Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors is proud to announce it has received a $200,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. This is the largest single grant or gift in the organization's 24-year history and will fuel the expansion of its nationally recognized outdoor mentoring program into Pennsylvania. The award will accelerate Outdoor Mentors' growth across the Northeast and East Coast, bringing its proven model of connecting youth with volunteer mentors to one of America's most storied conservation states.
The grant will support the organization's expansion into the Commonwealth, connecting youth with trained volunteer mentors who will introduce them to safe, ethical hunting, fishing, and conservation through hands-on outdoor experiences. The new program will focus on removing barriers that prevent many young people from participating in outdoor traditions, providing access to mentors, landowners, equipment, and organized hunting and fishing opportunities. The Pennsylvania program is expected to begin organizing mentored hunting and fishing opportunities later this year.
"We are deeply grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation for their investment in Pennsylvania's youth and outdoor heritage," said Dr. Scott Petrie, CEO of Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors. "This generous support allows us to build a sustainable mentoring program that will connect young people with caring adult mentors while fostering a lifelong appreciation for hunting, fishing, wildlife conservation, and our natural resources. Just as importantly, time spent outdoors helps young people build confidence, develop leadership and life skills, improve their physical and mental health, and form meaningful connections with the natural world that can positively influence them for a lifetime."
Pennsylvania is home to one of the nation's richest hunting and fishing traditions and has long been a leader in wildlife conservation. With more than one million licensed hunters, among the highest totals in the nation, the Commonwealth embodies the intergenerational values that Outdoor Mentors was founded to protect and pass forward. The new Outdoor Mentors program will work alongside local conservation organizations, landowners, volunteers, government agencies, and community partners to create meaningful outdoor experiences for youth across the state.
Through its proven mentoring model, Outdoor Mentors recruits and trains volunteer mentors who guide youth through safe, educational hunting and fishing experiences. In addition to learning outdoor skills, participants develop confidence, responsibility, leadership, and a stronger connection to nature while gaining an understanding of the important role hunters and anglers play in funding wildlife conservation. At a time when youth are increasingly disconnected from nature, the organization's programs help counteract Nature Deficit Disorder by promoting time outdoors, physical activity, and a deeper understanding of wildlife conservation and where food comes from.
"This expansion represents an exciting milestone for our organization," Petrie added. "Pennsylvania's strong conservation community and outdoor traditions make it an ideal place to grow our mission. Together with local partners, we'll help ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to experience the outdoors and become lifelong stewards of our wildlife and natural resources."
About Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors: Founded in 2002, Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing mentored hunting and fishing opportunities to youth who would otherwise lack access to the outdoors. Through a structured, safety-focused model, trained volunteer mentors guide young people from diverse backgrounds through hands-on experiences that build confidence, responsibility, and life skills. Many of the youth served lack access to land, equipment, outdoor knowledge, or a family hunting and fishing tradition. By removing these barriers, Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors fosters lifelong connections to wildlife and conservation while helping recruit the next generation of hunters and anglers — the primary funders of wildlife conservation in North America. The organization currently operates programs across multiple states and is working toward its goal of providing mentored hunting and fishing opportunities in at least 40 states and Canada within the next four years. For more information, visit www.outdoormentors.org.
About the Richard King Mellon Foundation: Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation's 2025 year-end net assets were $3.3 billion, and its Trustees in 2025 disbursed more than $167 million in grants and program-related investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.