“The pressure on public lands during the pandemic has been enormous due to people finding solace outdoors,” says Yamaha Motorsports marketing manager Steve Nessl. “Their adventures gave off-road enthusiasts a much-needed breather from the stress we’ve all experienced over the past year.” To offset this pressure, Yamaha’s Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) granted an additional $90K in Q4. In total, Yamaha granted more than $350,000 in 2020 while supplying essential support to public lands providing vital access to outdoor recreation across the country.
“Public land belongs to everyone and we all have a responsibility to take care of it,” adds Nessl. “Yamaha is proud to continue supporting our riders’ favorite outdoor activities, including OHV riding, hunting, camping and fishing, through the Outdoor Access Initiative.”
The fourth quarter 2020 Yamaha OAI grants totaling more than $90,000 were awarded to the following organizations:
Blue Ribbon Coalition – Pocatello, ID
East Branch Sno-Rovers & ATV Club – Medway, Maine
Idaho Single Track Alliance – Idaho Falls, ID
Reno Area Dirtriders – Reno, NV
Swampsiders Snowmobile Club – Bigfork, MN
“The need for funding and leadership for public lands increased exponentially in 2020 with more people engaging in outdoor recreation at the same time resources were being restricted. It was a relief to know we could reach out to Yamaha to help,” explains Ben Burr from the Blue Ribbon Coalition, which received $11,740 to develop a trail guide for Utah’s San Rafael Desert area to help visitors explore safely and responsibly. “The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is a trusted resource for the outdoor recreation community with a history of putting the funds where they are needed to make big improvements on the ground.”
“The 2020 fourth quarter grant projects spanned the spectrum of powersports, with funds going to groups from all categories of Yamaha’s off-highway vehicles: Motorcycles, ATVs, Side-by-Sides and snowmobiles,” Nessl continues. “We prioritize those projects meeting the needs of diverse OHV riders to support their local riding communities.”
For more than 12 years, Yamaha has issued quarterly grants to non-profit organizations supporting the needs of riding groups, outdoor enthusiasts, land stewardship organizations, and public land managers to improve access to public land for outdoor recreation. Since inception, Yamaha contributed over $4.5 million in aid to more than 380 projects across the nation.
The deadline for submission to the second quarter 2021 funding cycle for the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is June 30, 2021, and applications must be postmarked by then. Submission guidelines and applications are available at:
www.YamahaOAI.com