Fall Conference: Tuolumne County, Sept 15 - 17

Conference Partners

 

 

Outdoor Outreach

Each year through its Outdoor Outreach program OWAC provides a number of mini-grants ranging from $250 to $500 to registered California non-profit, outdoor-oriented groups.

These grants are intended to help fund specific projects to protect, defend, support and/or improve the atmosphere and enjoyment of the outdoors for the people of the State of California.

Recent Outdoor Outreach grant recipients include:

  • Solano Land Trust — To be used for their Rush Ranch Nature Center. The Nature Center is located on a 1200-acre working ranch adjacent to the Suisun Marsh. The Center is used for docent-led school programs, an equestrian carriage driving program for the disabled, a Nature Series of talks, and through a number of interpretive exhibits that explain ranch history, Patwin Native Americans, and natural resources. An estimated 10,000 people per year visit the Rush Ranch.
  • Disabled Sports USA Far West — Statewide organization established in 1967 to reintroduce people with mental or physical disabilities to the world of outdoor recreation. A $500 OWAC Outreach Grant was provided to replace outdated life vest and safety equipment for their summer program.
  • Access Adventures — To provide folding cots for people with disabilities that cannot camp on the ground. The organization takes four wilderness adventure trips per year to remote areas of California: Los Padres Forest, Fort Hunter-Liggett, Lassen/Plumas County, Humboldt County and the Sierra’s. They take people with mobility challenges (including volunteers that are disabled) and at-risk-youth on these trips. In addition, they invite local people with disabilities to join on the rides.
  • Y explore Yosemite Adventures — To purchase camera equipment for their outreach photography program. The program teaches photography to disadvantaged inner city youth in the setting of Yosemite National Park. The program is held in conjunction with Inner City Outings (ICO) and under the umbrella of the Sierra Club Foundation.
  • Kaweah Fly Fishers — To be used in conjunction with the Mickey Powell Memorial Foundation for the Trout in the Classroom program at the Three Rivers Union Elementary/Middle School. Various classroom resources, including DF&G approved curriculum materials, will be purchased.
  • John Garcia Foundation — To purchase supplies needed to take students into the field, i.e., day packs, notepads and teaching materials.
  • Lopez Lake Kids' Fishing Clinic — To purchase approximately two years worth of supplies needed for free fishing clinics at Lopez Lake.
  • Tiburon Salmon Institute, Tiburon, CA — To purchase testing equipment used by children to test the water in local streams.
  • UPSAC Goleta Pier Angler Center — To provide funding for the California Fishing Passport Program (two years) and additional rod and reel purchases to use with the free fishing clinics.
  • Acorn Soupe — To be used for youth program to connect kids in the Napa and Sonoma area with nature projects.
  • Yosemite Outdoor Adventures (educational arm of Yosemite Association)—To help publish a course catalog on the various programs they offer.

To apply for an Outdoor Outreach Grant, print and complete the application and send to Alexia Retallack, Outdoor Outreach Chair, P.O. Box 7895, Auburn CA 95604 — or contact Alexia directly by email.