GOALS Youth River Expeditions

GOALS Youth River Expeditions is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Evergreen, CO which designs river expeditions that transform the future for kids and wild places. We take youth ages 9-18 on week-long rafting trips all over the country and harness the power of wild rivers to foster youth empowerment and improve adolescent mental health. GOALS blends a sophisticated social and emotional learning curriculum with the restorative power of nature, to teach kids how to be stronger, more resilient human beings - all while having a truly epic adventure on the river! 

GOALS mission is rooted in social connection, supported by Social Emotional Learning (SEL) best practices, and executed through high-impact, multi-day wilderness expeditions on some of the most beautiful rivers in the world. Our specialized curriculum, which has been developed through 15 years of guidance from educators, river guides and mental health experts, is curated to address the heightened feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation that plague this generation of kids. 

GOALS objective is to serve children from all socioeconomic backgrounds, but our program fees can limit accessibility for some households (multi-day river rafting expeditions require substantial resources for logistics, safety, and access to remote locations). Through GOALS Financial Assistance Program, we help to significantly reduce or entirely eliminate the out-of-pocket cost to eligible families, allowing for increased accessibility to underserved youth. 

In 2024, GOALS provided $86,000 in need-based financial assistance to make our transformative multi-day wilderness expeditions available to all children. This support directly impacted 40 kids (33% of all 2024 participants) and represents a 28% increase in financial aid awarded over our 2023 season.

Our target is to raise $10,000 through Colorado Gives Day to support GOALS Financial Assistance - this will impact 10+ kids during our 2025 expedition season. 

Together, we can break down financial barriers and make GOALS transformational wilderness expeditions available to ALL kids. Thank you for your consideration.