Recipients of the Outdoor Education and Recreation Grant Program Announced
The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Nevada Outdoor Education and Recreation (NOER) grant program. Created in 2019 by the Nevada State Legislature and funded for the first time in 2023, the NOER grant program is designed to enhance access to Nevada's natural spaces and support outdoor education and recreation opportunities statewide.
The program’s second annual grant cycle received 57 applications and nearly $1.2 million in requested funding. Following a competitive review process, the Advisory Board on Outdoor Recreation (ABOR) and Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation staff selected 21 projects to receive awards totaling $250,345.24. These awards include 9 microgrants of $7,500 or less and 12 Tier II grants of up to $25,000, with programs ranging from urban beekeeping to various camp experiences.
In the first two years of the NOER program, the $500,000 allocated by Assembly Bill 128 during the 2023 legislative session has supported 45 projects, reaching students in all 17 Nevada counties. This program represents a significant step in advancing youth outdoor access across the state.
See table below for breakdown of funding:
|
Organization Name |
Project Summary |
Award |
|
Nevada Outdoor School |
Summer and school year outdoor programming for Northern NV rural students. |
$25,000 |
|
River Wranglers |
Experiential environmental education through field days and classroom presentations. |
$25,000 |
|
YMCA of Southern Nevada |
Monthly field trips to public lands in an after-school program. |
$25,000 |
|
Stead Elementary School |
5th grade two-night leadership camp with Project Discovery. |
$20,462 |
|
St. Jude’s Ranch for Children |
Sibling reunification camp for kids in foster care. |
$18,000 |
|
Tahoe Rim Trail Association |
Youth Backcountry Camps with partner organizations. |
$ 17,921.74 |
|
Great Basin Foundation |
Field trips and virtual opportunities to experience Great Basin National Park. |
$15,000 |
|
NICA North |
An outreach program to introduce new youth to cycling. |
$14,000 |
|
Johnston STEM Academy |
STEM field trips and school garden programming. |
$10,000 |
|
Girl Scouts of Sierra Nevada |
Outdoor badge experiences for staff-led troops in low-income communities. |
$10,000 |
|
Walker Basin Conservancy |
A year-round outdoor education program expansion with the Boys & Girls Club. |
$10,000 |
|
Lahontan Conservation District |
Garden programming for rural students |
$9,510 |
|
John F. Miller School |
A greenhouse garden program for students who rely on wheelchairs. |
$7,500 |
|
Desert Heights Elementary School |
Fifth grade attendance at Great Basin Outdoor School for four days. |
$7,500 |
|
Skiing is Believing |
Winter and Spring Break snow sports trips. |
$7,500 |
|
City of Reno |
Aquatic Ecosystems Exploration Initiative. |
$6,702.05 |
|
Galloway Elementary School |
A weekly garden club for elementary students. |
$6,477 |
|
Great Basin Outdoor School |
Classroom, field trip, and overnight camp experiences for 5th graders at Lake Tahoe. |
$3,816.37 |
|
Lahontan Audubon Society |
Washoe Lake birdwatching and aquatic macroinvertebrate field trips. |
$3,992.70 |
|
Urban Roots |
Science field trips scholarships for schools to the Urban Teaching Farm. |
$3,816.38 |
|
Black Girls Hike |
A beekeeping project for Las Vegas youth. |
$3,147 |
For more information about the Nevada Outdoor Education & Recreation grant program, contact Kendal Scott, Outdoor Education Lead at k.scott@ndor.nv.gov or visit https://dcnr.nv.gov/divisions-boards/ndor/grants/nevada-outdoor-education-and-recreation-grant-program