Justice Outside, formerly known as Youth Outside, is a left-of-center environmental advocacy group the operates grant programs and other strategic funding initiatives to promote youth outdoors programs in underserved communities. The organization’s grant program has funded groups including Black Lives Matter Phoenix, the Divest Invest Project, and the Movement Strategy Center. 1
Originally founded as the Foundation for Youth Investment and later renamed Youth Outside, the group rebranded as Justice Outside in 2021, shifting its mission to be more focused on left-of-center racial activism and equity ideology, stating that the renamed organization would plan to “dismantle systemic injustices and build a stronger environmental movement for current and future generations.” 2
Background
Justice Outside was founded in 2011 as the Foundation for Youth Investment, and later was renamed Youth Outside. The original mission of the organization was to facilitate programs that “connect youth to the outdoors.” In 2021, the group renamed itself Justice Outside to align with the group’s shift to focus on grantmaking on left-of-center racial activism, stating that the group’s “ultimate mission” is to advance “racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement” and further stating that “We chose to put the word ‘justice’ front and center because promoting racial justice guides all aspects of our work” and that “we are intentionally working to dismantle systemic injustices and build a stronger environmental movement for current and future generations.” 3
Activity
The primary focus of Justice Outside is to lead the Liberated Paths grantmaking program, which provides grants ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 for organizations throughout the United States that work on issues at the intersection of “racial justice, outdoor experiences, and the environment.” The group gives grants to national organizations and has other grant portfolios covering the California Coast, the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, the Delaware River Watershed, North and South Carolina, and Youth Access to Nature. The group states that its grantmaking prioritizes “Organizations or projects led by and serving Black, Indigenous, and/or Communities of Color” as well as organizations or projects with a budget of less than $1 million and that have limited relationships with larger grantmaking organizations and foundations. 4
The group’s Youth Access to Nature Fund provides funding for children in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in outdoor activities, which was the organization’s original primary focus. 4
In 2024 the group announced that it had secured funding from two California state agencies, the Ocean Protection Council and the California State Coastal Conservancy, to expand its grantmaking efforts along the California coast. The state gave Justice Outside $1.1 million to fund projects up to two years in length at 25 to 30 grant recipients. 5
Organizations that have received grants from Justice Outside include African Youth and Community, Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro, Borderlands Restoration, Brothers on the Rise, Brown Girl Surf, Movement Strategy Center, Pueblo Action Alliance, the Center for Social Sustainability, and Uplift Climate. 1
Groups that have provided funding to Justice Outside include Sustain Us, REI Cooperative Action Fund, the Nathan M Ohrback Foundation, the Progressive Multiplier Fund, and Parks California. 5
PROGRAM – TO SUPPORT YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE FUND GRANTEES. ADVISED – FOR REGRANTING AND GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT OF THE YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE PROGRAM. ADVISED – FOR THE YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE PROGRAM.
PROGRAM – TO SUPPORT YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE GRANTEES WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SO THAT THEY CAN WORK TOWARDS INCREASED SUSTAINABILITY AND OVERALL ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH. ADVISED – FOR THE 2021 EXPLORE-A-THON. ADVISED – FOR THE YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE UNDERSERVED YOUTH WITH EXPERIENCES IN NATURE. ADVISED – TO SUPPORT THE TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE PROGRAM.
provide general operating support to help the organization advance its mission of advancing racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movements
$750,000
2024
Oak Foundation
To support Liberated Paths Grantmaking, a US programme by Justice Outside, that provides financial and capacity-strengthening support for environment leaders in North and South Carolina.
For Liberated Paths, a program providing financial support and capacity building to organizations, initiatives, and projects at the intersection of racial justice and the outdoors
Justice Outside seeks funding for our Liberated Paths Grantmaking program, which provides financial support & capacity building to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led work at the intersection of racial justice, the environment, and the outdoors.
$500,000
2023
StartSmall LLC
Justice Outside advances racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement. Funding will support programs focused on girls’ health and education in the outdoors and environment as part of Justice Outside's Liberated Paths Grantmaking program.
provide general operating support to help the organization support its mission of advancing racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement
$500,000
2022
Oak Foundation
To advance racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement, especially in North and South Carolina.
TO SUPPORT ITS ONGOING REGRANTING EFFORTS TO BAY AREA YOUTH-SERVING GROUPS THROUGH ITS YOUTH ACCESS TO NATURE FUND, ONE OF ITS TWO LIBERATED PATHS REGRANTING PROGRAMS.
