Five Sandoval County organizations will share $192,153 in state grants to provide outdoor education programs for youth from low-income families and tribal communities.
The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s Outdoor Recreation Division announced Tuesday that it awarded $2.2 million to 61 programs statewide from its Outdoor Equity Fund. The programs are expected to serve more than 22,000 young people across New Mexico.
Sandoval County recipients include:
- Adaptive Sports Program New Mexico, $32,153
- Earth’s Birthday Project (Celebrate Planet Earth), $40,000
- Jemez Community Development Corporation, $40,000
- NACA Inspired School Network, $40,000
- Pueblo of Jemez, $40,000
The grants come from a record-breaking application pool of 140 requests totaling $4.9 million in the first round of fiscal year 2026 funding.
“We will host up to 80 participants on a four-night, five-day camping trip, with Jemez Enterprises covering 100% of the costs,” said Chaz Rose of Jemez Community Development Corporation, which will partner with its summer youth camp. “This Outdoor Equity Grant will fund the program’s expenses for the first two years and will ensure that our Native youth have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor recreational activities regardless of their financial background.”
The Outdoor Recreation Division said 40 of the awarded programs include workforce development components designed to connect youth with outdoor careers. Recipients will contribute more than $1.7 million in matching funds.
The Outdoor Equity Fund was established in 2019 as a first-of-its-kind program to provide equitable outdoor access for New Mexico youth. The grants support programs offering hands-on outdoor education, with special emphasis on serving 14 tribal communities across the state.
All camping equipment, food and transportation will be provided for participants in the Jemez program, Rose said.
The Sandoval County Tourism Alliance, which includes the towns of Bernalillo and the villages of Corrales, Cuba and Jemez Springs, along with tribal tourism entities, expressed support for the awards.