The North Face has launched its Explore Fund in Australia and New Zealand.
According to The North Face, the fund will help develop access and drive opportunities in the outdoors by funding community organisations around two themes: creating a community of new explorers and protecting the environment.
This year, The North Face has made a financial commitment of $25,000, which will be awarded to up to five successful applicant groups that are based and operate in Australia or New Zealand.
The North Face ANZ GM Paul Karis said the Explore Fund is long overdue.
“The last two years has put this important initiative on hold, but it’s now a major priority for 2022.
“The benefits, enjoyment, and wellness that comes with time spent in the outdoors should be for everyone, and we look forward to seeing how we can make a positive and meaningful difference to people’s lives by helping them experience the outdoors.”
To guide the selection of the Explore Fund grantees, The North Face has elected a council of five influential members. These members are experienced in protecting the environment and creating spaces and opportunities for more equitable systems, both within and outside of outdoor communities.
"It’s clear that our collective outdoor community is changing,” says Coralie Fleming, an Explore Fund council member.
“We have seen new communities form, grow and champion the needs of diverse people in the outdoors in really exciting ways.
“We see our role as Council members as amplifiers of that existing work and not as directors of it. We believe in the power of our communities to break barriers, and in our ability to support their leadership.”
When reviewing applications, the council will evaluate the principles and impact of each organisation, along with the design elements of its proposed project.
To promote the Explore Fund, The North Face has announced two founding partners: Affinity Initiative, an accessible and uplifting climbing space for women-of-colour; and ClimbingQTs, an LGBTQ+ social climbing community and advocacy group.
Grants have been awarded to these two groups to assist with expanding their outdoor programs and empowering their local communities.
The North Face formalised the outdoor industry’s first grant making program focused on increasing outdoor participation in the U.S when it launched The Explore Fund in 2010.
The program expanded to Canada in 2012, Europe in 2018 and the Asia-Pacific region in 2021, before making its way to Australia and New Zealand this year.
Applications are now open and close on August 28, 2022.