.png)
Dawson Metcalf Joins Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Board, Bringing LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Announces Appointment of LGBTQ+ Advocate to Outdoor Equity Grant Fund Board to Expand Access for Underrepresented Communities... The Complete CPW Press Release Follows...
New board member brings LGBTQ+ advocacy experience to Colorado's Outdoor Equity Grant Program
DENVER — Today, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the selection of Dawson Metcalf to the Outdoor Equity Grant Board. The board, created by the passage of House Bill 21-1318, increases access to Colorado’s outdoors with investments in organizations that provide outdoor recreation, conservation education, and career opportunities through the Outdoor Equity Grant Program (OEGP).
The OEGP looks forward to Metcalf’s representation as the latest board member appointed to the seat designated for someone personally impacted by and with experience working in equity who identify as LGBTQ+. Metcalf will serve a four-year term on the board.
Board members are selected through an open and public application process. After careful consideration, Metcalf was formally appointed by CPW Director Jeff Davis and Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
“We're thrilled to welcome Dawson Metcalf to the Outdoor Equity Grant Board and excited about the valuable LGBTQ+ advocacy, workforce training and natural resources experience he will bring to the board,” said Gibbs. “Diverse perspectives are essential to the Outdoor Equity Grant program’s mission and I’m excited to see continued growth and impact of the board with this new addition.”
"Equity in the outdoors isn’t just about access; it’s about representation, voice, and belonging. I’m thrilled to see Dawson Metcalf join the Outdoor Equity Grant Board and bring his lived experience and leadership to this critical work,” said Colorado State Representative Junie Joseph, D-Boulder. “His appointment strengthens our commitment to making Colorado’s natural spaces inclusive for all communities, especially those who have historically been excluded."
The board administers the OEGP and awards up to $4 million in grants annually to organizations or applicants that engage youth up to age 25 and their families from underrepresented communities by providing equitable access to Colorado’s parks, outdoor recreation, conservation activities, career exploration, and job training. The traditionally excluded communities served by this program include Black, Indigenous, and people of color, American Indian and Native, LGBTQ+, those with disabilities and low-income individuals.
“I am grateful for all of the recent applicants and members of the Outdoor Equity Grant Board who advise Colorado Parks and Wildlife in making Colorado more equitable, inclusive, and accessible,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “I’m looking forward to Dawson’s future contributions in helping us fulfill our mission to protect wildlife, maintain our state parks, and create sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that inspire all Coloradans to become stewards of our natural resources.”
About Dawson Metcalf:
Dawson Metcalf (he/him) is the Director of Enterprise for the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University, where he leads initiatives advancing workforce development, strategic partnerships, and inclusive practices across the conservation and outdoor recreation sectors. With over a decade of experience at the nexus of conservation leadership, global development, equity and community engagement, Metcalf brings a unique perspective rooted in both his professional expertise and his lived experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
He has held leadership roles and committee positions with a number of organizations, including Friends of Lory State Park, the City of Fort Collins’ Natural Resources Advisory Board, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s Outdoor Workforce Consortium, the Diversity Joint Venture for Careers in Conservation and CPW’s Partners in the Outdoors Conference. Metcalf’s work is grounded in the belief that equitable access to the outdoors is essential to building a resilient and just conservation future—one that ensures all Coloradans, especially those from historically marginalized communities, have the opportunity to meaningfully engage with and benefit from the state’s natural resources.
For more information about the Outdoor Equity Grant Program, visit cpw.state.co.us/outdoor-equity-grant-program.
___
The OEGP is funded with Colorado Lottery proceeds and allocates funding through grants for initiatives that focus on increasing access to the outdoors for youth and families from communities that are traditionally underrepresented in outdoor recreation and conservation. For more information, visit cpw.state.co.us.
