New YOGI grants open more doors to outdoor learning for Nevada youth

Nevada has opened a new 250,000 dollar round of Youth Outdoor Growth and Innovation (YOGI) grants to expand outdoor education and recreation for youth 18 and under. This matters because it helps more young people access safe, structured time outside, from trails and school gardens to hands-on science and leadership programs.

What is Nevada’s YOGI grant program and what just changed for 2026?

Nevada’s Youth Outdoor Growth and Innovation program is a statewide funding effort that helps young people spend more time learning and playing outside. The program is administered through the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and is backed by a 500,000 dollar biennial appropriation. On August 3, 2026, the state announced a fresh 250,000 dollars in competitive grants for projects that serve youth age 18 and under. This new round builds on the first wave of funding that started in 2024 and has already helped outdoor partners all over Nevada.

What makes this year’s announcement especially important is a clear expansion in what the funds can support. In addition to field trips, camps, and programs, eligible projects can now include outdoor recreation infrastructure. That might mean safer access points to parks, new shade structures near sports areas, or upgraded equipment that makes outdoor time more inclusive for youth with different abilities. Applications for this round are due October 5, 2026, with awards expected to roll out beginning in December. For youth advocates in the Las Vegas Valley, this is a time sensitive, concrete chance to grow outdoor access in our desert communities.

• New 250,000 dollar grant round open statewide for youth outdoor projects
• Supports youth age 18 and under through outdoor learning and recreation
• Now includes outdoor recreation infrastructure as an eligible category
• Application deadline is October 5, 2026 for projects starting in 2027

How much impact have YOGI grants already had on Nevada youth?

In just a short time, the YOGI program has delivered a measurable boost to outdoor experiences for young people across Nevada. Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has supported 64 different projects led by schools, nonprofits, and community agencies. Together, those projects have reached nearly 28,000 youth and created more than 290,000 hours spent outdoors. That is the equivalent of thousands of school days worth of nature based learning, recreation, and mentoring time.

For youth in Clark County and throughout the state, those hours can mean the first time hiking a real trail, testing water quality in a local stream, learning to camp safely, or practicing teamwork on an outdoor challenge course. The scale of the numbers also sends an encouraging message to families. It shows that when the state invests, local partners step up with creative programs that meet youth where they are. As this second round comes online, the hope is not only to add more hours, but to deepen quality so that outdoor time supports mental health, academic curiosity, and stronger community connections.

• 64 youth outdoor projects funded since 2024
• Nearly 28,000 Nevada youth have participated so far
• More than 290,000 cumulative hours spent outdoors
• Projects range from science learning to recreation and leadership

Why outdoor education matters for Nevada youth in cities and rural communities

For youth growing up in Nevada, outdoor spaces are more than scenery. They are classrooms, gyms, quiet places to recharge, and stages for leadership. Research from across the country consistently links regular time outside to better focus in school, lower stress, and stronger social skills. In a state that includes both the Las Vegas metro area and wide open rural counties, equitable access to these benefits is not automatic. Transportation barriers, program costs, and a lack of safe nearby green space can keep many children indoors.

Programs funded by YOGI grants have the power to bridge those gaps. By supporting everything from schoolyard improvements to field based science programs, the grants help turn the outdoors into a resource that belongs to every young person, not just those whose families can afford travel or gear. For youth in the Las Vegas Valley, structured outdoor experiences can also offer a healthy alternative to risky free time, especially during evenings and weekends. When youth explore a canyon trail with a caring mentor or plant a garden at a community center, they experience themselves as capable problem solvers who are connected to their home landscape.

What kinds of projects can YOGI funding support and who can apply?

The YOGI program is intentionally flexible so that communities can design projects that fit their local landscape and culture. Eligible applicants typically include schools, tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations that work with youth. Projects must directly serve young people 18 and under and be rooted in outdoor education, outdoor recreation, or both. In previous rounds, this has included hiking and camping programs, school and community gardens, outdoor science classes, and leadership programs that use nature as the setting.

This year, the addition of infrastructure as an eligible category widens the field of what is possible. Think of projects like new shade and seating around a school playground, equipment for adaptive sports, trail improvements that make it easier for youth groups to access public lands, or outdoor classrooms that turn a patch of campus into a living lab. Strong proposals will usually show how youth voices are involved in planning, how safety will be managed in outdoor conditions, and how the experience connects to longer term learning or health goals. Community partners in Las Vegas and beyond can use this moment to team up and design projects that are both inspiring and realistic in scope.

• Schools and school districts serving Nevada youth
• Tribal governments and tribal youth programs
• Local governments and parks or recreation departments
• Nonprofit organizations focused on youth, education, or outdoor recreation

How families and youth advocates can help bring YOGI projects to life

Even though YOGI applications are submitted by organizations, families and youth advocates play a key role in shaping what actually gets funded. Parents, caregivers, and mentors are often the first to see where outdoor opportunities are missing. That might be a neighborhood without safe walking routes to a park, a school that lacks shade and seating, or a youth group that wants to explore Nevada’s public lands but has no bus access. Sharing those needs with local schools, city recreation staff, or trusted nonprofits can spark project ideas that turn into competitive grant proposals.

Young people themselves can also lead. When youth speak at a school board meeting, help collect surveys, or join a planning committee, they show funders that a project is grounded in real experience. In Las Vegas, that might look like teenagers helping design a desert wise outdoor learning space that includes water saving plants and art that reflects their neighborhood. Community members who have professional skills in teaching, outdoor leadership, design, or maintenance can offer to volunteer or consult as projects take shape. By coming together across roles, we can make sure this state investment translates into daily, meaningful outdoor time for youth in every zip code.

1. Ask your child’s school or afterschool program if they are aware of the YOGI grant opportunity and encourage them to explore a project idea that would benefit students.
2. Talk with youth in your life about what outdoor spaces or activities they wish they had access to, and share those ideas with local educators or youth organizations as potential grant concepts.
3. If you work with a nonprofit or community group, review the YOGI eligibility guidelines and start gathering partners, budgets, and youth input before the October 5, 2026 deadline.
4. Offer your skills as a volunteer, whether that means helping supervise outdoor trips, assisting with trail or garden maintenance, or supporting grant writing and outreach efforts.
5. Connect with city or county parks staff to learn where outdoor infrastructure improvements are most needed for youth, and see how a YOGI proposal could help move those projects forward.
6. Help spread the word by sharing information about the YOGI grants with other families, mentors, and youth leaders in your network, especially in neighborhoods that often get overlooked.
7. Plan to participate in evaluation once a project is funded by filling out surveys or offering feedback so that future YOGI rounds continue to grow in impact and equity.
8. Partner with local youth focused organizations like Nevada Youth Alliance to align YOGI funded outdoor experiences with mentoring, leadership development, and academic support for young people.

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