Rising Routes strengthens the outdoor access ecosystem by building alongside the leaders already doing transformative work in their communities. With three Colorado organizations, that has meant meeting each one where they are and contributing in ways that match the scale of what they are building. Together, their stories offer a clearer picture of what our mission looks like in action.
Beast Fingers Climbing
Aman Anderson grew up in Orlando, where climbing was not part of his world. He discovered the sport in his 20s, and what started as a sketch on a napkin became a clear vision: a climbing gym in an underserved community where kids could find a sense of belonging, build real skills, and compete at the highest levels. That was the beginning of Beast Fingers Climbing, one of the few Black-owned climbing gyms in the country, based in Lakewood, Colorado, creating a space where young people in his community can access not just the sport, but mentorship, structure, and a broader sense of possibility.
When Colorado’s Outdoor Equity Grant Program needed legislative support, Rising Routes worked alongside him to prepare to testify on its behalf, recognizing the significant impact the program had on its ability to inspire and open up access to the outdoors for hundreds of thousands of underserved youth and families in Colorado.
Hearing his inspiring story sparked an idea. Beast Fingers Climbing was positioned to benefit from the Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Program, and Rising Routes had the capacity and expertise to help Aman pursue it. Working through the application process together from start to finish, Aman’s organization secured funding that is now supporting the indoor and outdoor climbing training, connecting youth in his program to a climbing community where they can build skills, confidence, and overall well-being.
Rising Routes continues to identify mission-aligned organizations where we can provide the capacity to help them secure critical programmatic funding, ensuring the burden of finding and applying for grants is shared, not shouldered alone.
“Rising Routes helped me secure critical programmatic funding by building the systems, knowledge, and capacity needed to access resources often out of reach for community-based organizations.” – Aman Anderson, CEO
Camping to Connect
Manny Almonte founded Camping to Connect around a clear and necessary purpose: expanding access to the outdoors for young men of color by creating spaces for connection, mentorship, and meaningful outdoor experiences. When he set out to host the first Black to the Outdoors event in Colorado, Rising Routes helped bring it to life, working alongside him on the operational and logistical side so he could focus on the community he was building it for. With an overwhelming number of people in attendance at its inaugural event, the room was overflowing. Connections to community and belonging were being formed, inspiring the vision for what was to come.
Because of its success, Manny decided to expand the event the following year, and Rising Routes took on a larger role in our partnership by coordinating logistics and fundraising so the event could reach a wider audience. The goal was always bigger than a single evening. It was about giving Manny’s work the visibility it deserved, connecting it to funders and collaborators who could help take it further, and building relationships with the potential to grow into something more lasting. Next year, we’re thinking even bigger, with a goal of over 500 attendees.
“Finding genuine business partnerships was challenging when I first moved to Colorado, but Rising Routes helped create a sense of community — expanding my capacity, opening doors to funders, and amplifying my business through collaboration.” – Manny Almonte, Founder and CEO
Full Circle Expeditions
Phil Henderson founded Full Circle Expeditions with a vision of what outdoor access can look like when it is taken seriously for communities that have historically been left out. His work in Colorado includes community programming that brings young people into the outdoors through mentorship and school outreach, as well as a rural repair program that teaches practical skills and self-sufficiency. He also led the 2022 Full Circle Everest expedition, which made history as the first all-Black team to summit Mount Everest. All of Phil’s work is rooted in the same commitment to expanding who gets to experience the outdoors and on what terms.
Rising Routes and Full Circle have been in partnership for several years. Rising Routes has worked to connect Full Circle’s work to wider audiences, including through the Black to the Outdoors event this past February, and the two organizations have developed a workforce development framework together that is designed to build outdoor career pathways and support future funding that neither organization could have pursued alone. Rising Routes and Full Circle Expeditions have also collaborated on grant applications to leverage funding in support of Colorado communities.
While the workforce development framework is not yet being used in the field, it provides a strong foundation for future programming. What exists now is a working alignment between two organizations that are actively reshaping how outdoor access and opportunity get built and funded.
“Rising Routes is not a transactional partnership, but a trusted, reciprocal relationship that leans into collaboration-sharing ideas, identifying opportunities and resources, and growing together.” – Philip Henderson, Executive Director
If you are an outdoor education or recreation provider and want to explore what a working relationship with Rising Routes could look like for your organization, filling out our partner interest form is the place to start. As a 501(c)(3), Rising Routes relies on your support to strengthen the research, infrastructure, and coordination that help outdoor providers thrive. Donate today.