Exploring New Horizons is happy to announce that we are the recipients of one of the few grants awarded by North Face Planet Explore program this year. We have included an excerpt from the press release below, or you can read the full announcement here.

The North Face Explore Fund™ Grant Recipients Announced
Program Awards $52,000 to 21 organizations in California’s Bay Area

San Leandro, CA – October 19, 2010 – The North Face today announced that the Explore Fund™ (www.explorefund.org), a grant-giving program supporting nonprofit, community organizations that break down the barriers to getting youth outdoors, is awarding $52,000 to 21 organizations with projects that will affect over 16,000 young people and families in the Bay Area. The grants are part of the inaugural commitment of $250,000 from The North Face Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation.

In recent years, The North Face along with industry partners including the Outdoor Foundation, has witnessed a decline in outdoor participation and has made strides to work against the trend. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) studies have found outdoor participation declines with age. Over the past three years the participation rate of youth ages 6 to 12 fell almost 20 percent for girls and 10 percent for boys. The OIA states this potential trend could negatively impact the future of conservation efforts that rely on individuals with a strong connection to and an understanding of natural systems and recreational landscapes.

The North Face originally announced the Explore Fund program in June at the first ever Outdoor Nation Youth Summit in New York City, asking nonprofit organizations to submit their applications. Hundreds of grant applications requesting more than $400,000 in support were received.

“Our goal is to get more people outside, having fun and exploring their world in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Steve Rendle, President of The North Face and VF Outdoor Americas. “We’re thrilled to be able to support these incredible organizations who work so hard to provide outdoor education and experiences. This, along with other initiatives such as PlanetExplore, our online community that helps individuals and families discover local outdoor recreational activities, will help to achieve this very important goal.”

Organizations that were awarded funds in the Bay area include Bay Area Wilderness Training (Oakland), Golden Gate Audubon Society (Berkeley), Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy( San Francisco), Student Conservation Association (Oakland), and Youth Enrichment Strategies (Richmond). These programs will provide a variety of opportunities, including environmental education, an outdoor children’s planting project, an outdoor youth ambassadors program, and mountain biking.