A historic $600,000 grant from SCI Foundation and SCIF Sables is helping Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation bring outdoor and conservation education to more classrooms nationwide.
For many students, a classroom lesson may be their first real introduction to wildlife, conservation, hunting and the outdoor skills that connect people to the natural world. Through a historic $600,000 grant to Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF), Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) and SCIF Sables are helping make that introduction possible for thousands more young people across the country.
The grant, the largest single donation in OTF’s history, helped expand the organization’s Outdoor Adventures program to roughly 800 additional schools in 2026. That growth means more students will have access to hands-on lessons that build practical outdoor skills while deepening their understanding of wildlife conservation and responsible outdoor recreation.
Outdoor Adventures is a K-12 curriculum designed to bring outdoor education directly into schools. The program covers hunter education, archery, fishing, wildlife identification, orienteering and responsible outdoor practices, giving students a foundation in both outdoor skills and the conservation principles that support healthy wildlife populations.
The partnership directly supports SCIF and SCIF Sables’ commitment to conservation education and engaging the next generation in the outdoors.
“The future of conservation depends on young people having the opportunity to understand wildlife and experience the outdoors,” said W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of Safari Club International Foundation. “This investment is about giving more students that opportunity and helping them understand the connection between responsible hunting, conservation and healthy wildlife populations. By educating and inspiring young people today, we are helping build the conservationists of tomorrow.”
Since its founding in 2009, OTF reports that Outdoor Adventures has introduced more than 1.25 million students to the outdoors. Today, the program reaches approximately 270,000 students across all 50 states and into Canada, making it one of the most far-reaching school-based outdoor education efforts in North America.
Through this grant, SCIF and SCIF Sables are helping ensure more young people have the opportunity to build confidence outdoors, understand wildlife management and develop an appreciation for the natural resources they may one day help protect.
“Every child who discovers the outdoors has the potential to become a lifelong champion for wildlife and wild places. Education is at the heart of SCIF Sables’ mission, and we are proud to support Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation in opening doors for more young people to experience the wonder of nature, embrace the traditions of responsible hunting, and carry the promise of conservation into the future.” said Irene Dudley-Hanlon, President of Sables.
For SCIF, investing in conservation education is more than support for a classroom curriculum. It is an investment in the future of wildlife, wild places and the next generation of conservationists who will carry that responsibility forward.
Since its founding in 2009, OTF reports that Outdoor Adventures has introduced more than 1.25 million students to the outdoors. Today, the program reaches approximately 270,000 students across all 50 states and into Canada, making it one of the most far-reaching school-based outdoor education efforts in North America.
“We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with SCIF and SCIF Sables to address the ever-increasing threat of societal disconnectedness from wildlife, wild places, and our outdoor heritage” said Dr. Keith Tidball, Executive Director of the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation. “It is not a surprise or coincidental that a world leader in conservation such as the SCI family has demonstrated this kind of incredible generosity and vision. We look forward to using this historic grant to grow dramatically in multiple domains to continue getting kids outside.”
Through this grant, SCIF and SCIF Sables are helping ensure more young people have the opportunity to build confidence outdoors, understand wildlife management and develop an appreciation for the natural resources they may one day help protect.
