All 2026 Posts

In the outdoor recreation economy, passion is abundant, but margins are not. At the All Forward Foundation, we work closely with guides, outfitters, educators, and small outdoor businesses who care deeply about access, equity, stewardship, and developing the next generation of outdoor professionals. What we’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—is a simple but uncomfortable truth: Lasting social good in the outdoors does not come from good intentions alone. It comes from economic

If No Margin, No Mission makes the case for why economic health must come first, the next question is obvious: What does it actually take to build that kind of economic strength—on purpose, and at scale? At the All Forward Foundation, we’ve spent years listening to outdoor recreation professionals, working inside their businesses, and observing what separates fragile operations from durable ones. What has emerged is not a theory, but a practical model—one that treats economic

New Mexico is investing heavily in outdoor access, youth programming, and workforce development. The next challenge is conversion: turning exposure and training into paid work, durable skills, and career mobility for the people who will sustain the outdoor economy. Outdoor workforce development should be judged by a simple standard: did it lead to real work? That sounds obvious, but too many programs are still designed around participation rather than employment. We count wor

All Forward Foundation, Santa Fe YouthWorks and Santa Fe Rafting Company use outdoor recreation to advance youth development, career awareness and workforce readiness SANTA FE, N.M. — July 30, 2026 — For 12 young people from Santa Fe, a recent rafting experience on the Rio Grande offered far more than outdoor adventure. It introduced them to an environment most had never experienced, careers they did not know existed, their responsibility as stewards of nature and personal ca

New Mexico is making important investments in trails and outdoor access. The next step is ensuring that local guides, outfitters, workers, and small businesses have the capacity to convert those public assets into durable economic and community benefit. Infrastructure Creates Potential—Not Outcomes New Mexico’s outdoor recreation economy is no longer a niche. Federal data show that it contributed $3.6 billion to the state’s economy in 2024, represented 2.5% of state GDP, and

In the outdoor recreation economy, passion is a renewable resource. Margins are not. When looking at the outdoor sector from the outside, it is incredibly easy to fall into the romance of the industry. For decades during my corporate technology career, I was that consumer—looking at public lands, pristine rivers, and mountain ranges as an absolute sanctuary. From that viewpoint, the guides, the outfitters, and the local gear shop owners look like they have achieved the ultima

Communities often measure economic success by the size of the companies they attract. Yet history consistently shows that resilient local economies are built on something far more durable: thriving small businesses. Supporting local entrepreneurs is not simply good economic development—it is one of the highest-return investments a community can make. The Foundation Is Often Overlooked When communities discuss economic development, the conversation frequently turns to recruiti

Communities often focus on capital, infrastructure, workforce, and policy when pursuing economic growth. While each is essential, none can reach its full potential without one underlying asset: trust. High-trust communities move faster, collaborate more effectively, and create stronger, more resilient economies. The Invisible Infrastructure Economic development conversations typically revolve around tangible assets. We discuss roads, broadband, workforce pipelines, housing, a

The communities that will thrive over the next generation are those that understand a simple truth: protecting natural assets is not separate from economic development—it is one of its most important drivers. Stewardship creates the conditions for sustainable prosperity. The False Choice Between Conservation and Growth For too long, communities have framed economic development and environmental stewardship as competing priorities. One side argues for growth. The other argues

Economic readiness depends on more than strong ideas and committed leaders. Communities need policy environments that reduce friction, align incentives, and make execution easier—not harder. Policy Is Where Strategy Meets Reality Every community wants stronger businesses, better jobs, attainable housing, resilient infrastructure, and a more durable tax base. But those outcomes do not emerge from aspiration alone. They depend on the rules, incentives, permitting systems, fundi

When workforce cannot afford to live where opportunity exists, growth becomes self-limiting. Housing is not a side issue—it is core economic infrastructure. In Santa Fe this is a long standing and highly discussed issue that though awareness is high, action is low and hence I felt it important to include this key issue in this blog series. The Constraint That Undermines Everything Else Communities invest heavily in workforce development, business attraction, and industry gro

Economic readiness is not just about having workers—it’s about aligning skills, opportunity, and demand with precision. Without that alignment, growth leaks out of the system. The Hidden Gap in Economic Development Most communities believe they have a workforce problem. In reality, they have an alignment problem. Jobs exist. People are available. Training programs are in place. Yet outcomes remain inconsistent: Positions go unfilled Wages stagnate Businesses struggle to scal

Without intentional access to capital, even the strongest community vision stalls—economic readiness requires more than ideas; it requires fuel. The Constraint No One Can Ignore Every community conversation about growth eventually arrives at the same hard truth: without capital, progress slows to a crawl—or stops entirely. This is not a theoretical constraint. It is the defining limiter between communities that talk about opportunity and those that actually create it. Within

Outdoor businesses don’t fail because of bad ideas—they fail because they run out of cash. Economic readiness starts with treating cash flow as a strategic discipline, not a back-office function. The Real Constraint: Timing, Not Vision Most outdoor entrepreneurs are deeply mission-driven. They build businesses around access, stewardship, community, and experience. But too often, the financial engine underneath that mission is treated as secondary—something to “figure out” onc

Economic readiness is not optional. Yet for many outdoor entrepreneurs, one of the most overlooked drivers of readiness is also one of the most powerful: disciplined use of data. In mission-driven outdoor enterprises, decisions are often guided by experience, intuition, and a deep understanding of community needs. Those instincts are valuable. But without reliable data to support them, organizations risk drifting into inefficiency, underpricing services, misallocating resourc

Economic readiness is not optional. And yet, one of the most persistent—and costly—gaps across the outdoor economy is not access to capital, talent, or demand. It is pricing. For many outdoor entrepreneurs in Santa Fe and across New Mexico, pricing decisions are shaped by instinct, competition, or a desire to remain accessible. Those motivations are understandable, especially for mission-driven organizations focused on expanding access and community impact. But when pricing i

Economic readiness is not optional. And in today’s outdoor economy, neither is collaboration. For outdoor entrepreneurs across Santa Fe and throughout New Mexico, the instinct to “do it all” is understandable. Many organizations are built on grit, local commitment, and a deep connection to land and community. But as enterprises grow, complexity compounds. Programming expands. Operational demands increase. Expectations rise. The organizations that endure are not the ones that

If margin is the foundation, systems are the stabilizer, people are the multiplier, and access is the expression — then stewardship and systems change are the legacy. This is where short-term effort becomes long-term impact. This is where a healthy outdoor economy shapes the future, not just the present. Stewardship is not a side project In outdoor recreation, stewardship is often framed as volunteerism: A river cleanup day A trail work weekend A Leave No Trace reminder bef

If economic viability is the foundation, and professionalized operations are the stabilizer, and workforce development is the multiplier— then community access and equity are the expression . This is where the mission becomes visible. But here is the sequence that matters: Access and equity efforts are most durable when they are built on economically healthy businesses—not fragile ones. Why good intentions aren’t enough Outdoor recreation leaders care deeply about inclusion

In outdoor recreation, workforce challenges are often framed as a labor shortage. That diagnosis is incomplete. What the industry is actually facing is a development shortage —a lack of clear pathways, intentional training, and long-term investment in people. And no amount of hiring will fix that. Workforce development is not a “nice-to-have” once a business is successful. It is the multiplier that turns operational stability into lasting impact. Why staffing keeps breaking