Building Stronger Roots
Challenge
Washington State is uniquely suited for youth outdoor engagement through abundant natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities, a strong network of outdoor schools, the practice of environmental education in schools, and an ethos of philanthropic and policy support for youth development. Historically, however, there has been no official coordinating body for all of the hundreds of organizations and agencies that help Washington State youth develop lifelong connections to the outdoors.
Action
In the spring of 2022, LBC Action led a discovery process assessing barriers and opportunities related to greater collaboration among the many organizations working to connect Washington State youth to the outdoors. The findings and resulting conclusions of that discovery process were detailed in a report titled Building Stronger Roots, published by Philanthropy Northwest. As a follow up to the report, LBC Action facilitated a forum where BIPOC-led organizations discussed ways to improve collaboration amongst themselves and discuss best practices for funder-grantee relationships.
Impact
The insights published in "Building Stronger Roots" have helped to put BIPOC leadership at the forefront of the youth and outdoors movement in Washington State and contributed to the growing evidence that BIPOC-led organizations need to be setting the table for strategic collaborations that bring together philanthropy, policy, and programming. The impact of the report was highlighted in a December 2023 blog that appears on the Philanthropy Northwest website.
Partners
Services
- Stakeholder Strategy
- Landscape and Discovery
