Outside Las Vegas Foundation

GET OUTDOORS NEVADA IS DEDICATED TO CONNECTING PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND AGES TO NEVADA'S DIVERSE OUTDOOR PLACES THROUGH EDUCATION, SERVICE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND COLLABORATION.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: SINCE 2018, GON HAS PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE THROUGH STEWARDSHIP AND BEAUTIFICTION PROJECTS THAT PROTECT AND ENHANCE OUR PUBLIC LANDS, PARKS AND TRAILS. IN 2021, GON CONTINUED TO ENGAGE WITH CORPORATE GROUPS, SERVICE CLUB LEADERS, FAITH GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS VIA TARGETED OUTREACH AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUED TO FOLLOW GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC AND THE NEVADA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND WERE ABLE TO NEARLY DOUBLE OUR VOLUNTEER EVENTS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, DOING SO IN A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MANNER. IN 2021, WE HOSTED 98 VOLUNTEER EVENTS, ENGAGING 3,855 VOLUNTEERS RESULTING IN 8,539 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: IN RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CONTINUING RESTRICTIONS ON IN-PERSON OUTREACH AT THE OUTSET OF 2021, GON CONTINUED TO INVEST IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS, BY OUR MOST EFFECTIVE AND POPULAR ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD NATURE, OUTDOORS FOR ALL, MINDFULNESS, WHAT'S IN BLOOM TRAIL SPOTLIGHTS AND OTHERS. IN 2021, GON CONTINUED TO SERVE AS THE PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER FOR LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA AND WE CONTINUED TO AMPLIFY THE BUSINESS VOICE IN SUPPORT OF THE OUTDOORS AND OUR PUBLIC LANDS THROUGH THE NEVADA OUTDOOR BUSINESS COALITION.

EDUCATION: 2021 WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR AS MANY OF OUR IN-PERSON EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO BE IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR, WE MAINTAINED OUR FOCUS ON VIRTUAL EFFORTS AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS TO MAKE THESE PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO AS MANY PARTICIPANTS AS POSSIBLE. OUR NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS), MOJAVE MAX, MEET YOUR MOJAVE, AND NATIVE HABITAT PROGRAMS WERE DELIVERED VIA A COMBINATION OF VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON FORMATS, DEPENDING ON PARTNER NEEDS AND RESTRICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, WE DELIVERED 300+ PROGRAMS TO 6,000+ YOUTH IN 2021. OUR NEVADA NATURE KIT PROGRAM ALSO CONTINUED TO PROVE POPULAR, SO WE DEVELOPED ADDITIONAL OUTDOOR AND NATURE RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THE KITS INCLUDED ENGAGING LESSONS ON POLLINATORS, LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES, DESERT CONSERVATION, AND RESOURCES FOR RECREATING SAFELY. MORE THAN 850 KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAS VEGAS LIBRARY DISTRICT AND CLARK COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTERS.