More than two dozen organizations throughout the state received over $1.3 million from the latest round of Outdoor Equity Grants announced on Thursday.

The grant program uses revenue from the state lottery to support organizations that reduce barriers to Colorado’s outdoors for underserved youth and their families, funding outdoor education programs and conservation opportunities.

“We are continuing to save people money and make sure that all Coloradans can access our world-class outdoors,” said Gov. Jared Polis when announcing the grant recipients. “We’ve seen the transformative impact that these grants have had by breaking down barriers and empowering the next generation of Coloradans to experience, enjoy, and care for our amazing outdoors, and we are excited to continue this important work.”

The grant program was created last year through the passage of House Bill 21-1318, sponsored by Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, D-Longmont, Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, and Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton.

In July, the first round of the grant awarded over $1.8 million to youth and family serving organizations across the state. Programs funded by the grant included paddling days for people of color, rafting and hiking field trips for fifth graders and the creation of after-school nature clubs at elementary schools.

“Our outdoors are a critical component of our Colorado way of life that everyone should have increased access to, no matter where you live,” Jaquez Lewis said. “These grants will help create more equitable opportunities for youth and families to experience outdoor spaces and activities they may not have had access to before. I’m thrilled for the recipients, and am proud to have played an important role in ensuring the success of this program.”

This month, 27 organizations were selected to receive the grant for activities ranging from adaptive adventure sports programming to summer camps for youth with incarcerated parents. The recipients are as follows:

• Adaptive Sports Association, Durango – $50,000
• Asian Girls Ignite, Denver – $78,000
• Colorado Center for the Blind, Littleton – $50,000
• Colorado Discover Ability, Grand Junction – $50,000
• Colorado Rocky Mountain School (HS)2 Program, Carbondale – $6,700
• Connections for Independent Living, Greeley – $21,000
• Denver Indian Center, Denver – $85,000
• Environmental Learning for Kids, Denver – $75,000
• Fort Collins Community Action Network, Fort Collins – $50,000
• Friends of Youth and Nature, Hotchkiss – $67,180
• Gypsum Elementary School, Gypsum – $5,000
• Haseya Advocate Program, Colorado Springs – $70,000
• International Rescue Committee, Denver – $30,000
• Get Outdoors Leadville!, Leadville – $70,750
• Montezuma Inspire Coalition, Cortez – $70,000
• Mountain Dreamers, Frisco – $40,000
• Northfield High School La Raza Club, Denver – $7,000
• Sims Fayola Foundation, Denver – $50,000
• Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ignacio – $10,000
• Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Denver – $40,815
• Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports, Steamboat Springs – $25,000
• The Nature Connection, Hotchkiss – $40,000
• The Storytellers Project, Denver – $50,000
• Vibe Tribe Adventures, Aurora – $80,000
• ViVe Wellness, Denver – $70,000
• Youth Club of Trinidad, Trinidad – $55,363
• Youth Seen, Denver – $75,000

The Outdoor Equity Grant application opens each fall, with the next application period scheduled for August 2023. Up to $2.25 million will be awarded next year. By 2025, up to $3 million in grants will be distributed annually.