It’s Great Out There Coalition confirms funding

It’s Great Out There Coalition confirms funding to help grassroots projects get people active in nature

International non-profit organisation the It’s Great Out There Coalition (IGOT) has announced details of projects that will receive funding this year. Seven grassroots organisations from around Europe have been awarded #itsgreatoutthere grants for initiatives designed to get more people active in the outdoors. IGOT is providing €25,000 of support for projects in Ukraine, Portugal, France, Norway, Spain and the UK.

Launched in 2017 by the It’s Great Out There Coalition, #itsgreatoutthere grants support grassroots projects by non-profit organisations that are designed to introduce people to outdoor activities, especially those from disadvantaged or more diverse backgrounds. To date, the coalition has supported 61 initiatives through the grants programme, directly involving almost 8,000 individuals. Every organisation that is supported by an #itsgreatoutthere grant follows IGOT’s Outdoor Activity Days (OAD) model, which provide targeted physical activity interventions in nature, that get citizens active, in a sustainable, inclusive and responsible way, and aligned to the latest World Health Organization guidelines on physical activity. Between them, the seven projects that have been awarded #itsgreatoutthere grants in 2025 will deliver 1,261 OAD.

IGOT received 55 applications for the 2025 #itsgreatoutthere grants, which were assessed by the coalition and reduced to a shortlist. IGOT member organisations were then asked to vote for the projects that they believed most deserved support. The seven successful initiatives cover a wide range of activities and will involve participants of different ages and backgrounds. The key common factor is that those involved will all be provided with new opportunities to try outdoor activities, and in many cases will be having their first experiences of time spent in nature.

The seven projects which have received #itsgreatoutthere grants for 2025 are:

• Mountain Days for Children, by Outdoor Learning in Ukraine
• Active Kids, Thriving Forest, by Ludotempo – Associação de Promoção do Brincar, Portugal
• EVERYONE WELCOME, by the Everyone on Boards Foundation, UK
• HOME (Hiking and Outdoor Methodology Exploration), by Madrid Outdoor Education, Spain
• A Helping Hand in Ånderdalen National Park, by Rissa Citizen Science, Norway
• Outdoor Sports: A Free Mind, A Better Life!, by CREPS Rhône Alpes, France
• Snow Camp First Tracks, by Snow Camp, UK.

Margo de Lange, secretary general of the It’s Great Out There Coalition, comments: “Every year, we receive many compelling applications for #itsgreatoutthere grants, and the task of selecting which of them receive funding is always really tough. The high volume of proposals is indicative of the great grassroots work that’s happening across Europe to get people active in the outdoors, and that’s really encouraging.

“The It’s Great Out There Coalition is really excited to back these eight excellent projects. We can only do that thanks to the contributions that we receive from our amazing members and we’re very grateful to them for that, and for all of the additional support that they provide to our work. I am certain that they will be as keen as I am to find out what positive impacts the #itsgreatoutthere grants make during 2025.”

For more information about the It’s Great Out There Coalition and the #itsgreatoutthere campaign, visit www.itsgreatoutthere.com.

Mountain Days for Children

Organisation: Outdoor Learning in Ukraine

Country: Ukraine

Outdoor Learning in Ukraine is an NGO that has been operating since 2018, as a nature adventure club for children aged 4-16. The team there consists of 32, including mountaineers, hikers, cavers, rock climbers, and

biologists. All of the instructors are people with an active lifestyle and considerable outdoor experience. They organise adventure camps (both mountain and city), mountain hikes, rock climbing, rafting, caving, free walks, and more. Outdoor Learning in Ukraine also provides forest days and one-day adventures, working closely with schools and other educational organisations for children. The key idea of the events is the development of personality through harmonious interaction with nature.

Mountain Days for Children consists of one-day outdoor expeditions for young people in the Carpathians, a safe and beautiful natural place, protected from the war and worries of the big world. A lot of Ukrainian children are inactive, and suffering chronic mental health problems as a result of the war, and separation from close members of their families. The chosen location will help children to recharge with the energy of nature, and regain strength.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/Goyra.OutdoorCamp and www.instagram.com/goyra_camp.

Active Kids, Thriving Forest

Organisation: Ludotempo – Associação de Promoção do Brincar

Country: Portugal

Ludotempo works closely with public schools, municipalities, and families to provide innovative educational experiences that connect children with nature, movement, and community engagement. With years of expertise in outdoor education, the organisation designs impactful programmes that blend play, exploration, and environmental stewardship.

This project will activate 100-125 children from underserved communities in Leiria, Portugal, through a full-day outdoor adventure at Mata de Marrazes. Children will run, climb, and navigate the forest, engaging in orienteering, team challenges, and nature exploration. At the same time, they will learn about local biodiversity and human impact on ecosystems. To extend the impact, Ludotempo will engage 50 families in an acorn harvesting event, leading to the germination and planting of 200+ native trees, with 100 families adopting trees for long-term care. This initiative will boost physical activity, strengthen community ties, and transform Mata de Marrazes into an outdoor learning hub for local schools.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/brincarderua and www.instagram.com/brincarderua.

