Shenandoah National Park | Photo Credit: Brett Raeburn, National Park Service
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Our Fight for Life Outdoors: Help us Decide Where to Invest in Your Community

Greg Dyer|
Through a new program, co-op members can help REI decide how to invest $1 million in local stewardship projects.

Editor’s note: The Loving Our Local Outdoors initiative wrapped up on April 8, 2019. Thanks to all of our members who participated. 

It just takes a few minutes to email your representatives and make a difference with the REI Cooperative Action Network.

Take action today

The wild hills and hollows of Shenandoah National Park span 200,000 acres along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. This protected land winds through several different communities, roughly 75 miles from Washington, D.C. And the Shenandoah National Park Trust (SNPT) helps make sure people can safely access and enjoy all that the park has to offer. Last spring, REI members in the area helped make the nonprofit’s job a little easier.

As part of a 2018 pilot program at REI stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic, co-op members who made a purchase over a two-week period could help decide how to allocate a portion of the co-op’s regional philanthropy budget among three nonprofits, including Shenandoah National Park Trust. In total, thousands of members participated and each of the nonprofits received an REI grant based on input from members. Thanks in part to the investment from the co-op, SNPT was able to purchase and install additional bear-proof food storage lockers in the park.

The success of the pilot inspired REI to scale the program nationwide to mark a major stewardship milestone. This year, the co-op will surpass $100 million invested in the outdoors. To celebrate, REI is launching the Loving Our Local Outdoors initiative to offer our members across the country a chance to help local nonprofit organizations near all of our 154 stores. Over a four-week period, REI members visiting all REI stores can help us decide how to invest $1 million.

“We have heard from our members that they would like to participate in our philanthropy and we couldn’t agree more. We are a co-op and together we aspire to steward outdoor spaces in local communities and across the country,” said Kristen Ragain, manager of philanthropy and community partnerships at REI.

With members’ help, the $1 million investment will benefit organizations that specialize in things like building new trails, clearing existing trails, restoring campsites, enhancing climbing areas, increasing water access, and more projects in urban and backcountry locations across the country. Ragain added: “REI allocates a community investment budget to each region where we have retail store(s) in order to support nonprofits that are actively working to increase access and reduce barriers to the outdoors.”

“Now is the time for us to engage our membership much more actively in the work and this is an exciting shift. We want to involve our members directly in our work to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors and this is just the start,” said Alex Thompson, vice president of Brand Stewardship and Impact for REI. “Our hope is that people will be inspired to get even more deeply engaged and our job, over the coming months and years, will be to provide clear ways to play a role in what we consider the fight for life outside.”

How to Participate 

Here’s how the program works: Members who make an in-store purchase between March 7 and April 8, 2019, will get a token at the register. They will be invited to choose among three local stewardship projects shown in a display. Rest assured, there are no winners and losers here. All participating nonprofit partners will receive funding based on the number of tokens allocated to a project in their region. In total, nearly 200 organizations across the country will benefit from this program.

Last year’s Mid-Atlantic pilot program helped pave the way for this new national endeavor. Stephanie Piperno, a market coordinator for REI Outdoor Programs and Outreach in Washington, D.C., helped come up with the original idea.

“I was noticing that longtime REI members were unaware of our local philanthropy efforts. So I was thinking of ways that we could spread the word and really engage our membership in that process,” Piperno said. And in doing so, she put nonprofit partners front and center, which gave members more opportunities to get involved.

REI works with an array of nonprofits that benefit nearly every aspect of life outdoors. As a result, the co-op tried to offer members options in the 2019 program that reflect a variety of projects and interests. In Denver, for example, members can pick from an organization that supports high-altitude trail restoration (Colorado Fourteeners Initiative), engages volunteers to steward urban and backcountry trails across the state of Colorado (Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado), or a more specific project that supports two weeks of trail work in Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado Youth Corps Association).

