Outdoor Foundation Selects 2017 Paddle Nation Project Grant Recipients

August 9, 2017

This year 1,895 people will have the opportunity to explore America’s waterways, thanks to Outdoor Foundation’s Paddle Nation Grant Program, which connects youth with their local waterways through recreational paddling. Eleven community-based projects from 11 states are being awarded a total of nearly $25,000 to increase paddlesport participation among youth and young adults across the United States.

The winners are (organization | project | amount):

• Arkwings Foundation | Introducing Inner-City Youth to Their River | $2,500Families in Nature |
• Familias Aventureras Paddling Program | $2,500
• Friends of Ottawa County Parks, Inc. | Float Your Boats | $2,496
• GirlVentures | GirlVentures’ Outdoor Adventure Courses: Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Paddling | $2,500
• Horn of Africa Services | Summer Youth Engagement Program Kayaking | $434
• Jackson Street Youth Services | Willamette River Experiences for Homeless Youth | $2,060
• Layaya | Layaya Discovery Expeditions | $2,500
• Northwest Indiana Paddling Association | Trail Creek Week | $2,500
• Palouse Prairie School | Confluence of Cultures | $2,300
• Riveredge Nature Center | Connecting Families to Nature through Adventure Paddlesports | $2,500
• Stoked Mentoring Inc. | STOKED Stand Up Paddleboarding and Yoga Program | $2,500

Projects were chosen based on their innovation, likelihood of increasing paddling participation, number of youth impacted, partnership potential and budget factors.

The Paddle Nation Grants are made possible by support and funding from the Outdoor Foundation and Outdoor Retailer. The awards fund pioneering projects and initiatives that result in increased paddling participation. Projects reinforce the idea that recreational paddling is one of the most accessible and impactful ways in which young Americans are introduced to the outdoors.

Since 2012, More than 80 projects have been funded with more than $212,000 given to noteworthy projects. Working with more than 50 different retailers, 13,746 individuals have gotten outside on waterways, including 8,908 youth. In total, 163,783 hours have been spent outside paddling.

For more information about the Outdoor Foundation visit outdoorfoundation.org.

About the Outdoor Foundation
Founded in 2000, the Outdoor Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor leaders and enthusiasts. Through youth engagement, community grant-making, and groundbreaking research, the Foundation works with young leaders and partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. In just five years, the Foundation has invested $4 million into 785 not-for-profit and college programs that have connected 200,000 young people to the outdoors. Importantly, 90¢ of every dollar goes directly into this critical work.