Recreation & Sports

Mission/Giving Statement: The Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. Founded in 1991, the Access Fund supports and represents over 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock, ice, mountaineering, and bouldering.

Grantmaking Program Areas: Climbing Management; Mobilization; Stewardship & Conservaton; Land Acquistion & Protection;  Education

Grantmaking Program Areas Descriptions: 

Climbing Management Policy: The Access Fund works with federal, state and local officials; local climbing organizations; and land managers to develop and guide climbing management policies for public and private lands.

Local Support & Mobilization:  When a local climbing access issue occurs, the best line of defense is always the local climbers who are familiar with the area and the issues. That is why a critical piece of the Access Fund’s work is encouraging, organizing, and supporting local climbers to join together. Each local climbing organization adds to the strength and voice of our climbing community. The Access Fund helps to pull these individual organizations together into a grassroots network that not only increases climbers’ influence on national policy issues, but acts as a channel for extending climbing advocacy and stewardship work.

Stewardship & Conservation: Envisions a world where climbers are seen as stewards of the land versus simply “users” of the land. To this end, we advocate for a balance between recreational access and environmental conservation, and we encourage climbers to respect and honor the places and policies where they climb.

Land Acquisition & Protection:  Many climbing areas across the U.S. are either located on, or require access across, private property. When access is threatened or when a narrow window of opportunity presents itself, the climbing community must act swiftly to protect valuable climbing resources and environments. For this reason, the Access Fund provides resources for direct acquisitions, easements and other land conservation tactics.

Education: Educational work is a vehicle for building the capacity of individual climbers and local climbing organizations, empowering them to protect the lands they climb on. Our goal is to mainstream the climbing access mission through educational offerings that span the breadth of the Access Fund’s focus—from effective pubilc and private land management practices, to writing a climbing management plan, respecting and lessening impact on the climbing environment, political activism strategies, stewardship and conservation guidance, how to start a successful local climbing organization, and information about what's going on in your backyard. The Access Fund also works to educate public and private  land managers and policy makers on the mechanics and culture of climbing, risk management, and how to lessen impact.

Applications Instructions: Grant application instructions online; E-mail applications to [email protected].

Application Instructions: 

Mail Request to:

Award Committee

401 West Taylor

Hobbs, NM 88240

Materials to include: Nominations from principals in the Hobbs Municipal School District

Deadline: End of school year in question.

Restrictions or limitations: Individual recipients must be full-time teachers in the Hobb community. Non-profit organization recipients must be qualified for an exemption for federal income tax purposes under section 501 (c) (3) and meeting the foundation's general purposes.

Mission/Giving Statement:  To allocate funds to organizations and groups whose purpose and continuing work is in the area of health and fitness through sports.

Types of Funding/Funding Restrictions:  Grants are limited to organizations that serve the state of New Mexico.  Other restrictions are listed online. 

Application Instructions:  Grant instructions and application available online.

Mission/Giving Statement: The Foundation's mission is to reduce the incidences of obesity and type 2 diabetes and advance the lives of Native American youth. To this end, the Foundation supports the development of evidence-based sports and wellness programming primarily in the forms of soccer and golf, which can serve as a vehicle to both improve the health of Native American youth as well as foster leadership and community development.

Grantmaking Program Areas: Sports; Health & Wellness

Grantmaking Program Area Descriptions: 

Sports: Supports the development of sustainable sports programming for Native American youth. The Foundation's goals is to help promote the development of quality sports programming designed to increase opportunities and access for physical activity and to competitive sports in schools and tribal communities.

Health & Wellness: Supports strategic initiatives and sustainable programming designed by Native Americans to address grave issues such as obesity and diabetes impacting Native American youth. The goal is to support advocacy, education and capacity-building within tribal programs that can make a profound and lasting difference in the health and wellbeing of Native American youth. 

Types of Funding/Funding Restrictions: The Foundation will not consider proposals in which it would serve as the sole source of funding. It will not fund individual scholarships.

Application Instructions: Submit a proposal including an application narrative (not to exceed two pages), proposal summary report, and supporting documents. See website for more information and deadlines. 

