Twelve non-profits awarded new grants to expand access to state parks for fourth graders and their families

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Twelve non-profit organizations became the inaugural recipients of the Adventure Pass Grants Program which improves access to outdoor experiences for fourth graders at participating state parks.

The California State Park Adventure Pass program grants free entry for fourth graders and their families at 19 state parks, but issued with access can limit the programs impact.

“State programs like the California Adventure Pass encourage fourth graders and their families to explore our state’s extraordinary park system and reap the benefits of spending time outdoors by reducing the financial burden on parents and caregivers,” said First Partner of California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “I’m so grateful to the incredible organizations partnering with us to further minimize potential hindrances and expand access to California State Parks for more fourth graders and their families through transportation vouchers, free activities and programming, and multilingual resources.”

The 12 non-profit recipients are:

• Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project, serving East Oakland in the Bay Area and facilitating visits to Jack London State Historic Park and Samuel P. Taylor State Park
• California Outdoor Recreation Foundation, serving the Diablo Range area and facilitating visits to Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area
• Central Coast State Parks Association, serving the Central Coast and facilitating visits to Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History
• Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association, serving the Inland Empire and facilitating visits to Chino Hills State Park
• Lowell Community Development Corporation, serving the Central Coast, Santa Cruz, Central Valley, and Capital areas and facilitating visits to Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History, Seacliff State Beach, Millerton Lake State Recreation Area, and California State Railroad Museum
• MeWater Foundation, serving the Bay Area and facilitating visits to Samuel P. Taylor State Park
• Nature for All, serving the Inland Empire and facilitating visits to Chino Hills State Park
• Oakland Unified School District / Oakland Goes Outdoors, serving the Bay Area and facilitating visits to Samuel P. Taylor State Park
• San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, serving the Central Valley and facilitating visits to Millerton Lake State Recreation Area
• San Mateo County Libraries, serving the Capital, Bay Area, and Diablo Range areas and facilitating visits to California State Railroad Museum, Jack London State Historic Park, Samuel P. Taylor State Park, and Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area
• Save California Salmon (in collaboration with Blue Lake Rancheria), serving the North Coast Redwoods area and facilitating visits to Sue-meg State Park
• Sierra Club Foundation (fiscal sponsor of Angeles Inspiring Connections Outdoors), serving the San Diego coast area and facilitating visits to Silver Strand State Beach

“These 12 incredible non-profit partners are helping bridge the gap so that more fourth graders can begin a lifelong adventure in parks and experience the diversity state parks offer, creating new memories with their families,” said Armando Quintero, California State Parks Director. “Thanks to the Adventure Pass program and our partners, today's fourth grader can be tomorrow's park leaders.”  

These grants averaged between $11,000 to $33,000 and were awarded to organizations that met eligibility requirements. These awards are estimated to help around 1,200 fourth graders and 2,700 family members access state parks this year.