Lessons Learned: 10 years, 100 communities

For ten years, Nature Everywhere Communities worked to expand equitable access to nature for children. To better understand how this work unfolds and what supports lasting impact, Education Northwest evaluated the initiative. This study explores how communities strengthened partnerships, aligned systems and built readiness for collaborative action, offering insights into the conditions that enable equitable, long-term change in children’s access to nature.

Key insights and practices

An infographic titled “10 Years. 100 Communities.” with the subtitle “Lessons learned about systemic change for children in nature.” The graphic explains that transformational change happens when communities bring well-designed teams and Nature Everywhere provides proven process and evidence-based resources.

Ripple effects mapping: Community reports

Ripple Effects Mapping brings the evaluation’s findings to life by sharing community stories on how children’s access to nature becomes a community-wide priority. In facilitated sessions, communities mapped ripple effects that began with convening a network of partners, cultivating trust and relationships, empowering community and youth, leading to shifts in power dynamics, transformed belief systems and the adoption of new policies and practices.

Community impact

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These resources were developed in partnership with

Logos for Children & Nature Network, National League of Cities (NLC) with the tagline “Cities Strong Together,” and KABOOM! displayed above the large teal text “Nature Everywhere,” with “Communities” written below on a light gray background.

Copyright © 2025 by National League of Cities Institute, Children & Nature Network and KABOOM! All rights reserved.

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