“This is a great partnership,” said Scott Segerstrom, executive director of CYCA. “A lot of the projects we execute are often on federal land, and by law, those projects require conservation corps to bring [a] non-federal match to the project. So those REI dollars really help ensure that we can execute these federal projects.”

For more than eight decades, REI has given back in the outdoor community. Last year alone, REI invested $8.8 million in more than 400 nonprofit partners working to create and protect access to the outdoors. Through grants, advocacy and stewardship projects, the co-op impacted more than 1,000 outdoor places across the U.S.

If you’d like to get involved, visit your local REI store between March 7 and April 8 and help us fight for life outdoors by choosing a local stewardship project to support.

Not a member yet? Here’s how to join the co-op.

Full List of Local Organizations

Anchorage, AK: Friends of Eagle River Nature Center, Student Conservation Association and Singletrack Advocates

Asheville, NC: Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Carolina Climbers Coalition and The Pisgah Conservancy

Atlanta, GA: Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy and Trust for Public Land

Austin, TX: Austin Ridge Riders, Shoal Creek Conservancy and Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

Bay Area, CA: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Pinnacles National Park Foundation and Yosemite Conservancy

Bellingham, WA: Citizens for Forest Roads, Whatcom Land Trust and Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition

Bend, OR: Central Oregon Avalanche Center, Discover Your Forest and Oregon Natural Desert Association

Boise, ID: Idaho Trails Association, Land Trust of the Treasure Valley and Bogus Basin

Bozeman, MT: Montana Wilderness Association, Yellowstone Forever and Montana Conservation Corps

Brentwood, TN: Southeastern Climbers Coalition, Citizens for Brentwood Green Space, Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association

Brookfield, WI: Ice Age Trail Alliance, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin

Charlotte, NC: Anne Springs Close Greenway, Carolina Thread Trail and Tarheel Trailblazers

Chattanooga, TN: Wild Trails, SORBA Chattanooga and Southeastern Cave Conservancy

Chicago, IL: Friends of the Chicago River, Forest Preserve Foundation and Active Transportation Alliance

Cincinnati, OH: River City Paddlesports, Green Umbrella – Tri-State Trails and Little Miami Conservancy

Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association, Buckeye Trail Association and Cuyahoga River Water Trail

Columbus, OH: Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization (COMBO), Yay Bikes! and Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed: FLOW

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX: Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, Cedar Ridge Nature Preserve and Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association

Denver, CO: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Colorado Youth Corps Association and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado

Des Moines, IA: Great Outdoors Foundation, Iowa Rivers Revival and Iowa National Heritage Foundation

Detroit, MI: Huron-Clinton Metroparks, Huron River Watershed Council and Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance

Eugene, OR: McKenzie River Trust, Friends of Buford Park and Mount Pisgah, and Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council

Fairbanks, AK: Interior Alaska Trails and Parks Foundation, Interior Alaska Land Trust – Chinook Park and Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks

Flagstaff, AZ: Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund, Natural Restorations and American Conservation Experience

Fresno, CA: High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew, San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, and Sierra Foothill Conservancy

Grand Junction, CO: Colorado West Land Trust, Colorado Canyons Association and Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association

Greenville, SC: Carolina Climbers Coalition, Upstate SORBA and Foothills Trail Conservancy

Houston, TX: BikeHouston, Greater Houston Off Road Biking Association and Memorial Park Conservancy

Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, Bike Indianapolis and Eagle Creek Park Foundation

Jacksonville, FL: Timucuan Parks Foundation, Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, and SORBA Jax

Kalispell, MT: Montana Wilderness Association, Whitefish Legacy Partners and Montana Conservation Corps

Kansas City, KS & MO: Urban Trail Co., Bridging the Gap and Friends of the Kaw

Kennewick, WA: Friends of Badger Mountain, Tapteal Greenway and Washington Native Plant Society

