Outdoor Organizations We Love Supporting
A give-back guide from the She Explores team
The holiday season feels like a natural time to give back with #GivingTuesday and making our end-of-year tax-deductible donations, but we think all of these outdoor nonprofits and organizations are worth supporting year-round—and not just monetarily.
These organizations all work in the outdoor space but range widely in their focus: from meeting the needs of marginalized communities, to supporting specific adventure sports, to addressing environmental concerns.
Besides donating funds, other ways to support nonprofits and community organizations include:
- Following and interacting with the organizations on social media
- Getting involved in person
- Donating time/gear/supplies
- Keeping up with the projects they’re working on
- Spreading the word and sharing their mission
Check out these outdoor organizations we love to support:
Outdoor Women’s Alliance
“OWA is a volunteer-run nonprofit media and adventure collective that engages, educates, and empowers females worldwide. Through the lens of human-powered adventure, we work to inspire confidence and leadership in women of all ages, believing that confident women have the power to build healthy communities and — quite literally — change the world.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Latino Outdoors
“Latino Outdoors is a unique Latino-led organization. We are working to create a national community of leaders in conservation and outdoor education. As part of this work, we are focused on expanding and amplifying the Latino experience in the outdoors; providing greater opportunities for leadership, mentorship, professional opportunities and serving as a platform for sharing cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the traditional outdoor movement.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Outdoor Afro
“Outdoor Afro has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires African American connections and leadership in nature. We help people take better care of themselves, our communities, and our planet! Outdoor Afro is a national non-profit organization with leadership networks around the country. With nearly 80 leaders in 30 states from around the country, we connect thousands of people to outdoor experiences, who are changing the face of conservation.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Native Women’s Wilderness
“Native Women’s Wilderness was created to bring Native women together to share out stories, support each other, and learn from one another as we endeavor to explore and celebrate the wilderness and our native lands.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hear from founder, Jaylyn Gough, in Episode 53: Native Connection to the Land
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
“The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Inc. (NIWRC) is a Native nonprofit organization that was created specifically to serve as the National Indian Resource Center (NIRC) Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for Indian Women.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
No Man’s Land Film Festival
“Undefining feminine in adventure and sport through film. // No Man’s Land Film Festival is an adventure film festival based out of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado that meets a need and desire to highlight and connect individuals who identify as women in pursuit of the radical.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
OUT There Adventures
“Out There Adventures is an adventure education organization committed to fostering positive identity development, individual empowerment and improved quality of life for queer young people through professionally facilitated experiential education activities.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hear from founder, Elyse Rylander, in Episode 86: Nature as a Disruptive Force for Queer Youth
The Venture Out Project
“The Venture Out Project is committed to facilitating backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and trans community in a safe and inclusive environment. We also provide comprehensive inclusion workshops for educators, adventure professionals, summer/day camps and more.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Get Out, Stay Out / Vamos Afuera
“Get Out Stay Out/Vamos Afuera is a grassroots, Central Coast nonprofit, that invites Indigenous Migrant youth to run, play, and discover themselves in the natural environment. Through equitable and culturally sensitive, outdoor programming GOSO believes the natural environment provides the perfect tools needed for youth to build self-confidence, develop leadership skills, and build community.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Girl Ventures
“GirlVentures combines outdoor adventure with social emotional learning for adolescent girls, at a critical time in their lives. Our programs nurture girls’ self-esteem, resilience, and leadership skills, catalyzing their development as empathetic, confident conservationists and allies.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
SheJumps
“SheJumps increases the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities to foster confidence, leadership, and connection to nature and community through free and low-cost outdoor education.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Read about SheJumps Junior Ski Patrol Program in our interview with organization members: Cold Confidence
Outdoor Outreach
“Connecting youth to the transformative power of the outdoors. We use the outdoors to inspire youth to see possibility and opportunity in their lives to realize the positive attitude and behavioural changes that help them become happy, healthy, and successful adults.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hike It Baby
“Parenthood is an adventure. Bring it outside.” Hike it Baby “parents” are comprised of all and any caregivers of young children. We love nature and we love getting our kids out together in community.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hear from founder, Shanti Hodges, in Episode 11: Adventuring With Kids (Part 2)
Rios to Rivers
“Ríos to Rivers is a group of committed river runners with roots in the rivers systems of the USA, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. We are educators, artists, filmmakers, writers, scientists, coaches, philanthropists, energy experts, environmentalists, and humanitarians; our diverse backgrounds converge through our shared passion for healthy rivers. Our passion is to facilitate place-based educational experiences that empower the next generation of river stewards!”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Brooklyn Boulders Foundation
“Brooklyn Boulders Foundation envisions a world where all youth and adults, regardless of their ability, feel empowered to climb. We seek to eliminate real or perceived barriers to, and create more opportunities within, the rock climbing community.” BKBF’s main programs are Youth Experience and Adaptive Climbing Group (ACG)—the largest national adaptive climbing program in the United States.
