Over the last two school years, Y.E.T.I. has expanded its reach, serving more young people than ever before. Thanks to our collective efforts, we now support 9 weekly school sites and run over 160 outdoor trips annually, benefiting more than 400 young people each year with meaningful time in nature.

A big chunk of our growth was fueled by funding from the Youth Violence Prevention Program, Outdoor Learning Grant (OLG), and No Child Left Inside (NCLI) initiatives from the state of Washington. Despite our advocacy over the last couple of months, it appears that this funding, totaling approximately $200,000, about 30% of our budget, will NOT be available to support Y.E.T.I. in the upcoming school year.

This is a significant setback and presents a considerable challenge in maintaining our current level of programs. Despite this reality, Y.E.T.I. remains committed to delivering exceptional outdoor programs and maintaining outdoor opportunities next school year. We have built a strong foundation of staff and infrastructure, and we are supported by a dedicated coalition of supporters, schools, corporate partners, and families who recognize that:

In the face of the environmental crisis, rising mental health concerns, attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and widespread uncertainty, young people need outdoor adventure more than ever. The world needs more Y.E.T.I., not less.

Over the next several months, we’re celebrating this year’s successes and calling upon the Y.E.T.I. community to help us secure the funding necessary to deliver our programs for the 2025–2026 school year and overcome this funding setback.