About National Recreation Foundation
The National Recreation Foundation increases access for young people to play, explore, learn, and grow in the outdoors.
Focus Areas
youth development through recreationoutdoor educationphysical activity programsaccess to greenspacegrantee capacity building
Who They Fund
children and adolescents (youth)underrepresented/low-access youth populations
Funding Style
direct program supportaccess/equity-focused fundingyouth-specific program grants
Topics
About National Recreation Foundation
National Recreation Foundation Incorporated concentrates on youth development through recreation, with a grantmaking pattern built around outdoor access, play, and nature-based learning. Its recent awards show a clear preference for organizations that create entry points into outdoor recreation for children and adolescents, especially those from underrepresented or low-access communities. The foundation also uses its funding to support programs that can be strengthened, replicated, or expanded, including work that pairs recreation with outdoor education and physical activity. Among the larger recent grants, YMCA of Greater Seattle received $127,000 in 2024 for equitable access to youth outdoor recreation programs. Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles received $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024, with one award tied to outdoor recreation programs for youth and the later award tied to equitable access. Other major awards went to Latino Outdoors, Environmental Law & Policy Center, and Muddy Sneakers, each for youth outdoor recreation or equitable access purposes. That mix suggests a funder that supports both direct program delivery and access-focused efforts across a national field of youth-serving recreation organizations.
What National Recreation Foundation Funds
Outdoor recreation is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s recent grants. Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles received $100,000 in 2023 for outdoor recreation programs for youth, while Community Nature Connection received $30,000 in 2023 for the same purpose. The funder also backed First Tee - North Florida with $30,000 in 2023 for outdoor recreation programs for youth. Equitable participation is another recurring theme. In 2024, Muddy Sneakers received $96,408 for equitable access to youth outdoor recreation programs, and Urban Adventure Squad received $30,000 for that same purpose. The foundation also funded Khmer Community of Seattle King County for equitable access work. The portfolio includes organizations that connect recreation with broader youth development and community capacity, such as New Urban Arts, serving as fiscal sponsor for Movement Education Outdoors, which received $30,000 in 2024 for equitable access to youth outdoor recreation programs.
How National Recreation Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile, with larger awards reserved for Impact Grants, Outdoor Grants, and Special Grants that can reach $50,000 to $100,000. The recent list also shows repeated support to some recipients across more than one year, including Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Harlem Grown Inc, Detroit Horse Power, YMCA of Greater Seattle, and Catalina Island Conservancy. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF and does not make program-related investments. Its active grant programs are not open to unsolicited applications; Trustee Grants and Special Grants are tied to board recommendation, and Special Grants are typically connected to a track record of successful Trustee Grants.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.2M
Total Assets
$56.4M
Total Revenue
$3.3M
Total Expenses
$3.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $30K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$30K
Geographic Reach
National37 states funded
About 9% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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