Between them, the projects will deliver over 1,300 days of outdoor activities in six different countries.

Launched in 2017 by the It’s Great Out There Coalition, the #itsgreatoutthere grants programme helps community based projects which take new participants into the outdoors, with a particular focus on younger and more diverse audiences. Each project that is supported by a grant uses IGOT’s Outdoor Activity Days (OAD) model. OAD are targeted physical activity interventions in nature, designed to get citizens active, sustainably, inclusively and responsibly. They are aligned to the latest World Health Organization guidelines on physical activity and are delivered by outdoor professionals, meeting a clear set of criteria. By the end of 2022, the coalition had invested over €125,000 through #itsgreatoutthere grants, supporting 44 projects in 10 countries, directly involving almost 6,500 individuals.

 YAMBI uses the mountains to build ties between locals and refugees in France

IGOT received 37 applications for the latest round of #itsgreatoutthere grants and after a thorough assessment of each project, a shortlist was presented to coalition members from which to select their preferred options. The eight successful projects are from Hungary, France, Croatia, Austria, Ireland and the UK. From orienteering and outdoor based climate workshops, to rock climbing and family adventures in nature, the 2023 #itsgreatoutthere grants will support a wide range of activities over the months ahead, getting people from many backgrounds active in the outdoors. 

 Rock climbing with Urban Uprising in the UK

The eight projects are:

• O-School / Oriented in schools - inclusion of orienteering in schools’ education (by Sibaris Club, Hungary)
• Building ties between locals and refugees through mountaineering outings (by YAMBI, France)
• Involving children and their parents in outdoor activities through sport climbing (by SPK Tuhobić, Croatia)
• Urban Uprising Outdoor (by Urban Uprising, UK)
• Venture Beyond (by Olive Academies Foundation, UK)
• Hot Planet - Cool Athletes, Mountain sports for everyone (by Protect Our Winters Austria, Austria)
• Outdoor Family Experiences (by Venture Out Wilderness Project CLG, Ireland)
• Tuhobic orienteering trophy (by Mountaineering Association Tuhobić, Croatia).

 Sibaris Club Introduces orienteering to young people in Hungary

More details about the #itsgreatoutthere grants programme and the successful 2023 applicants can be found at Grass roots projects across Europe secure #itsgreatoutthere grants to get more people active in the outdoors - It's Great Out There Coalition.

Margo de Lange, secretary general of the It’s Great Out There Coalition, comments: “Once again this year, it has been a really tough job to select the successful projects. There were some excellent applications from across Europe and I was grateful to our coalition members who helped identify the initiatives that will now receive funding. We’re really looking forward to receiving updates from each grant recipient and hearing about the positive impacts of their work. Crucially, we also hope that their stories will inspire even more people to explore the outdoors.”

For more information about the It’s Great Out There Coalition and the #itsgreatoutthere campaign, visit www.itsgreatoutthere.com.