Hike it Baby

What Hike it Baby does

OutGrown (formerly Hike it Baby) is a Beaverton, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 as a grassroots hiking movement and incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 2016. The organization serves families with young children (ages 0-5), addressing what it terms the "Baby Nature Gap" by providing free, peer-hosted outdoor programming designed to reduce parental isolation, support perinatal mental health, and build early environmental stewardship. Its core offerings include the Hike it Baby Program (peer-hosted community outings), Bring it Outside (community-based nature programs), Turn the Blues Green (perinatal mental health programming), the Family Trail Guide (a free database of 1,500+ caregiver-recommended trails), and Outside Guide Training (free volunteer training). Signature programming includes the annual Hike and Seek October event in partnership with the SEEK by iNaturalist app. OutGrown has supported over 350,000 families cumulatively since 2013 through 300+ volunteer-led local branches across North America, including the United States and Canada.

The organization operates on the Cause Machine community platform, which powers its website, membership management, event calendar, and community features. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI capability; third-party integrations include Google Maps Platform APIs, the Bonfire merchandise store, and the SEEK by iNaturalist identification app. Marketing is entirely community-led, relying on organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), a blog with educational content, an email newsletter, sponsored blog content from outdoor brand partners, and grassroots volunteer word-of-mouth. The organization holds the Candid (formerly GuideStar) Transparency Seal and partners with institutions including REI, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Intermountain Healthcare, Morrison Outdoors, L.L. Bean, Joules, Burley, and Turtle Fur.

OutGrown's business model is donation-based. All core programs, including community membership, the Family Trail Guide, Outside Guide training, and most events, are free. Revenue is generated through individual donations (GiveButter), foundation grants, sponsored blog content from outdoor brand partners, a small merchandise line via Bonfire, and community discount partnerships. The organization is governed by a 12-seat volunteer Board of Directors (working board model) with Whitney Dorer serving as Board Chair for 2024-2025. Outreach has been extended programmatically to military families and underserved communities (BIPOC, Latine, immigrant, refugee, rural), reflecting an equity-oriented growth strategy within the freemium, community-led nonprofit framework.

Name

Hike it Baby

Legal name

Hike it Baby

Website

https://hikeitbaby.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

OutGrown (formerly Hike it Baby) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes peer-hosted outdoor outings and community connections for families with children ages 0-5 across 300+ North American cities, supported by donations, grants, and volunteer Outside Guides.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Outdoor Programs

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor / Nature-Based Before/After Care Programs (EDACAHAJ)

Keywords

• Community outdoor programs
• Family hiking network
• Peer-hosted outings
• Perinatal mental health support
• Nature-based family programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaverton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported primarily by individual donations from families and community members who believe in the mission. The website prominently features a donate button (givebutter.com/9V1a7O) and donation messaging around supporting free trail guides, community gatherings, and equitable access.
2. Grants and Foundation Support: The organization receives grant funding and support from foundations and institutional donors, as indicated by references to individual donors, grants, and community partnerships as revenue streams.
3. Swag and Merchandise: OutGrown operates a swag shop through Bonfire (bonfire.com/store/hike-it-baby-swag-shop/) selling branded merchandise such as t-shirts and gear, providing a small revenue stream from community members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OutGrown (formerly Hike it Baby) operates free, peer-hosted outdoor outings and community programs that connect families with children ages 0–5 to nature, delivered through a network of more than 300 volunteer branch ambassadors across 300+ North American cities. The organization also runs the Family Trail Guide (a curated database of 1,500+ family-friendly trails), the Bring it Outside gear-loan program for underserved families, and the Turn The Blues Green program supporting parents experiencing perinatal mood disorders.

Product overview

OutGrown (formerly Hike it Baby) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a community-driven platform that connects families with young children (ages 0-5) to nature. The core offering includes the Hike it Baby Program (peer-hosted outings), Bring it Outside (community nature programs), and Turn The Blues Green (perinatal mental health support). Key resources include the free Family Trail Guide (1,500+ trails), Outside Guide Training, and OutGrown Community Membership. The organization operates the Hike and Seek annual event and provides educational content through the OutGrown Blog. All programs are designed to be free and accessible, with the goal of bridging the Baby Nature Gap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hike it Baby: Core peer-hosted outing program connecting families with young children to nature through local community events.
• Bring it Outside
• Turn the Blues Green
• Family Trail Guide

