Greetings from Pueblo! Today, the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded $24,485,456 in grants to 15 coalitions across the state connecting kids and families with outdoor experiences and pathways to outdoor careers.
Created by Colorado voters in 1992, GOCO invests up to half of Colorado Lottery proceeds in partner-led conservation and recreation projects across the state.
Launched in 2015, GOCO’s Generation Wild grant program funds coalitions of public, nonprofit, and private partners known as “Generation Wild communities.” These partners work together to offer locally designed and culturally relevant programs that help kids and families explore nature, outdoor recreation, stewardship, and outdoor careers—sparking curiosity, connection, health, and well-being, among other benefits.
To date, $75.5 million in GOCO investments have helped 15 Generation Wild communities across the state deliver 9,550 programs reaching 360,222 participants.
Today’s awards go to 11 existing Generation Wild communities to help continue and expand their efforts. Grants were also awarded to four new communities ready to launch following a GOCO-funded planning process in 2024. Congratulations, partners!
Generation Wild Program – $24,485,456 in grant awards
Exploremos, $1,200,900 to Eagle County
Led by Walking Mountains Science Center, Exploremos includes more than 25 local partners providing free or low-cost outdoor experiences to Eagle County residents who face barriers to getting outside. Launched in 2015 as the Eagle Valley Outdoor Movement and renamed in 2024, Exploremos embraces a bilingual, Spanish-first approach to ensure Spanish-speaking families feel welcome and included. Programs range from hiking, biking, rafting, and camping to habitat restoration, stewardship, and career pathways through internships and mentorships. With this GOCO funding, Exploremos will expand its mobile gear library, launch bilingual skills workshops, publish a Spanish-language outdoor guide, and open more doors to outdoor careers.
Garfield County Outdoors, $1,250,000 to Aspen Valley Land Trust
Launched in 2018, Garfield County Outdoors (GCO) connects youth and families to the outdoors through experiences that build confidence, wellness, and lifelong skills. An initiative of the Re-2 and Garfield 16 school districts, the coalition includes partners such as Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, Colorado Mountain College, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Programs range from in-school outdoor lessons and field trips to family events and youth internships, with activities like hiking, snowshoeing, climbing, and exploring local history and ecology. With new GOCO funding, GCO will expand outdoor learning in schools, grow family programs, and create more career pathways—launching a K–5 curriculum, new events, and volunteer opportunities shaped by local community members.
*NEW* Generation Wild Greeley, $1,749,977 to the City of Greeley
Generation Wild Greeley aims to expand access to the outdoors so all residents—especially families on the city’s East side and BIPOC, refugee, and immigrant communities—can enjoy the health and connection that come from time outside. Guided by community input, partners will offer free, inclusive programs like learn-to-camp events, family field trips, and mobile nature activities. Local providers, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County, Colorado Youth Outdoors, and Soccer Without Borders, will deliver programming, while Greeley-Evans School District 6 and Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains will lead the coalition’s community engagement efforts.
Generation Wild Northeast Metro Coalition, $2,000,000 to the City of Aurora
GenWild Northeast Metro Coalition (NEMC) serves youth in historically underserved communities across Commerce City, Northwest Aurora, Montbello, and Northeast Park Hill through a partnership of 12 organizations, including Bluff Lake Nature Center, Environmental Learning for Kids, Groundwork Denver, and the cities of Aurora and Commerce City. Hosting more than 425 programs annually, the coalition engages youth and families in outdoor recreation, leadership development, and community events while offering teens paid internships, jobs, and mentorship in outdoor careers. Its Youth Council ensures programs reflect youth perspectives and needs. With new funding, GenWild NEMC will adopt a shared governance model; expand bilingual family events, youth leadership, and career pathway opportunities; and increase access for neurodiverse, Spanish-speaking, immigrant, and refugee youth.