Mission/Giving Statement:  To position New Mexico as a national leader in the energy and natural resources areas for which the Department is responsible.

Grantmaking Program Areas/Divisions:  Energy Conservation & Management; Forestry; Mining & Minerals; State Parks; Youth Conservation Corps

Grantmaking Program Areas/Divisions Descriptions:

Energy Conservation & Management:  Develops and implements effective clean energy programs- renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, clean fuels and efficient transportation- to promote environmental and economic sustainability for New Mexico and its citizens.

Forestry:  New Mexico State Forestry has stuatory responsibilites for wildfire suprression on all non-federal, non-municipal, non-tribal and non-pueblo lands.  NMSF also provides technical advice on forest and resource management to private landowners based on their objectives.  NMSF also participates in NM Re-Leaf, Tree New Mexico and other similar programs.

Mining & Minerals: Promotes the public trust by ensuring the responsible utilizations, conservation, reclamation and safeguarding of land and resources affected by mining.

State Parks: New Mexico has 35 diverse State Parks which offer family-friendly settings, endless recreational opportunities and hundreds of special events and educational programs each year.

Youth Conservation Corps:  Provides a process to employ youth in public projects.  Participants learn employment skills, work ethics, as well as self-discipline and self-esteem.

Type of Funding/Funding Restrictions:  See specific RFP for type of funding and funding restrictions.

Application Instructions:  See specific RFP for application guidelines.

Mission/Giving Statement: The Tony Hawk Foundation seeks to foster lasting improvements in society, with an emphasis on supporting and empowering youth. Through special events, grants, and technical assistance, the Foundation supports recreational programs with a focus on the creation of public skateboard parks in low-income communities. The Foundation favors programs that clearly demonstrate that funds received will produce tangible, ongoing, positive results.

Grantmaking Program Areas: Skateparks in Low-Income Areas

Skateparks in Low-Income Areas:  The Foundation primarily considers skatepark projects that:

• Are designed and built by qualified and experienced skatepark contractors.
• Include local skaters in the design process.
• Are in low-income ares, and/or areas with a high population of "at-risk" youth.
• Can demonstrate a strong grassroots commitment to the project, particulary in the form of fund-raising.
• Have a creative mix of street obstacles and transition/vert terrain.
• Don't require skaters or their parents to sign waivers.
• Encourage skaters to look after their own safety and the safety of others.
• Are open during daylight hours, 365 days a year.
• Don't charge an entrance fee.
• Are in areas that currently have no skateboarding facilities.

Types of Funding/Funding Restrictions: The Foundation's grants are highly competitive. If your proposed skatepark is not located in a low-income area, if you are not able to illustrate strong community and grassroots support for the project, and if you project does not meet the criteria listed on the Foundation's website, you are unlikely to receive a grant from the Foundation.

Application Instructions: Eligibility questionnaire and grant application instructions are available online.

Mission/Giving Statement: To engage citizens of New Mexico of all ages and backgrounds in community based service to address the state's human, educational, environmental, public safety, health, housing, and other needs. To increase opportunities for civic engagement (volunteerism, community service, service learning, and civic participation).

Grantmaking Program Areas: Civic Engagement Activities

Type of Funding/Funding Restrictions:  See individual grants for eligibility and restrictions.

Application Instructions: Grant application instructions are online and vary for each grant. 

Notes: Contact the New Mexico Commission for Community Volunteerism for additional information.

Mission/Giving Statement: As a recreation-based non-profit organization, American Hiking Society champions conservation issues, builds partnerships between public and private stakeholders, and provides critical resources to plan, fund and develop foot trails.

Grantmaking Program Area: National Trails Fund

Grantmaking Program Area Descriptions:

National Trails Fund: American Hiking Society's National Trails Fund is the only privately supported national grants program providing funding to grassroots organizations working toward establishing, protecting and maintaining foot trails in America. 

Type of Funding/Funding Restrictions: The Fund has awarded grants to grassroots organizations all over the nation for land acquisition, constituency building campaigns, and a variety of trail work projects.  

Application Instructions: Grant application and instructions available online.