For over 20 years, Outdoor Foundation has been dedicated to getting people outside for their health, the health of communities, and the outdoors itself, working with partners to increase access, break down barriers, and make nature welcoming for everyone.
About Outdoor Foundation
Founded in 2000 as the philanthropic arm of the Outdoor Industry Association, the Outdoor Foundation inspires the next generation of diverse outdoor enthusiasts. For over two decades, it has connected young people across the country to transformative experiences that shape identity, health, community, and a lifelong love of the outdoors.
The Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative focuses on community-led change, investing in local networks like schools, nonprofits, and recreation groups to make outdoor access more inclusive and culturally relevant for kids and families. Rather than supporting one-off programs, Thrive Outside strengthens the partnerships that already exist in communities to create lasting impact.
Today, Thrive Outside operates in communities nationwide, from cities to rural regions, including Western North Carolina, where the program works to reimagine outdoor recreation so it reflects everyone who calls the region home. At its core, Thrive Outside is about elevating voices and experiences that have too often been excluded from traditional outdoor narratives.
Outdoor Foundation's Impact
"Outdoor access doesn't necessarily mean being at the top of a mountain or sending a crazy rock wall. It could also be enjoying time in nature in a hammock reading a book. It could be spending time in community, over a barbecue in the outdoors."
— Lesford Duncan
Executive Director of Outdoor Foundation
In Good Company Giving Back Hammock
Celebrating the many ways we enjoy time outside, In Good Company, by artist Carly Berry, is designed to inspire adventure and togetherness. Featuring moments of connection and joy, it showcases shared outdoor experiences that bring us closer to nature and each other.