*NEW* Generation Wild of the Pueblo Region, $1,750,000 to Palmer Land Conservancy
Generation Wild of the Pueblo Region will provide kids and families—especially in Pueblo’s Y-Zone and Avondale neighborhoods—with opportunities to explore nature, connect with their community, and care for the outdoors. Over the next five years, the coalition, which includes partners like the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center, Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County, City of Pueblo Parks and Recreation, Pueblo Zoo, and Trout Unlimited, will offer immersive, culturally relevant programs and paid internships for teens in the outdoor industry. Guided by a bilingual youth advisory council and deep community partnerships, the coalition will host free family events, biking programs, swim days, creek clean-ups, and farm-to-table experiences, while partners provide transportation, equipment, and language support to ensure accessibility for all families.
*NEW* Generation Wild of the Uncompahgre, $1,499,830 to Montrose Recreation District
Through deep engagement with low-income, Latino, and immigrant residents, Generation Wild of the Uncompahgre Valley (GWU) identified barriers like lack of time, high costs, and limited social support that prevent families from enjoying the outdoors. In response, the coalition will offer accessible, culturally relevant programs ranging from introductory recreation to youth leadership, jobs, and internships. Planned activities include hiking and camping trips, school-based rafting and river safety, art and play-based programs, after-school outdoor learning, and teen leadership development. The coalition will also create a central gear library and expand partnerships with schools, youth-serving nonprofits, and groups like the Hispanic Affairs Project and La Familia Music Group, with programs delivered by partners including Friends of Youth and Nature, Voyager Youth Program, Colorado Canyons Association, and the Western Slope Schools Careers Collaborative.
*NEW* Generation Wild of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, $900,000 to Montezuma Land Conservancy in partnership with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
Over the next five years, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT) will partner with Montezuma County organizations to offer outdoor programs that connect Tribal youth and families in Towaoc to traditional lands and cultural knowledge. The initiative seeks to address long-standing education, economic, and health disparities by fostering cultural connection, intergenerational learning, youth leadership, and career pathways in the outdoors. The Ute Mountain Ute Recreation Center will serve as the hub, offering programs with partners such as Kwiyagat Community Academy, UMUT Higher Education, Sleeping Ute Diabetes, Medicine Horse Center, and Southwest Conservation Corps. Planned activities include K-5 field trips to culturally significant sites and high school internships in archaeology, environmental science, and outdoor leadership. To ensure sustainability and community trust, Tribal staff will lead programs with Elders and cultural leaders, Tribal transportation will support participation, and a steering committee of partners and community members will guide strategy.
Generation Wild Pikes Peak Region, $1,200,000 to the City of Colorado Springs
Launched in 2017, Generation Wild of the Pikes Peak Region helps kids and families of all backgrounds reconnect with the outdoors through free or low-cost programs that spark curiosity, confidence, and environmental stewardship. The coalition brings together more than a dozen partners, including Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Kids on Bikes, RISE Southeast, and Mile High Youth Corps. Programs range from nature camps, after-school activities, and family events to paid internships and leadership opportunities for teens and young adults. With new GOCO funding, the coalition will strengthen connections with families at community centers and Title I schools, expand career pathways, and create multilingual programs shaped by local steering and advisory councils.
Get Outdoors Leadville!, $1,500,000 to Lake County
Launched in 2015, Get Outdoors Leadville! (GOL!) has connected thousands of youth and families in Lake County to culturally informed outdoor experiences. The coalition is led by Lake County Government and Cloud City Conservation Center, with partners including the Lake County School District, USDA Forest Service, and local nonprofits. GOL! offers summer camps, family festivals, a robust gear library, and bilingual programs, while ensuring equitable access through sliding-scale tuition, transportation, meals, and childcare. The coalition also fosters year-round connections to nature through school-based learning, leadership opportunities, and paid teen positions that open pathways to outdoor careers. With support from this new GOCO grant, GOL! will transition to become part of Lake County’s parks and recreation department, strengthening sustainability and expanding access through scholarships, staffing, gear repair, bilingual safety training, and grassroots outreach guided by promotores (community connectors).
