Idaho schools, government entities and nonprofit organizations have until 5 p.m. Mountain Time on October 30 to seek grants of up to $2,500 for projects that connect children with outdoor recreation and natural-resource education. The 2026–27 Be Outside, Idaho grant cycle opened Tuesday, giving applicants one month to assemble a project plan and required support materials.
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation announcement says the program can support teachers, librarians, daycare facilities and other groups that help children spend time outdoors. Formal awards go to Idaho schools, governmental entities and nonprofit organizations whose projects fit the program’s mission of connecting children with nature “from backyards to mountaintops.”
The most important budget condition is that the grants are reimbursement-only. Recipients must finish their project and submit a complete report, including photographs and supporting records, by June 4, 2027 before receiving funds. The current notice excludes transportation, entrance fees, food, school track or gym rentals, permanent staff salaries, and T-shirts or promotional materials. It does allow short-term specialists who are central to a project, such as interns, Master Naturalists or other trained experts involved in research, fieldwork, outreach or education.
That structure means applicants should plan cash flow before applying. A project that depends on buses, admission charges or meals cannot shift those expenses into the grant, while a school or nonprofit seeking equipment, educational supplies or short-term technical help should explain exactly how those purchases advance outdoor learning. The state notice does not identify a total funding pool or number of expected awards, so applicants should not assume that every qualifying request will be funded.
The program’s official website confirms the October 30 deadline and says the coalition has awarded more than $32,000 for projects from 2022 through 2025. Examples shown there include outdoor education, family recreation and nature-based learning. A separate state grant overview lists earlier recipients such as canoe science camps at Lake Lowell, an elementary school garden project, an eagle-watching trip and a middle-school leadership camp, illustrating the range of activities previously supported across Idaho communities.
Be Outside, Idaho is part of the Idaho Recreation and Tourism Initiative, a coalition of state and federal agencies and nonprofit partners. Idaho Parks and Recreation’s teacher-resources page describes the broader coalition as more than 100 organizations working to connect young people with outdoor opportunities statewide.
Applicants should use the current application linked from Be Outside, Idaho rather than the older application still displayed on some archived state pages. The September 29 notice instructs applicants to submit the completed materials by email to IDRecreationTourism@gmail.com. Before sending, organizations should confirm that every narrative section and attachment is complete, that the budget excludes ineligible costs, and that the project schedule allows reporting by June 4.