EVERYONE WELCOME

Organisation: Everyone on Boards Foundation

Country: UK

The Everyone on Boards Foundation focuses on young people who face barriers to physical activity, particularly those from low-income and underrepresented communities. Waltham Forest, one of England’s most diverse boroughs, has alarmingly high childhood inactivity rates, with significant gaps in gender, ethnicity, and family income. This programme aims to close that gap by creating inclusive, enriching outdoor experiences. The event will take place at Camp Hillcrest (Forest of Dean), which is a two-acre outdoor site with a skate park, arts education, farm animals, and adventure activities.

Over a weekend, participants will take part in a wide range of activities, including: Communal cooking; skating; forest School (fire lighting, wood chopping, survival skills); environmental workshops; surfing; ocean conservation workshop; and other group activities. Young people will also be introduced to snowboarding at a nearby indoor snow centre, preparing them for a future trip to the Alps, where they will witness first-hand the impact of climate change on glaciers.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/everyoneonboards and www.instagram.com/everyone_on_boards.

HOME (Hiking and Outdoor Methodology Exploration)

Organisation: Madrid Outdoor Education

Country: Spain

Madrid Outdoor Education is born from the desire of a group of people trained and experienced in the fields of education, mountain guiding, developmental cooperation, psychology and social work. Together, they offer continuous and higher quality learning opportunities to young people, from an inclusive and environmentally friendly perspective, especially engaging with those in vulnerable situations.

For the first three months, the HOME project will focus on activities aimed at young migrants at risk of social exclusion, organising two expeditions. Within this group from vulnerable backgrounds, HOME will find youngsters who have arrived recently and are still in the process of finding their place in society, looking for a job or educational opportunities. They face integration difficulties due to cultural barriers, language and economic situations. The second cycle of activities will target women over 55, who have difficulties connecting with nature and are struggling with isolation and loneliness.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/madridoutdooreducation and www.instagram.com/madridoutdooreducation.

A Helping Hand in Ånderdalen National Park

Organisation: Rissa Citizen Science

Country: Norway

Rissa Citizen Science is a Tromsø-based non-profit organisation committed to nature conservation, nature restoration and community engagement. Its mission is to raise empathy for nature through citizen science and result-oriented actions in the wild and in urban environments.

The first grant-supported activity will consist of identifying and mapping wildlife, to fill a knowledge gap that is becoming problematic for the national park’s management. The second activity will consist of restoring nature where it has been damaged by visitors, typically along hiking trails that cross wetlands or alpine tundra, and popular viewpoints. Participants will be people who may not be very active in their daily lives, but remain in good physical health.

The project’s objective is to create a safe and supportive environment where people can take part in meaningful nature conservation efforts. Beyond the clear benefits of physical activity in nature, participating in restoration projects leads to immediate, visible positive outcomes, fostering a sense of belonging and accomplishment.

Find out more at www.instagram.com/rissa_citizen_science.

 

Outdoor Sports: A Free Mind, A Better Life!

Organisation: CREPS Rhône Alpes

Country: France

This project supports young people (16-18 years old) from a reintegration centre, through outdoor sports. By engaging in hiking, caving, and kayaking, participants develop resilience and self-confidence. These activities offer a sense of freedom, helping them release stress, overcome fears, and reconnect with nature. The project is also an opportunity to discuss environmental awareness, as well as physical and mental well-being.

Beyond the physical challenge, it fosters discipline, motivation, and a positive mindset – key elements for social reintegration. Facing challenges underground, on water, and in the mountains, these young people build strength and determination to navigate both nature and life’s obstacles with confidence.

The principle aim of the outdoor camp at the heart of the programme is to experience nature and build teamwork in an outdoor environment. During a five-day long camp, kids aged between eight and 15 will learn rock climbing from experienced instructors, enjoy the thrill of scaling a rock face, build trust and teamwork by belaying their peers, camp under the stars, learn campfire cooking, and hike in the spectacular surroundings of Julian Alps.

Being aware of the increasing sedentary lifestyle of young people, the goal of CREPS is to promote a love of nature, develop teamwork and communication skills, build confidence and self-reliance, create lasting memories, and most importantly, to motivate and teach youngsters how to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/creps.rhonealpes and www.linkedin.com/in/creps-auvergne-rhone-alpes-vallon-pont-d%E2%80%99arc-voiron-lyon-0678a1234.

Snow Camp First Tracks

Organisation: Snow Camp

Country: UK

Snow Camp is a life changing snowsports programme for young people aged 13-21 whoare in need. The project delivers an accredited journey of snowsports courses at snow centres and dry ski slopes across the United Kingdom. The courses take young people from beginner to snowsports instructors in just one year, with volunteering and apprenticeship progression routes available at the end.

Alongside learning to ski or snowboard, young people will also have access to life skills training and mental health support. The #itsgreatoutthere grant will support the entry-level First Tracks course, which takes place in the school summer holidays. First Tracks is a two-day introduction to skiing and snowboarding with life skills sessions. Young people gain a Snow Life Award.

These sessions are designed to help young people reflect upon the skills they are demonstrating on the slopes – perseverance, commitment, listening, teamwork, patience and overcoming fear, as well as how to respond to challenges, deal with peer pressure and set goals for the future.

Find out more at www.facebook.com/SnowCampCharity and www.instagram.com/snowcampcharity.