PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ:COLM) and the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance (Grassroots) are proud to support local conservation and outdoor education projects across the country through the Columbia/Grassroots Belay Program. Established in 2012, this program provides funding and product support to projects selected by Grassroots members. In 2016, 20 new projects have been selected to receive a total of $100,000 of support from Columbia.
“Since it began in 2012, the Belay Program has demonstrated its ability to accomplish vital conservation work while engaging local communities,” said Scott Welch, Global Corporate Relations Manager at Columbia Sportswear Company. “We’re proud of our long-term partnership with Grassroots and excited for the opportunity to support 2016 grant recipients in their mission to conserve the natural places we love and get kids outside.”
Grassroots and Columbia share a mission of connecting people with the outdoors while fostering environmental stewardship on local, national and global levels. The Columbia/Grassroots Belay Program demonstrates a joint commitment to the outdoors while providing basic necessities to secure and safeguard local projects improving our environment. Since 2012, Columbia has provided $430,000 in support of Belay Program projects across the nation.
“This program is a prime example of how important work can be accomplished through the collaboration of great brands like Columbia and specialty outdoor stores,” said Wes Allen, President of Grassroots. “Our ongoing partnership with Columbia provides much needed resources and opportunities for Grassroots retailers to engage with and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.”
The following 20 organizations were proposed and selected by Grassroots members for support in the 2016 program year. The grant recipients are local non-profit partners of Grassroots members located across the country and will receive $5,000 in the form of cash, product, or both from Columbia. If you have an interest in their specific projects, please feel free to reach out to the recipients directly via the links below.
2016 Awards (Project name, grant recipient/Grassroots partner):
- Big Frog Wilderness Trails, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards/Rock Creek Outfitters
- Building the Next Generation of Outdoor Stewards and Conservation Leaders, North Cascades Institute/Backcountry Essentials
- Camp Kanata for SE Raleigh Teens, Alexander Family YMCA/Great Outdoor Provision Co.
- Community Paddling and River Cleanup Program, Ausable River Association/The Mountaineer
- Cranbrook Schools Horizons – Upward Bound Wilderness Adventure, Cranbook Education Community/Backcountry North
- Cub Scout Camp Nature/Outdoor Education Expansion Project, Mid-America Council Boy Scouts of America/Canfield’s
- Eastern Sierra Youth Outdoors 2016, Rotary Club of Bishop/Eastside Sports
- Grand Teton Youth Conservation Program, Grand Teton National Park Foundation/Skinny Skis
- Kids in Kayaks, The Outside Foundation/Outside Hilton Head
- Lander Youth Climbing Camp, Central Wyoming Climbers Collation/Wild Iris Mountain Sports
- Montana Audubon Center, Montana Audubon/The Base Camp
- Nantahala Kids Club, Nantahala Racing Club/Nantahala Outdoor Center
- Native Expeditions Young Stewards, Native Expeditions/Pack Rat Outdoor Center
- North Carolina Outward Bound School’s Intercept Program, North Carolina Outward Bound/Diamond Brand
- Outdoor Lab/Casual Adventure
- Paddle Georgia 2016 Youth Program, Georgia River Network/Outside World
- Roaring Fork Young Stewards Initiative, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers/Summit Canyon Mountaineering
- The Green Heart Project School Garden Program at Mitchell Elementary School, The Green Heart Project/Half Moon Outfitters
- West Rock Hike Field Trips Scholarship, The Denali Foundation/Trailblazer/Denali
- Wilderness Inquiry Mississippi River Community Voyager Canoeing, Wilderness Inquiry/Midwest Mountaineering
About Columbia
Columbia, the flagship brand of Portland, Oregon-based Columbia Sportswear Company, has been creating innovative apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment for outdoor enthusiasts since 1938. Columbia has become a leading global brand by channeling the company’s passion for the outdoors, and an innovative spirit into technologies and performance products that keep people warm, dry, cool and protected year-round. To learn more, please visit the company’s website at www.columbia.com.
About Grassroots Outdoor Alliance
The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is a group of independent outdoor retailers organized to serve the needs of its member operating over 100 independent specialty outdoor stores throughout North America. Grassroots is dedicated to creating benefits to its members through sharing information, fostering communication, promoting best business practices and protecting our natural environment, locally and globally. To learn more visit www.grassrootsoutdoors.com.