Montezuma Inspire Coalition, $2,100,000 to Montezuma Land Conservancy
Launched in 2015, the Montezuma Inspire Coalition (MIC) has connected thousands of youth in Cortez, Mancos, Dolores, Towaoc, and surrounding areas to outdoor experiences that build environmental stewardship, community health, and resilience. Led by Montezuma Land Conservancy, with partners including Dolores River Boating Advocates, High Desert DEVO, Medicine Horse Center, and others, MIC offers school field trips, summer camps, family activities, and conservation-focused programs. The coalition also partners with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to provide Tribal youth with programs that strengthen connections to the outdoors and cultural traditions. With new funding, MIC will expand career pathway programs, its gear lending library, youth conservation crews, and initiatives in agriculture and mental health.
My Outdoor Colorado (MOC), $2,000,000 to the City of Denver
For over a decade, My Outdoor Colorado (MOC) has connected thousands of youth and families in Denver’s Cole and Westwood neighborhoods with outdoor recreation, nature-based learning, and career pathways. Through partners like Denver Parks and Recreation, Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver, and ViVe Wellness, the coalition offers programs such as field trips, summer camps, and after-school activities; experiences like camping, fishing, hunting, and climbing; family stewardship projects; and gear rentals. With new GOCO funding, MOC will expand bilingual and culturally responsive programming, strengthen family engagement, and revitalize its youth advisory council. Community Connectors will guide program design and delivery, while partnerships with groups like Therapists of Color Collaborative will ensure greater access from families across Denver.
Nature Connection, $1,400,000 to Delta County
Founded in 2017, Nature Connection engages about 3,600 students each year in outdoor education, summer camps, school programs, and career pathways, in partnership with Delta County School District, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, and others. Programs are co-designed with youth and community members. The coalition’s trail crew, “The Wilder Bunch,” helps build more accessible recreation spaces in the region, and 60-70 teens per year enter paid internships as bike technicians, counselors, and program leaders. Families and kids are engaged with activities like biking, water sports, climbing, and backpacking, supported by a widely used gear lending library. With this new GOCO funding, The Nature Connection will sustain staff, expand internships and family programs, and increase engagement with Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities.
Nature Kids Boulder County, $2,349,283 to the City of Lafayette
Launched in Lafayette in 2016, Nature Kids/Jóvenes de la Naturaleza (NKJN) works to eliminate barriers to outdoor experiences for low-income and Latino families through culturally relevant, community-led programs. With more than 20 partner organizations, NKJN reaches over 7,200 youth and family participants annually across Lafayette, Boulder, and Longmont through environmental education, outdoor recreation, family programs, school field trips, and paid youth internships in stewardship. Guided by youth advisory boards and promotores (community connectors), programs are offered in English and Spanish with support such as childcare, meals, transportation, and gear. With new funding, NKJN will expand countywide while maintaining neighborhood-level connections, strengthen leadership among local partners, and introduce new offerings such as archery, fly-fishing, outdoor climbing, and equine therapy.
Sheridan Inspire, $1,585,466 to the City of Sheridan
For the past five years, Sheridan Inspire has connected youth and families in Sheridan to the outdoors through bilingual, multi-generational, and culturally responsive programs, building strong ties with immigrant and refugee communities. Led by Groundwork Denver with 12 partners, including Earth Force, Mile High Youth Corps, and South Suburban Parks and Recreation, the coalition offers summer camps, bike adventures, and garden workshops, while also creating pathways to leadership and outdoor careers through its Green Team and an apprenticeship with local bike shop Lucky to Ride. With new funding, Sheridan Inspire will expand programs, support professional development, and strengthen sustainability through initiatives like immersive camping trips, horticultural wellness workshops, and restoration projects. A new full-time bilingual community connector will further deepen outreach within schools and neighborhoods.
San Luis Valley Generation Wild, $2,000,000 to the City of Alamosa
Launched in 2015, San Luis Valley Generation Wild has connected thousands of youth from Alamosa to Creede with free or low-cost outdoor experiences in education, recreation, leadership, and career development through a coalition of 12 local organizations. The coalition provides transportation, gear rentals, and culturally relevant programs such as stewardship projects, hiking, biking, fly fishing, climbing, youth clubs, and wellness activities, alongside paid internships and job training in outdoor fields. With new funding, it will expand family-focused programming, launch a gear library, grow youth leadership and professional development opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and increase access for underserved community members.