Quantifiable outcome

• 350,000+ families supported since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization committed to bridging the Baby Nature Gap. FWS is a federal agency focused on fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation, aligning with OutGrown's environmental stewardship mission.
• Intermountain HealthcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner organization. Intermountain Healthcare is a health system whose mission alignment with OutGrown's focus on family health outcomes (mental and physical) through outdoor connection makes this a health-sector partnership.
• Morrison OutdoorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorrison Outdoors (led by Tavis Malcolm), creator of the award-winning Little Mo Baby Sleeping Bag, is a core strategic partner. They co-sponsor the Turn the Blues Green program addressing perinatal depression through outdoor activity, and have made a financial pledge of $4,621.51 to OutGrown. Both organizations share a mission of getting families outdoors from infancy.
• iNaturalist / SEEK AppcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOutGrown partnered with the SEEK by iNaturalist app for its Hike and Seek October event. SEEK is a free plant and animal identification app used by families during themed discovery hikes. This partnership drives event engagement and provides a free tool to community members.
• BurleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBurley, an outdoor gear company specializing in bike trailers and children's cycling equipment, sponsors blog content on the OutGrown blog (a 3-part biking series and 'The Benefits of Biking for All Ages' article). Burley products are also featured in community discount programs.
• Turtle FurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTurtle Fur, a performance headwear and outerwear brand, sponsors blog content on the OutGrown blog (articles on outdoor benefits for newborn caregivers and supporting new mothers). Their products are promoted to community members.
• Brushwood Center at Ryerson WoodsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutGrown partnered with Brushwood Center for a military family event in June 2024 in Lake County, Illinois. Brushwood Center works on health equity and access to nature, and OutGrown contributed its Footprints activity, baby carrier library, and outdoor resources to extend their reach to military families with babies and young children.
• L.L. BeanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerL.L. Bean sponsors the Footprints activity at OutGrown's community events, providing an activity booth at events like the Brushwood Center military family event. This supports event programming and raises brand awareness among the OutGrown community.
• JoulesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoules partnered with OutGrown on the Water and Wetlands Initiative, an early environmental education program teaching children and families about water cycles, wetlands, and water conservation. The program includes a 'My Water Workbook' available in English and Spanish, aligning with OutGrown's environmental awareness mission from birth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers): MOPS is a peer-led nonprofit community organization supporting mothers of young children (similar 0-5 age focus). Both organizations operate through local groups led by trained volunteers, address social isolation among new parents, and provide wraparound family support resources through a similar community-driven GTM model.
• La Leche League International: La Leche League is a nonprofit that trains volunteer leaders to host peer-led support groups for parents of infants and young children. Both organizations use free online training to certify volunteer leaders who then run local meetings, building national scale through grassroots community expansion.
• Babywearing International: Babywearing International is a nonprofit that trains volunteer ambassadors to lead local babywearing education groups for parents of infants. It shares OutGrown's volunteer-led community model, parent education focus, and free local meetup structure for families with very young children.
• Stroller Warriors: Stroller Warriors is a volunteer-led running and fitness community specifically for military families with young children. It directly overlaps with OutGrown's military family programming and peer-led outdoor activity model for parents with stroller-aged kids.

Broad incumbents

• American Hiking Society: American Hiking Society is a national nonprofit advocating for trails and hiking. It shares OutGrown's outdoor recreation and trail-access mission, but operates through advocacy, volunteer trail maintenance, and national events rather than peer-hosted community groups.
• Sierra Club: Sierra Club is one of the largest and oldest outdoor/environmental nonprofits with local chapters and volunteer-led outings. It shares OutGrown's outdoor access mission and grassroots volunteer model, but focuses on conservation advocacy and adult hikers rather than the under-5 family segment.
• Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America): Scouting America is a major youth nonprofit with volunteer-led local troops focused on outdoor programming, hiking, and camping. It shares OutGrown's outdoor recreation mission and volunteer-driven local chapter model, though it serves an older age range.
• Girl Scouts of the USA: Girl Scouts is a large established nonprofit with peer-led troops, outdoor programming, and nationwide local chapters. While serving older youth rather than the 0-5 segment, it shares OutGrown's volunteer-led local group structure, outdoor activity focus, and community-building mission for families.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Afro: Outdoor Afro is a nonprofit that connects Black communities to nature through volunteer-led local outings. It shares OutGrown's volunteer-led community model and outdoor access mission, with significant overlap in programming for BIPOC and underserved communities.
• AllTrails: AllTrails is a for-profit trail database with 400,000+ trails and a much larger user base. While for-profit and broader in demographic, its Family Trail Guide concept competes with OutGrown's curated trail database, particularly around stroller-accessible and kid-friendly filtering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/outgrownhq
• Instagraminstagram.com/outgrownhq
• TikToktiktok.com/@outgrownhq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outgrown

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hike it Baby