The Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership

The Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership is a collaboration of leading national organizations working across sectors to ensure that all children have access to high quality outdoor experiences and environmental education. We have come together to advance state-level policies that support getting kids outside everywhere they live, learn, work and play. We are engaging our existing networks, which collectively include over 1,000 legislators in every state in the U.S. and more than 5,000,000 grassroots advocates for environmental and outdoor education and recreation. Together, with you, we are creating a new, powerful national outdoor engagement policy strategy.

C&NN envisions a future in which all children play, learn and grow with nature in their everyday lives. To achieve that vision, we are leading an international movement to increase equitable access to nature so that children and natural places can thrive. We power the movement by investing in leadership and communities through: 1) sharing evidence-based resources, 2) scaling innovative solutions, and 3) driving policy change. 

The mission of NAAEE is to use the power of education to advance environmental literacy and civic engagement for a more equitable and sustainable future. We work with educators, policymakers, and partners throughout the world. Our work is based on more than five decades of research about what motivates individuals, organizations, and communities to learn, take action, and create positive societal change.

Created by and for state legislators, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is a nonprofit that organizes over 1,000 environmentally-committed state legislators from all 50 states and both parties. NCEL provides venues and opportunities for lawmakers to share ideas and collaborate on environmental issues.

In 2017, a group of long-time conservation advocates and friends from Las Cruces, New Mexico came together. Tired of being tokenized in conservation and outdoor recreation spaces, they worked to create opportunities for Latinx/Hispanic borderland community members to engage with, access, and learn about public lands and waters. Two years later, Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project formally established itself as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and began to spearhead state and national-level policy work.

Meridian Institute builds understanding, guides collaboration, and drives action to address our world’s complex challenges. Meridian Institute serves as the backbone and facilitator for the Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership, bringing partners together to build a shared vision and support aligned activities to advance youth outdoor engagement policies.