Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, announces the completion of the 2021 Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) first quarter grant cycle with funding decisions totaling $225,000. The first quarter applicant pool represented a wide-ranging selection of OHV enthusiasts with projects working to supply ATV, Side-by-Side (SxS), motorcycle, and snowmobile riders with safe and sustainable trails and riding areas for responsible recreation. As the powersports industry’s leading land access program, the Yamaha OAI remains an essential resource to grassroots efforts initiated by riding clubs, land stewardship organizations, and public land managers across the country.
“Happily, we are seeing an increase in grant applications for the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative as the public strengthens its interest in outdoor and motorized recreation,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s Motorsports marketing manager. “With the growing amount of people visiting state and national parks and forests, the work needed to maintain these public spaces for everyone’s benefit and enjoyment is also rising, and Yamaha remains dedicated to supporting those who want to make a difference in protecting and creating access to these lands.”
The first quarter 2021 Yamaha OAI grants totaling more than $225,000 were awarded to the following organizations:
- All Kids Bike / Strider Education Foundation
- Central Mountain ATV Association, Pennsylvania
- Darnell Hills – BLM Open OHV Area, Wyoming
- Day Mountain Road Association, Maine
- Interior Alaska Trails and Parks Foundation
- Lakes Region ATV Club, Maine
- Northwest Motorcycle Association, Washington
- Osseo Area Dusty Riders, Wisconsin
- Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association, Michigan
- Southwest Wildlife Foundation, Arizona
- The Nature Conservancy, Tennessee Chapter
For more than 12 years, Yamaha has been issuing quarterly grants to non-profit organizations supporting the needs of riding groups, outdoor enthusiasts, land stewardship organizations, and land managers to improve access to public land for outdoor recreation. Yamaha has contributed more than $4.5 million in aid to nearly 400 projects across the nation over the life of the program.
Submission guidelines and applications are available at YamahaOAI.com. Connect with Yamaha on social media via @YamahaOutdoors or search any of the following hashtags on all platforms: #Yamaha #YamahaOAI #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #AssembledInUSA
About the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
For more than a decade, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative has led the Powersports industry in guaranteeing responsible access to our nation’s land for outdoor enthusiasts. Through this program, Yamaha has directly and indirectly supported thousands of miles of motorized recreation trails, maintained and rehabilitated riding and hunting areas, improved staging areas, supplied agricultural organizations with essential OHV safety education, built bridges over fish-bearing streams and partnered with local outdoor enthusiast communities across the country to improve access to public lands. Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs and associations, national, state and local public land use agencies, outdoor enthusiast associations and land conservation groups with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable public use. A committee then reviews each application and awards grants to deserving projects. Examples of appropriate projects for grants include, but are not limited to:
- Trail development, restoration, and maintenance
- Trail signage and map production
- Staging area construction, renovation, and maintenance
- Land stewardship, safety, and education
Updated guidelines, application form, information and news about the Outdoor Access Initiative are available at YamahaOAI.com. For specific questions about the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative, call the dedicated hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), email [email protected], or write to:
Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
3065 Chastain Meadows Parkway, Bldg. 100
Marietta, GA 30066
The post Yamaha Protects and Improves Public Lands for Outdoor Recreation first appeared on Rider Magazine.
Source: RiderMagazine.com