News & Stories
The Loppet Foundation Awarded a prAna Explorer Grant to Inspire Outdoor Adventure Among Youth
12 community projects will engage nearly 2,000 people
August 23, 2017 (Minneapolis, Minn.) – Executive Director John Munger is excited to share that the Loppet Foundation received a $5,000 grant from prAna Explorer Grants to provide funding for the Junior Loppet middle school program.
The prAna Explorer grants program, which is funded by prAna and administered by the Outdoor Foundation, will give 1,798 Americans nation-wide the opportunity to get outside and enjoy ongoing outdoor experiences.
“Outdoor recreation is often out of reach for minorities and those in underserved communities due to a lack of awareness, access and resources,” said Andre Walker, prAna’s Brand Engagement & Partnerships lead. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Outdoor Foundation to give this underrepresented audience the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities and ultimately develop a lifelong passion for the outdoors.”
The funding will go towards the Loppet Foundation’s Junior Loppet program, which empowers more than 70 underserved middle school youth through year-round outdoor activities, such as trail running, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, paddling and orienteering.
“Many of the young people we serve do not come from a background of outdoor activity,” said Loppet Adventures Director, Anthony Taylor. “Funding from prAna helps expand access to the outdoors by supporting the cost of equipment, clothing, coaching, and transportation for Junior Loppet youth.”
The prAna Explorer Grant funding will bring 12 nonprofit organizations’ project ideas to life and build partnerships that ensure sustainable outdoor recreation program offerings. Projects will engage underserved youth, who as a result of positive, consistent exposure to outdoor recreation, will become comfortable with and aware of local outdoor play opportunities and learn how to self-organize outdoor outings in the future.
“The Outdoor Foundation believes in supporting innovative on-the-ground projects that make lasting change,” said Ivan Levin, Deputy Director of the Outdoor Foundation. “Thanks to support from prAna, we are investing in localized projects that increase outdoor participation and ultimately create healthier, more active communities.”
2017 nonprofit grant recipients include: Betties 3Sixty; California State University, Northridge Foundation; City of Dreams; Climbing for Life; Environmental Charter High School; Mount St. Helens Institute; Outdoor Outreach; Promises2Kids; Seven Tepees Youth Program; The Loppet Foundation; Three Rivers Park District Foundation; and Women’s Wilderness Institute.
Projects were chosen based on their innovation, likelihood of increasing outdoor participation, number of youth impacted, sustainability, partnership potential and budget factors.
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About The Loppet Foundation
The Loppet Foundation’s mission is to create a shared passion for year-round outdoor adventure in the Minneapolis area, focusing on underserved youth and families. A partner of Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, the Loppet Foundation involves people of all ages and backgrounds in year-round activities and events and engages students in lifetime outdoor activities like cross country skiing, mountain biking, trail running, paddling and orienteering. The Loppet Foundation bases their work in Theodore Wirth Park, a tremendous natural resource located near the heart of the city. For more information, visit www.loppet.org.
The Outdoor Foundation
Founded in 2000, the Outdoor Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and grow-ing 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. Visit us at outdoorfoundation.org and outdoornation.org for more information. To learn more, visit outdoorfoundation.org
About prAna
Founded in 1992 in a Carlsbad garage, prAna began creating stylish, highly functional clothing for yogis and climbers in a sustainable way. Since then, prAna has continued to push innovation in design and sustainability in the apparel industry, while inspiring adventures near and far. The prAna Explorer Grant Program represents one of the company’s core values: SEVA, the act of selfless service to the benefit of your community. To learn more about prAna and the Sustainable Clothing Movement, visit prana.com.