In a devastating development for the communities served by Generation Wild of the Pikes Peak Region (GWPPR), the program will cease receiving funding from a major Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant at the end of this calendar year. This funding stop will occur because Catamount Institute withdrew from its role as the backbone agency in the GWPPR coalition granted the GOCO funding.
GWPPR has been funded entirely by GOCO with Colorado lottery proceeds. The fiscal agent has been the City of Colorado Springs, and it was formerly led by Catamount Institute as the “capacity holder” responsible for coordinating the coalition and running the Generation Wild program. GWPPR is one of many Generation Wild communities statewide.
The GOCO grant awarded GWPPR $1.2 million for 2026-2030. This funding was to supplement the organizations in the GWPPR coalition serving economically vulnerable or underrepresented populations in efforts to get youth and their families outdoors – specifically, Southeast Colorado Springs and Title 1 schools in District 2 and District 11.
In response to a request for comment, the City of Colorado Springs wrote in an email that “on April 7, 2026, Catamount Institute notified the City of Colorado Springs that they are unable to continue as the backbone agency (capacity holder) … due to other pressing organizational needs. Catamount Institute’s role … ended on May 6, 2026.”
Without a capacity holder, GWPPR was no longer eligible for GOCO funding.
Catamount Institute did not respond to requests for comment.
GWPPR coalition members include Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Kids on Bikes, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Springs Community Centers, UpaDowna, YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Mile High Youth Corps, Fountain Creek Watershed District, the Southeast RISE Coalition, and Hillside Connection.
Programs funded by Generation Wild included Sand Creek trail projects, efforts to get youth and families out camping, hiking, and backpacking, as well as maintaining gear lockers for community use.
Prior to their 30-day notice to the City, Catamount Institute served as capacity holder for the previous grant cycle, expressed their interest in continuing to serve as capacity holder during the grant-making process in 2025 for this 2026-2030 cycle, and was allowed to continue in that role. Catamount Institute’s abrupt exit less than a year into the 2026-2030 grant award period left the coalition with very little time to reorganize around Catamount’s departure.
Program and pathways funding will continue until the end of the year in the amount of $126,000, and cease after Dec. 31, 2026. The City noted that “capacity funding for coordination, staff, and other support (like marketing, communication, outreach, webpage, and social media) ended in May.”
When asked, GOCO described action steps for the community: “This transition creates an opportunity for local partners and community members to come together, assess priorities, and shape a model that reflects current needs. Successful coalitions are rooted in strong local leadership, shared goals, and coordinated partnerships, and the community can work to build up a strong foundation moving forward.”
For a previously underserved area that has seen outdoor programming begin to flourish, this places another barrier in the Southeast in an already nature-deprived community.
Why outdoor access matters
According to the Center for American Progress, nature deprivation disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color, who are statistically less likely to live near parks, safe green spaces, or tree canopies compared to wealthier, white neighborhoods. The Center for American Progress notes, “scientists estimate that every dollar spent on creating and maintaining park trails can save almost three dollars in health care alone – a benefit that is being denied to the most economically distressed communities.”
In Colorado Springs, much like throughout the state and country, outdoor access contributes to better mental and physical health outcomes – but not everyone has the same access.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) Colorado Springs ParkScore Ranking states that “in Colorado Springs, residents in neighborhoods of color have access to 45% less park space per person than the city’s average neighborhood and 71% less than those in white neighborhoods.” (TPL defines neighborhoods of color as those “with the highest concentrations of people who identify as Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, multiple races, or other communities of color.” )
So, what’s next?
The 2026 RISE Southeast Community Health Needs Assessment, conducted by Highroots Wellness and Consulting, identified community needs and barriers, including “shelved initiatives and projects started without proper community input … historically [making] residents wary of outsiders and skeptical of community development.”
This assessment points to the desire for advocacy and improvements through resident-led change based on local community input.
During community listening sessions, RISE found that “the message from residents was clear: outdoor access matters. As families navigate a time of significant reductions in social and health services, access to free and affordable outdoor programming is more important than ever.” Residents cited “cost, transportation, lack of awareness of available opportunities, historical exclusion from outdoor spaces, and concerns about safety.”
The loss of Generation Wild funding raises concerns about how the progress already made will continue. The City points out that “it will be … important to identify a community organization that is willing and able to serve as the required backbone agency or capacity holder.” GOCO has informed the City there is the hope that “a future Generation Wild funding cycle could open as early as 2028.”
In the meantime, local organizations will need to step in, as able, to fill the remaining gaps the loss of more than $1 million of funding leaves. Most of those local organizations have already committed to sustaining the coalition even without GWPPR, such as Deerfield Hills, RISE Southeast, and Blackpackers.
While funding remains uncertain, one thing remains clear: residents want a community-powered coalition led by a capacity holder deeply rooted in the communities GWPPR serves. In that vein, RISE Southeast has focused its coalition efforts on “community capital” – the belief in the resources and power of community members themselves – and has held several listening sessions.
Get involved
The next listening session, a Community Outdoor Access Meeting, will be held Thursday, June 11 from 6-8 p.m. at the RISE Southeast offices (1615 S. Murray Blvd, at NAMI Colorado Springs.) For more information about the meeting, please email RISE Southeast at [email protected].
Patricia Cameron is a 32-year resident of Colorado Springs and the founder and executive director of Blackpackers, a curriculum based, professionally guided outdoor organization aimed at serving economically vulnerable and underrepresented outdoor participants. Her freelance work has appeared in The Denver Post, The Colorado Sun, Backpacker Magazine, and more. Patricia is also the board chair of Food to Power, serves on the TOSC board of directors, and sits on the NOLS advisory council.
