Kennesaw, GA – Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, announced the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative awarded more than $350,000 in funds and equipment to 26 grant recipients in 2016. The final grants for 2016 comprised more than $73,000 awarded to four recipients, including support for both National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHF Day) and the Progressive Agricultural Foundation’s Safety Day program.
“For a decade, Yamaha has been supporting National Hunting and Fishing Day’s message of responsible outdoor recreation and open access, and with an Access Initiative grant to the Progressive Agricultural Foundation, we extend that message to families and youth in the farming and ranching communities across the country,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV and SxS group marketing manager. “With the challenges facing access to our nation’s land, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative remains a steadfast resource supporting those working to responsibly, safely and sustainably protect and expand the opportunities for enjoying the outdoors.”
The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative continues to serve the greater outdoor recreational community, promoting safe and responsible use of ATV and SxS vehicles, as well as providing support for grassroots projects that protect, expand and improve access to land for diverse, public use and enjoyment. Most recently Yamaha worked to spread awareness of the importance of open and sustainable access at the 2017 National Shooting Sport Foundation’s (NSSF) SHOT Show in Las Vegas—an event that brought together more than 64,000 professionals in the shooting, hunting and outdoors industry.
As the powersports industry’s leading land access advocate protecting the interests of those who work and play outdoors, Yamaha’s Outdoor Access Initiative supports off-highway vehicle (OHV) riders and drivers, as well as those who rely on land access to camp, hunt, fish or farm. The 2016 Q4 Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative grant recipients are:
- Alvwood Squaw Lake ATV Club, Minnesota
- Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association, Montana
- National Hunting and Fishing Day – Wonders of Wildlife, Missouri
- The Progressive Agriculture Foundation, Alabama
The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative continues to accept qualified applications for consideration of support and funding. For more information on the Outdoor Access Initiative, or to submit a grant application, visit www.YamahaOAI.com. Be sure to follow Yamaha Outdoors online a twww.facebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, www.twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors or www.instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors.
About the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is the industry leader 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, an application form and information on the Outdoor Access Initiative are available at www.YamahaOAI.com. For specific questions about the Outdoor Access Initiative, call Yamaha’s dedicated hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), emailOHVAccess@yamaha-motor.com or write to:
Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
1270 Chastain Road
Kennesaw, GA 30144
