My Outdoor Colorado

The campaign will expand lasting pathways for youth and families in Denver’s Cole and Westwood neighborhoods to experience Colorado’s outdoors with confidence, safety, and a true sense of belonging.

This moment matters because each season of a child’s development counts, yet cost, transportation, language, and limited opportunities still keep many families from accessing the mountains, rivers, parks, and open spaces that define Colorado.

MOC is composed of 8 partners: Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Denver Parks & Recreation, Denver Youth Program, Groundwork Denver, The Greenway Foundation, Lincoln Hills Cares, Mile High Youth Corps, and ViVe Wellness. By collaborating, MOC partners can achieve more through shared resources.

MOC is successful by working alongside residents of the Cole and Westwood neighborhoods. Community Connectors and a Youth Advisory and Action Council provide authentic community engagement and feedback that centers and elevates community voice. Together, MOC reduces barriers, celebrates inclusiveness, and expands opportunities for all residents to participate in nature and outdoor adventure experiences.

My Outdoor Colorado will continue to strengthen its Community Hub, expand programs into neighboring communities, deepen collaboration among coalition partners, and increase access to transportation, the Gear Library, youth leadership opportunities, and workforce development experiences. The coalition will track progress through monthly reports on trips, programs, events, training, and job opportunities, while working with QREM to refine evaluation and better measure outcomes.

Major donors are invited to serve as allies—fueling free outdoor programs and the supports that make participation possible, and helping more young people move from a first outdoor experience to leadership, workforce pathways, and long-term connection to nature.

Every season matters in a child's development. Colorado is home to some of the nation's most breathtaking mountains, rivers, parks, and open spaces, yet many youth and their families in Denver's Cole and Westwood neighborhoods face barriers to experiencing these natural treasures due to cost, transportation, language, and limited opportunities. Research shows that time spent outdoors supports mental, physical, and emotional well-being, builds confidence, and fosters a lifelong connection to nature. MOC seeks to provide these experiences that inspire curiosity, belonging, and a sense of wonder. However, funding for the coalition has been significantly reduced in recent years and MOC is facing difficult decisions for future services to these communities.

Your support today helps My Outdoor Colorado remove barriers by providing free outdoor programs, transportation, equipment through our Gear Library, youth leadership opportunities, and workforce development experiences. It also strengthens the coalition of partners working together to create lasting pathways from a child's first outdoor adventure to future leadership and career opportunities. Investing now ensures more youth and families can discover the beauty of Colorado, build lifelong connections to the outdoors, and help create healthier, more connected communities for generations to come.

Success means a future where every child and family, regardless of race, income, language, or zip code has the opportunity to experience Colorado's outdoors with confidence, safety, and a true sense of belonging. Youth will move seamlessly from their first outdoor experience through leadership development, workforce training, and career opportunities, creating a diverse next generation of outdoor stewards and community leaders.

My Outdoor Colorado started back in 2016 when Great Outdoor Colorado (GOCO) decided to invest money into grassroot organization's. GOCO created Generation Wild to connect an entire generation of Colorado kids to the outdoors. It has two parts: a grant program that invests in organizations offering close-to-home outdoors programs to their communities, and a communications campaign sharing ideas and inspiration for outdoor play. My Outdoor Colorado is just one of many Generation wild communities.

Your gift will strengthen My Outdoor Colorado's Community Hub, deepen collaboration among coalition partners, and increase access to transportation, outdoor gear, and leadership opportunities. Families will not only participate in organized programs but will have the confidence, knowledge, and resources to explore Colorado's parks, trails, and open spaces on their own.

Together, we are building more than outdoor programs! We are creating a lasting, community led movement where nature is accessible to all and every young person can see themselves engaging in the outdoors and caring about the natural world around them.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) has been our largest and most steadfast funding partner, investing in our shared vision of expanding equitable access to nature. During the 2021–2025 grant cycle, GOCO awarded My Outdoor Colorado $5 million, allowing the coalition to build strong partnerships and create lasting impact. While GOCO’s investment in additional communities significantly reduced MOC funding for 2026 - 2030 to $2 million, our commitment to serving youth and families remains unwavering, making community investment more important than ever.

Since the start of the coalition in 2016, we have served over 20k participants, hosted over 500 activities, and offered over 100 employment opportunities to residents.

From 2026-2030, My Outdoor Colorado will still reach an additional 12,845 participants in outdoor programs, 385 youth through workforce pathways, and over 20,000 residents through community events. This is tracked through monthly reports highlighting the trips, programs, events, training, and job opportunities that are implemented. Across all partners, offerings intentionally open the door to the outdoors through joy, learning, and connection. MOC sees success when participants leave a program with increased confidence and outdoor skills, feeling good both physically and mentally, and with a desire to engage in future outdoor activities. Long-term success is seen when participants return to multiple MOC programs, engage in outdoor activities on their own, and pursue careers in outdoor or environmental fields. MOC is currently working to refine its evaluation strategy to better measure outcomes and demonstrate the full impact of the coalition’s work.

At My Outdoor Colorado, we see major donors as allies in creating a more equitable future for youth and families. Their generosity directly supports our mission to reduce barriers to outdoor access by providing free programs, transportation, outdoor gear, leadership development, and workforce opportunities for communities that have historically been underserved.

MOC welcomes all requests for funder recognition and invites all donors to visit coalition programs and events to see their investment in action. You will be signed up for our monthly newsletters and can follow along all the programs we do. Donors are more than welcome to come to any of our programs. We welcome our donors to reach out, ask how we’re doing and remain on our ally contact list. Additionally, we hope our partners find meaning in knowing their investment creates lasting change. Every gift helps more children and families discover the beauty of Colorado, build confidence in the outdoors, and access opportunities that strengthen their health, well-being, and future.

Together, we're creating a future where every young person has the chance to experience nature, develop as a leader, and know they belong in the great outdoors.