to fund an intentional mix of Environment endeavors, including:
Youth Participation
We predominantly invest in efforts to expand opportunities for youth — particularly youth from under-resourced and underrepresented communities — to participate in outdoor and environment-related activities.
Parks and Public Spaces
We also invest in organizations that steward local and national parks and seek to engage people with those public resources.
Protecting Land
We provide limited support to organizations that primarily seek to protect land and natural resources from development.
Grantee Spotlights
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Big City Mountaineers
Big City Mountaineers provides transformative experiences through nature that strengthen life skills and build community for youth from disinvested communities. They provide free, fully outfitted, and professionally led wilderness experiences that range from day-long activities in a local park to week-long canoe expeditions in the Boundary Waters. Big City Mountaineers serves young people, ages 11-18, not traditionally involved in outdoor activities, and they partner with local nonprofits focused on under-resourced communities to provide a culturally grounded, community-focused introduction for their participants. Founded in 1989, Big City Mountaineers now operates in seven regions across the country including Minnesota.
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National Parks Conservation Association
With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, the National Parks Conservation Association is the voice of America’s national parks, working to protect and preserve America’s most iconic and inspirational places for present and future generations. Founded in 1919, three years after the National Parks Service, NPCA is the only independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to advocacy on behalf of the National Parks. NPCA celebrates the parks and works tirelessly to defend them, whether on the ground, in the courtroom, or on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
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Walking Mountains Science Center
Home to summer camps, science activity centers, nature walks and more, Walking Mountains Science Center invites locals and visitors to explore the Rocky Mountains in Eagle County, Colorado. They offer year-round programming at four locations and partner with schools throughout Eagle Valley to serve more than 4,000 students annually. In addition, they provide engaging adult and family programs in natural science and sustainability offered in partnership with the US Forest Service, Vail Resorts, Town of Vail, Eagle County, and others. In total, the annual reach for all Walking Mountains Science Center programs exceeds 300,000 individuals.
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Loppet Foundation
The Loppet Foundation seeks to create a shared passion for year-round outdoor adventure in the Minneapolis area, with a focus on underrepresented youth and families. Their Loppet Adventures programs work with elementary, middle, and high schools in North Minneapolis to engage students in cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and running. The programs aim to create a lifelong passion for the outdoors, a community of outdoor enthusiasts, and healthy outlets for young people during a critical developmental age.
