Expanding Outdoor Access: SheJumps' No Child Left Inside Grant
- Emma Renly
- Feb 26
- 3 min read
From skiing down the slopes to learning how to tie a bowline, SheJumps is a firm believer that a connection to nature and participation in outdoor activities have the power to transform.
To help further the mission, SheJumps was awarded the No Child Left Inside grant in 2023, the largest single grant received by the organization to date. Managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the program aims to fund organizations that eliminate barriers to outdoor access and recreation activities for youth, particularly those historically underserved and underrepresented.
“The No Child Left Inside grant directly enables us to get more kids outdoors and learn outdoor skills,” said Robyn Gelfand, National Program Director. So far, the funding has been able to support 129 youth participants to engage in over ten different events and activities, from Junior Ski Patrol, to Get the Girls Out, to after-school programming.
While the grant was awarded in late November 2023, SheJumps officially kicked things off in early January 2024. This included establishing a Washington-based Program Coordinator role, and SheJumps was fortunate to have Katie Smith step into the position.
“I was really excited for the opportunity to get involved with SheJumps and work on programming to make outdoor recreation more accessible to underserved communities,” Katie said. She had been introduced to the nonprofit through the SheJumps Snowpack Scholarship, through which she received an AIARE 2 Scholarship.
“Because of this grant, we've been able to expand the scholarship offerings of our existing SheJumps youth programming in Washington and also build new programming for partner organizations,” added Robyn. This includes a partnership with Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA), an organization based in Puget South that provides wraparound social services to families. The organization runs two after-school youth programs in South Seattle.
“Our Program Coordinator, Katie, has done a great job partnering with ReWa and aligning SheJumps programming with the curriculum themes that they already had in place,” Robyn said. “We believe that by incorporating SheJumps programming into the existing curriculum, the educational outcomes were strengthened, and the experience was even more meaningful and fun for the kids.”
Classroom sessions have included knot tying, paracord bracelet-making, nature yoga, and an experiential Leave No Trace lesson led by Katie, a certified Leave No Trace instructor.
Katie explained that finding a solid partner was essential to expand their reach. “I was lucky to connect with ReWA and find a lot of overlap in our goals and values,” she said. “I am so appreciative of their team, how welcoming they've been to me, and their trust in myself and SheJumps.”
For a field trip during a ReWA geology lesson, SheJumps partnered with The Mountaineers Seattle Program Center to provide a rock climbing lesson for the youth. The organization has many community offerings to introduce youth to outdoor recreation and was quick to say ‘yes,’ to sharing its expertise and rock climbing venue.
“It was the first time any of the youth had sport climbed and they were all very excited about how high they could go!” remarked Katie. “I think what stood out most to me was watching students go from uncertain to confident over the span of just a few hours. All the students pushed themselves and tried something new, so it was a very successful trip.”
SheJumps has received two other state-funded grants, including a 2023 grant from the City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska, for direct costs related to youth events. This past year, the organization also received a grant from the state of New Mexico Outdoor Equity Fund to support youth programming in New Mexico.
SheJumps increases the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities. Partnering with nature, SheJumps creates educational outdoor experiences for girls and women that nurture growth and transformation. SheJumps is an inclusive organization. We welcome all women and girls—transgender and cisgender, as well as non-binary people.
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