Knoxville, TN: Friends of the Smokies, Legacy Parks Foundation and Appalachian Mountain Bike Club

Las Vegas, NV: Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Amargosa Conservancy and Get Outdoors Nevada

Los Angeles, CA: Santa Monica Mountains Fund, Friends of the Los Angeles River and Friends of Joshua Tree National Park

Madison, WI: Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Great Headwaters Trails and Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance

Medford, OR: Siskiyou Mountain Club (SMC), Southern Oregon Trail Alliance (SOTA) and Vesper Meadow Restoration Project

Memphis, TN: Overton Park Conservancy, Wolf River Conservancy and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy

Mid-Atlantic Region: Chesapeake Conservancy, Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) and Shenandoah National Park Trust

Milford, CT: Friends of East Rock Park, Friends of Hammonasset Beach State Park and Connecticut Forest and Park Association

Missoula, MT: Five Valleys Land Trust, Clark Fork Coalition and Montana Conservation Corps

New England: Save the Bay, Mass Audubon and Appalachian Mountain Club

New Mexico: New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors, Friends of the Santa Fe National Forest and Open Space Alliance

Philadelphia, PA: Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Schuylkill River Greenways and Natural Lands

Phoenix, AZ: Natural Restorations, Maricopa Trail and Park Foundation, and West Valley Trail Alliance

Pittsburgh, PA: Allegheny County Parks Foundation, Hollow Oak Land Trust and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Portland, OR: Willamette Riverkeeper, Friends of Trees and Forest Park Conservancy

Puget Sound, WA: Forterra, Washington Climbers Coalition and Great Peninsula Conservancy

Raleigh-Durham, NC: Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Friends of Sauratown Mountains

Reno, NV: Nevada Land Trust, Biggest Little Trail Stewardship and Tahoe Rim Trail Association

Richmond, VA: James River Association, rvaMORE and Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club

Rochester, NY: Adirondack Mountain Club, Genesee Regional Off-Road Cyclists and Genesee Land Trust

Sacramento, CA: American River Conservancy, Climbing Resource Advocates of Greater Sacramento and Tahoe Rim Trail Association

Salt Lake City, UT: Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, Mountain Trails Foundation and Weber Pathways

San Antonio, TX: National Parks Conservation Association, South Texas Off-Road Mountain Bikers and Cibolo Nature Center and Farm

San Diego, CA: San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, San Diego River Park Foundation and San Diego Canyonlands

Santa Barbara, CA: Los Padres Forest Association, Santa Barbara County Trails Council and Channel Islands Restoration

Spokane, WA: Riverside State Park, Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance and Washington Trails Association

St. Louis, MO: Open Space Council, Great Rivers Greenway Foundation and Missouri River Relief

Tri-State Area: Catskill Center, Friends of the High Line and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

Tucson, AZ: Arizona Trail Association, Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists and Climbing Association of Southern Arizona (CASA)

Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN: Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Mississippi Park Connection and Superior Hiking Trail Association

Virginia Beach, VA: Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Elizabeth River Trail and Bike Norfolk

West Hartford, CT: Connecticut Forest and Park Association, Riverfront Recapture and Ragged Mountain Foundation

Winter Park, FL: Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association Orlando, St Johns River-to-Sea Loop Alliance and Wekiva Wilderness Trust
Greg Dyer
Greg Dyer

Greg Dyer is a senior writer at REI. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, he spends as much time as possible searching for good fishing spots and sleeping in his station wagon. REI member since 2009.

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52 Comments

Please fill in your details below to comment:

  1. Joshua Proctor

    This is awesome! I just wish I’d known about it last year. I actually own some acreage in the Shenandoah Valley. I was a little disappointed there isn’t anything offered for the Greensboro, NC location, but I’ll definitely have to make a trip into the store to add my input for the Raleigh/Durham area.
    -Member since ’94

    Reply
    • Harry Wilson

      The Greensboro store is supporting the same groups as Raleigh. Go check it out and vote

      Reply
      • Louis

        Thank you, for what you do, it’s been awhile , since I made a stop, must be that I’m going on 83 this month, but have always enjoyed shopping in you stores, and will get back on track with youtt

        Reply
  2. Steve Borroum

    I would suggest you look to the USA territories. I’m sure Puerto Rico has endangered aquatic resources. But .. you don’t have a store there.

