Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, today announces the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) awarded more than $120,000 in funds and equipment to eight grant and scholarship recipients from applications submitted in the fourth quarter of 2017 and first quarter of 2018. The combined funding cycle is highlighted by a wide variety of projects supporting access to trails and riding areas for off-highway vehicles (OHV) and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
“We continue to promote and see growth and diversity in the Outdoor Access Initiative, which now has a decade of supporting responsible, sustainable access under its belt,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV / Side-by-Side (SxS) group marketing manager. “These last two quarters have been a great example, with projects addressing a wide-range of use from single-track trails to sand dunes and back-country areas for the enjoyment of OHVs of all types: motorcycles, ATVs, Side-by-Side vehicles, and snowmobiles.”
As the powersports industry’s leading land access advocate protecting the interests of those who work and play outdoors, OAI supports off-highway vehicle riders, as well as those who rely on land access to camp, hunt, fish, farm, and more. The latest Yamaha OAI grant recipients are:
- The Capital Trails Vehicle Association, Helena, MT
- The Off Road Business Association
- Twin Cities Trail Riders, Jordan, MN
- Crested Butte Avalanche Center, Crested Butte, CO
- Wonders of Wildlife/National Hunting and Fishing Day Live It! Grant Program
- Range Riders ATV Club, Nashwauk, MN
- Save the Rider’s Dunes, North Bend, OR
- Voyageur Country ATV Club, Grand Rapids, MN
This latest funding also featured OAI’s continuing support of National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as six scholarships to university students as part of the Yamaha Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) program.
“We believe everyone should be able to experience the outdoors and all of the incredible opportunities our public lands have to offer,” Nessl said. “Working through like-minded partners like National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as seeding appropriate safety and land stewardship messaging with future influencers and professional communicators via the ACT program, helps ensure we’ll all be able to enjoy the outdoors for generations to come.”
Yamaha’s longtime ACT Scholarship Program was brought under the OAI umbrella as part of the program’s expanded mission to support those who work and play outdoors. Through the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative’s ACT Scholarship Program, Purdue University, Utah State University, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas State students were awarded a combined $8,250 in scholarships. Recipients of this year’s Yamaha ACT scholarships receive financial assistance to attend the 2018 Ag Media Summit, and to continue promoting and encouraging safe and responsible use of ATV and SxS vehicles within the agriculture community.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is accepting 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. Follow Yamaha Outdoors online atFacebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, Twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors, and Instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors. #YamahaOAI #REALizeYourAdventure
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, 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), email OHVAccess@Yamaha-Motor.com or write to:
Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
1270 Chastain Road
Kennesaw, GA 30144