Grants

With support from Toyota Motor North America, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is pleased to announce $150,000 in grant funding to make public lands more accessible and enjoyable for Americans of all abilities.

When the system of public lands in the United States was first created, its mission was to “preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and beauty...for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” Today, land management agencies are tasked with the ongoing challenge of preserving ecologically and historically important sites—while making sure that they remain accessible to all segments of the population, including people with disabilities (From NEEF’s Public Land Engagement Guide: https://www.neefusa.org/conservation/public-lands-engagement/activity-guides/focus-on-accessibility-guide).

According to the Centers for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html), 61 million Americans are living with a disability and 26% of adults in the US have some type of disability. The National Park Service conservatively estimates that a minimum of 28 million visitors with disabilities from all over the world visit national parks annually. Making sure that everyone truly has access to our shared public lands and waters is an ongoing challenge, supported by activists, outdoors organizations, and land management agencies themselves. NEEF, among other organizations, is committed to making the environment more accessible, relatable, relevant, and connected to people’s daily lives.