visit the Outdoor Industry Association
paddling

Meet Mary Helen
A teenager with Downs Syndrome, Mary Helen had low self-confidence and depended completely on her parents before joining Teens Outside. Today she is a fearless rock climber and mentors younger children...

read more >>
Grants from The Outdoor Foundation

Grants from The Outdoor Foundation


Purpose

The purpose of The Outdoor Foundation's grant making arm is to support programs that have a solid track record of increasing youth participation in outdoor activities. Selected programs will be sustainable, replicable, and impactful. They will have a mentoring component and will focus on outdoor activities. Working together, these programs will impact significant numbers of youth, have a proven ROI, and make a real difference in the inactivity crisis plaguing this generation of youth.

Grant making Criteria, Selection Process, and Ongoing Support


Criteria

The Outdoor Foundation funds only programs that are:

  • Sustainable: The Outdoor Foundation only funds programs with a long-term vision and commitment to getting youth active. Selected programs will impact participants beyond a one-day or one-week event. They will work with participants to teach, mentor and foster a love of the outdoors in the long-term.
  • Replicable: The Outdoor Foundation believes in sharing best practices, and seeks to duplicate the best programs in other markets, allowing them to grow virally and reach significant numbers of youth.
  • Youth Serving: The Outdoor Foundation will work with programs that serve youth ages 6-22.
  • Committed: The Outdoor Foundation supports programs that are viable well beyond The Outdoor Foundation's grant making cycle, and have solid strategic plans in place to ensure that sustainability.
  • Focused on the outdoors: The Outdoor Foundation will select programs that are centered around the outdoors and high-quality outdoor activities.
  • Mentor-centered: The Outdoor Foundation will only support programs that are committed to building long-term relationships with participants by utilizing top-notch mentors.

If you believe your organization meets the criteria listed above, please consider taking part in our application process.

Application Process


Overview

In order to receive a Foundation grant, a Letter of Inquiry must be submitted prior to one of the deadlines noted below. If your organization's Letter of Inquiry is accepted by the Foundation, you will be notified and asked to submit an Application prior to one of the deadlines noted below. Do not submit a full application unless authorized by The Foundation.

Deadlines

  • Letters of Inquiry: February 1 - August 1
  • Application: April 1 - October 1

Step One: Letter of Inquiry

In order to apply for a Foundation grant, a one-page letter of inquiry must be received by 5pm MST on February 1 or August 1 of each calendar year. Your Letter of Inquiry should be sent to bryan.mahler@outdoorfoundation.org prior to the deadline. Your letter should include the following information:

  • Contact name, address, phone number, email address.
  • Organization background, including date founded and Federal Tax ID number.
  • Project detail, including amount requested, total Project cost.
  • Anticipated project outcomes, including brief overview of prior success if existing program.
  • An attached list of the organization's Board of Directors.

Your Letter of Inquiry will be reviewed by the Foundation and we will contact you via email by March 1st or September 1st. If you do not receive an email by that date, contact us immediately. If approved, your organization will be asked to move on to Step Two - Application. If you are not asked to submit a Letter of Inquiry, we respectfully request that you wait at least three grant application cycles (two calendar years) before submitting another Letter of Inquiry.

Step Two: Application

If The Outdoor Foundation approves your organization's Letter of Inquiry and asks you to submit an application, we will email an application form to you. Please do not alter the application form.

Four copies of the application form are due at The Outdoor Foundation by close of business on April 1st and October 1st. All applications and supporting materials should be forwarded to:

     Bryan Mahler
     The Outdoor Foundation
     4909 Pearl East Circle, Suite 200
     Boulder, CO 80301

Step Three: Grant Agreement and Reporting

If you are awarded a grant from The Outdoor Foundation, you will receive a grant agreement and an acknowledgment letter. The Foundation will issue a check for your organization once we receive your signed grant agreement form.

Reporting will take place twice each year, for the duration of your grant. Evaluations are due March 1st and September 1st.

Please forward all questions, letters of inquiry, applications, and re ports by email or mail to:

     Bryan Mahler
     The Outdoor Foundation
     4909 Pearl East Circle, Suite 200
     Boulder, CO 80301
     303.444.3353
     bryan.mahler@outdoorfoundation.org