Yamaha Gave Out $350,000 Last Year

Yamaha wrapped up the fourth quarter of 2020 in a giving mood, shoveling $90,000 to organizations around the country that focus on improving trails and expanding outdoor access. The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative gave out a total of $350,000 in grants in 2020, a definite bright spot in a year most of us would prefer to forget.

The final grants of the year went to BlueRibbon Coalition in Pocatello, Idaho; East Branch Sno-Rovers & ATV Club in Medway, Maine; Idaho Single Track Alliance in Idaho Falls, Idaho; Reno Area Dirt Riders in Reno, Nevada; and Swampsiders Snowmobile Club in Bigfork, Minnesota.

The BlueRibbon Coalition received $11,740 to develop a trail guide for the San Rafael Desert in Utah, according to a Yamaha news release. Ben Burr of the Coalition said 2020 presented the unique challenge of expanding demand for trail use coupled with constricting resources as belts were tightened countrywide.

“It was a relief to know we could reach out to Yamaha for help,” he said in the release.

The Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative has given more than $4.5 million in grants to outdoor-focused nonprofits in its 12-year existence. There’s more money on offer this year, and applications already are open for the second-quarter funding cycle. Applications must be postmarked by the June 30 deadline, and more details and applications can be found at yamahaoai.com.