The Blue Sky Funders Forum is excited to partner with the George B. Storer Foundation to bring funders and grantmakers together at the Children & Nature Network’s 2025 Nature Everywhere International Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota from May 13-16. This year’s key theme is nature-based early childhood education, an underfunded age group in the U.S. despite its critical significance to child development. 

Early childhood “brings rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth for a child. It paves the way for greater learning capabilities.” Children are also facing a health crisis known as Nature Deficit Disorder, especially in the classroom and care facilities where screen time greatly outweighs the time spent outdoors and in nature. “Increased screen time and reduced exposure to nature are linked to serious health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, hyperactivity, stress, asthma, and allergies.” Integrating nature-based education and care has been shown to improve health, development, and education. 

The science is clear: nature-based solutions improve health, development, and education for all children, and significantly improves health and wellbeing during early childhood.

At this year’s conference, Blue Sky will be gathering funders and grantmakers to discuss the latest advancements in the early childhood space, explore the difference between and necessity for both a place-based program and systems change approach, and showcase practical examples of funders supporting and moving resources to make true impact. Attendees are also invited to see these nature-based solutions in practice during an optional field trip to the Dodge Nature Center! 

See our full schedule below. Funders can register here, and Blue Sky members have been provided with a special code to unlock a discount. Questions? Contact Berkeley (berkeley@blueskyfundersforum.org). 

Join Us in St. Paul 

Tuesday, May 13th, 1:00 – 4:00 pm | Site Visit 

Location: Dodge Nature Preschool:  1715 Charlton Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118.

Hop on the bus and join us for an optional site visit to the Dodge Nature Preschool, which hosts an immersive nature-based preschool. We’ll see outdoor early childhood education in action and explore the need for systemic and local action to support kids. 

Limited space is available and the cost is included in the conference registration fee. Transportation is provided from the RiverCentre, or you’re welcome to take an Uber/Lyft and meet us there.  

Wednesday, May 14, 10:00 – 11:30 am | Opening Plenary Panel 

Location: RiverCentre, Ballrooms A-C

Bringing together 600+ movement leaders, practitioners, nature center owners, policymakers, and funders, our plenary panel on the first day of the conference will introduce the need for Outdoor and Nature-Based Early Care and Education (ONB ECE) and showcase the long-term benefits to the children and society. Invited speakers include:

• Leah Austin, President & CEO, National Black Child Development Institute
• Diana Rauner, President, Start Early
• Abigail Stewart-Kahn, Managing Director, Stanford Center on Early Childhood
• Sheila Williams Ridge, Director, Child Development Laboratory School, University of Minnesota – College of Education and Human Development – Institute of Child Development

Wednesday, May 14, 2:30 – 5:00 pm | Funder’s Briefing 

Location: RiverCentre, Boardroom 

After an informative morning of presentations and panels, funders and grantmakers are invited to a special briefing. Attendees will hear from Joan Lombardi, Ph.D., a thought leader with 50 years of expertise in child and family policy, advising national and international organizations and foundations.  They will reflect on the site visit and plenary panel, connect with their peers, and explore how to embed Outdoor and Nature-Based Early Care and Education (ONB ECE) systemically at the local, state, and federal levels. Funders will leave with a network of peers and next steps to meet this critical need. 

Wednesday, May 14, 5:00 – 6:00 pm | Funder Reception

Location: 317 on Rice Park, next to the RiverCentre conference hall  (close walking distance of RiverCentre)

Celebrate the end of the first day at the Nature Everywhere Conference with drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Connect with your peer funders from the Blue Sky Funders Forum, George B. Storer Foundation, and the Children & Nature Network board. 

Registration 

Attendees can purchase a 1- or 3-day ticket and select the add-on “Pre-Conference Site Visit (Tuesday 5/13)” to join the field trip to Dodge Nature Center.

Members of the Blue Sky Funders Forum have been provided a discount code for both tickets. Please reach out to Berkeley (berkeley@blueskyfundersforum.org) if you need the code. 

1-Day Ticket:

May 14 — Includes Early Childhood keynote panel, lunch, curated early childhood breakout sessions, Policy Briefing and Reception and optional pre-conference site tour (select add-on during registration). 

3-Day Ticket:

May 14-16 — Includes Early Childhood keynote panel, meals, Policy Briefing & Reception PLUS access to all Nature Everywhere Conference programming & optional pre-conference tour (select add-on during registration). 

Funders can learn more about the conference here and register here! 

Sources for research:

• Why Is Early Childhood Education Important for Children? – Article from American Public University

•  What is Nature-Deficit Disorder? – Article by Richard Louv 

•  Nature’s classroom: Why preschoolers need more time outdoors – Article from EdSource