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hear from Adaptive Climbing Group founder, Kareemah Batts, in Episode 68: Perfectly Capable of Climbing
Free to Run
“Free to Run works to support women and girls in areas of conflict through adventure sports to build their physical, emotional, and social well being; developing them into community leaders so they can bring people together across cultural, ethnic and religious lines.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
American Alpine Club
The AAC’s mission is to share and support their passion for climbing and respect for the places people climb—which includes lobbying for climate change action. “Authoritative climbing information, knowledge and resources benefit and inspire us and future generations. Advocacy and leadership advance our climbing interests and promote conservation. Community and competency strengthen and embolden us to push our limits.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps
“Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps is a development and leadership program committed to building a stronger and more inclusive community. We provide opportunities for youth and young adults to experience and better understand wilderness and natural resources by providing a transformational backcountry experience.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hear from ESCC founder, Agnez Vianzon, in Episode 33: Laying the Groundwork
Protect Our Winters
“POW turns passionate outdoor people into effective climate advocates. POW leads a community of athletes, thought pioneers and forward-thinking business leaders to affect systemic solutions to climate change.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
National Parks Conservation Association
NPCA works to protect and preserve national parks, advocate for public lands, and educate the public about culture, history, and the natural world. “We’re protecting and enhancing America’s National Park System for present and future generations.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Algalita
Algalita is taking charge against plastic pollution. “We connect young people with scientists, experts, politicians and businesses to have real conversations about plastic consumption. Our hands-on experiences develop future leaders who are excited to solve the big picture.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Read more about ocean conservation & what else we can do in Notes From About the Naturilus: Marine Conservation Through a Scientists’s Eyes by Mugdha Flores
Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E.
Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. is a diverse coalition working to ensure that nature’s transformational powers are accessible to all of our nation’s youth. “Standing on stolen land and recreating on broken treaties, the Outdoor F.U.T.U.R.E. initiative seeks to build momentum for the creation of a national equity fund that will ensure long-term investments in programs to serve all youth with opportunities to explore the great outdoors.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
Hiking My Feelings
Since 2018, Hiking My Feelings has been on a mission to improve community health by creating opportunities for people to experience the healing power of nature. They’ve hosted more than 300 events around the United States, and our community has grown to include folks around the globe. “Our programs and events cultivate a judgement-free space where transformational healing is possible. We introduce people to mindfulness and the healing power of nature, and the results are lasting improvements to mental, physical and spiritual health.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
HCBUs Outside
Working with historically black colleges and universities, HCBUs Outside began with earnest hopes to break stereotypes and inspire underrepresented collegiate youth to get outside. In increasing impact, they now provide resources and equipment, build community, and collectively are creating a pathway for sustainable change—through a gear library, expeditions, and local experiences. As they describe their purpose: “We want to see more Black faces running trails, climbing mountains, and sitting at outdoor industry boardroom tables. We help HBCU students and alumni enjoy the natural world and become the leaders we need for a healthy planet and a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive outdoor industry.”
Website | Instagram | DONATE
What other organizations should be on this list?
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