$100,000 Grant from The Outdoor Foundation Expands Teens Outside Program

Boulder, CO, May 29th, 2008 — The Outdoor Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to expand Teens Outside to 29 communities in 2008 including eight new agencies in California. The grant will inspire and grow future generations of outdoor enthusiasts in America by creating outdoor adventure programs in park and recreation departments around the country.

The funding will allow NRPA to manage and grow the program within its vast network of public agencies. NRPA has identified the program - which introduces youth to close-to-home outdoor recreation with sustained, season-long experiences in activities such as hiking, camping, climbing, biking, paddling – as a priority.

During 2007, more than 3,560 teens across the country and 250 mentors were involved in the Teens Outside program. Geographically, it spanned 21 communities in 15 states. Success of the program will mean impacting the lives of more than 50,000 teens and their families over the next five years.

Grant making is part of The Outdoor Foundation’s three-pronged approach to connecting youth with the outdoors.

The Foundation is working to:
•Provide multi-year funding for organizations and programs that build capacity, are increasingly self-sufficient, connect key players and have significant return on investment. The Outdoor Foundation will work with organizations that have a strong long-term strategic and financial commitment to the relevant program.
•Establish an annual Youth Summit to organize stakeholders, encourage collaboration, and foster communication.
•Invest, expand, and communicate active lifestyle research.

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. The Outdoor Foundation is proud of Teens Outside’s success. The Foundation’s grant to NRPA will impact significant numbers of youth, and make a real difference in the inactivity crisis plaguing this generation of children.

The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 established by Outdoor Industry Association to inspire and grow future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. The Foundation introduces youth to outdoor recreation through nationwide youth programming and produces high-quality, groundbreaking research that quantifies the extent and quality of participation in outdoor recreation as well as its economic impact on the U.S.

For additional information visit www.outdoorfoundation.org or call 303.444.3353.