FRIENDS OF OUTDOOR SCHOOL
PO BOX 82684, PORTLAND, OR 97282 www.friendsofoutdoorschool.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: FRIENDS OF OUTDOOR SCHOOL IS DEDICATED TO INCREASING STUDENT ACCESS TO OREGON OUTDOOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INSPIRE YOUTH, AND PROMOTE PERSONAL GROWTH. FRIENDS OF OUTDOOR SCHOOL HELPS PROVIDE THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL RESIDENTIAL, FIELD-SCIENCE EXPERIENCE TO ALL OREGON STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF INCOME, EXPERIENCE, ABILITY, OR FAMILY BACKGROUND. WE DO THIS BY RAISING FUNDS, BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND GATHERING AND SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS.

IMPROVING ACCESS TO OUTDOOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN OREGON

PROGRAM AND PLACE NETWORK - DURING THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR, FRIENDS OF OUTDOOR SCHOOL (FODS) MET WITH DOZENS OF OUTDOOR SCHOOL (ODS) PROGRAMS AND SITES TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND PRIORITIES. FODS HOSTED THE FIRST-EVER ODS PROGRAM & PLACES CONFERENCE IN JANUARY OF 2020. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND CLOSING OF SCHOOLS, OUR FOCUS SHIFTED IN MARCH 2020 TO IDENTIFYING AND CONNECTING ODS PROGRAMS AND SITES TO FINANCIAL AND EXPERT RESOURCES. FODS CREATED A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY TO USE TO CREATE SAFE REOPENING GUIDELINES SPECIFICALLY FOR ODS. FODS HELPED OUT-OF-STATE PROGRAM PROVIDERS HAVE A VOICE IN DECISIONS ABOUT RESTRICTIONS ON MEASURE 99 FUNDING. FODS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH ODS PROGRAMS TO EXAMINE HOW TO RECRUIT AND MAINTAIN SKILLED STAFF AND HOW TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS OF ODS STAFFING. FODS ALSO PROVIDED SUPPORT AND CONNECTIONS FOR NEW ODS PROGRAMS AND SITES TO PLAN FOR HOSTING AND EDUCATING OREGON STUDENTS ONCE IT IS SAFE FOR STUDENTS TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING. FODS SUPPORTED AND COACHED ODS SITES IN ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY ABOUT SUMMER CAMP CLOSURES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. CAMPS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING APPROVAL FOR FAMILIES TO RENT THEIR CAMP FACILITIES IN SOCIALLY-DISTANCED GROUPS. FODS SUPPORTED ODS PROGRAMS AS THEY MOVED THEIR CURRICULUM TO COMPREHENSIVE DISTANCE LEARNING. COMMUNITY NETWORK - FODS WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING WITH DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF ODS, EVEN OFFERED REMOTELY, TO STUDENTS THROUGHOUT OREGON. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE STATE BUDGET NEEDED TO BE REALLOCATED. COMMUNITY ADVOCATES ATTENDED VIRTUAL LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS, MET WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE MULTIPLE TIMES, MET INDIVIDUALLY WITH DOZENS OF LEGISLATORS, AND PROVIDED TESTIMONY FOR VIRTUAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS ABOUT BUDGETS. BECAUSE OF ADVOCACY EFFORTS, ODS ENDURED ONLY A 5% BUDGET CUT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, MUCH LESS THAN MANY OTHER STATE PROGRAMS ENDURED. FODS ALSO LINKED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES TO THEIR LOCAL ODS PROGRAMS AND SITES, ENCOURAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL ODS PROGRAMS AND SITES, AND GUIDED PARENTS AND TEACHERS ON HOW TO GET ODS PROGRAMS IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SCHOOL SUPPORT - FODS ACTIVELY WORKS WITH SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SUPPORT THEIR FUNDRAISING WORK, INCLUDING SUPPORTING SCHOOL-BASED VOLUNTEERS, PROMOTING TO OUR NETWORK THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS/DISTRICTS DIRECTLY, PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, MANAGING FUNDS, AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS. FODS ALSO RAISES FUNDS FROM GOVERNMENTS, FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO HELP SEND STUDENTS TO OUTDOOR SCHOOL. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2020, FODS GATHERED MORE THAN $1 MILLION FROM INDIVIDUAL DONORS, CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS, FOUNDATION GRANTS, AND AGENCY CONTRACTS TO SUPPORT SENDING STUDENTS TO OUTDOOR SCHOOL. MOST OF THESE FUNDS WERE CONTRIBUTED TO, AND CONTRACTED DIRECTLY WITH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EDUCATION SERVICE DISTRICTS. FODS EXPLORED WHY SOME 5TH/6TH GRADE STUDENTS, DESPITE STATE FUNDING, ARE NOT ATTENDING ODS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS. WHEN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE, FODS HELPED ODS PROGRAMS MEET WITH THE DISTRICTS THEY SERVED TO START TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT WHY STUDENTS ARE NOT ATTENDING ODS. FODS EXAMINED THE BEST WAYS TO SUPPORT ODS PROGRAMS TO RECRUIT AND ENGAGE HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS. FODS ALSO CHAMPIONED OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR STUDENTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR STATE FUNDING. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE OUTDOOR SCHOOL PROGRAM - FODS PROVIDED A VARIETY OF EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT FOR THE OSU EXTENSION OUTDOOR SCHOOL PROGRAM INCLUDING:*SUPPORTING OSU EXTENSION OUTDOOR SCHOOL IN SHARING INFORMATION WITH DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT THE CONTINUED NEED FOR MEASURE 99 FUNDS, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC;*WORKING WITH OSU EXTENSION OUTDOOR SCHOOL TO MEET WITH OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY, OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS SAFE REOPENING OF ODS AND HOW ODS CAN BE A RESOURCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS HOSTING OUTDOOR LEARNING;*SHARING INFORMATION WITH THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ABOUT HOW TO APPLY FOR AND NAVIGATE STATE FUNDING;*ADVOCATING FOR MEASURE 99 FUNDING TO BE USED AS GRANTS FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROJECTS;*CONNECTING THE OUTDOOR SCHOOL COMMUNITY WITH THE KEY CONTACTS AT OSU EXTENSION;*COMMUNICATING PROGRAM DATA TO DECISION-MAKERS AND SHARED CONSTITUENCY AND STAKEHOLDERS;*MANAGING STIPENDS FOR LOW-INCOME COMMITTEE PARTICIPANTS;*COHOSTING OVER 30 VIRTUAL GATHERINGS TO HELP ODS PROGRAMS AND SITES THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CLOSED SCHOOLS, TRANSITION TO COMPREHENSIVE DISTANCE LEARNING, AND ACCESSING AND SECURING FINANCIAL RESOURCES;*SUPPORTED OSU EXTENSION REGARDING A POLICY ABOUT MEASURE 99 FUNDING OF OUT-OF-STATE PROGRAM PROVIDERS;*PARTNERING WITH OSU EXTENSION TO CREATE A GUIDE FOR HELPING SITES TO LEARN HOW TO SET FEES.

STUDENT LEADER SCHOLARSHIPS - OUTDOOR SCHOOL STUDENT LEADER SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO VOLUNTEER AS COUNSELORS FOR MULTNOMAH EDUCATION SERVICE DISTRICT OUTDOOR SCHOOL. SIX STUDENTS WERE AWARDED A TOTAL OF $5,000 IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2020.

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