    So, more oriented to store locations … The Colorado River is long one of the Southwests most endangered resources.

    Reply
    • Gayle Hoffman

      Yes, I definitely agree. I recently relocated to Guam for a job. Guam really needs a lot of help with outdoor activities and dealing with a lack of environmental stewardship. Plus lots of manmade destruction. But there are a lot of people hiking to waterfalls. Places like the Puget Sound area in Western Washington already have lots and lots and lots of dollars for the outdoors. REI needs to make their funds available to places that aren’t as well off.

      Reply
  3. Dave Oshman

    This is so cool. How do we suggest organizations to be considered for grants? There’s a great nature center near me that does a lot for getting people outdoors.

    Reply
    • Aer Parris

      Dave,

      We’re so glad you asked! We’d suggest going to your local REI and talking with staff. All of our stores have funds that they designate for local organizations that align with our mission of getting folks outside.

      Best,
      Aer Parris, staff writer

      Reply
  4. Erin

    This is great! Please consider adding The Trustees to the New England region. An amazing group offering hundred of properties for walking and hiking. www.thetrustees.org

    Reply
  5. Hal Smith

    If I buy something online, since my local Coop doesn’t stock it, is there any opportunity to participate?

    Reply
    • Aer Parris

      Hal,

      We’re sorry to say we’re only offering this opportunity in our physical stores. We’ll offer this feedback to our events team, because it’s a good point. Thank you for your comment.

      Best,
      Aer Parris, staff writer

      Reply
      • Diane

        I was wondering the same thing. I live in Louisiana, near New Orleans. I’ve only been able to use the Atlanta store on my way up to the Appalachians! Online options would certainly benefit the earth a great deal more ??

        Reply
  6. Chris R

    The Oxnard REI has more than a handful of non-profit conservation groups within 5 miles. The intentions of those groups are inline with your programs goals. Trail development, post fire restorations, community outreach and youth education. In particular Rancho Ventura Conservation Trust – Home of the Two Trees.
    It’s odd that the REI Oxnard store did not engage or offer incentives to any such local non profits in their vicinty as desired with this program.

    REI Memeber / Sierra club member Chris R.
    www.VenturaConservation.com

    Reply
  7. Dower Combs

    Awesome!! Just wish our organization in Oklahoma were eligible. We are building all purpose biking/hiking trails in NE Oklahoma.

    Reply
  8. Dominique Naccarato

    Thank you for contributing to Colorado stewardship projects! The Greater Arkansas River Nature Association, located in S. Central Colorado, would love to be listed among REI’s programs. With 17% growth per year in outdoor recreation visitorship, we have many local stewardship projects in place and proposed, that could use REI support!

    Reply
  10. Camila Matamala-Ost

    Is there any way that you could provide links to these organizations in your description? I’d like to learn more about some of them so that I can see about supporting them or volunteering with them!

    Reply
  11. Sue Hutchinson Carey

    I think the idea is in line with the concept of a Co-op… we make these decisions together as members. So why is this process connected to Purchasing something in this narrow span of time? I think that seems a little manipulative… I can’t make my preference known unless I buy something in that period of time? Perhaps this would be a more comprehensive process if it were initiated at the end of the year. I.e. if my dividend is $300, for example, I get to allocate $30 to a particular project… or whatever ratio it is that REI uses to determine the amount of the ‘investment/donation’ which REI disburses.

    Reply
  12. Sue Hutchinson Carey

    I think the idea is in line with the concept of a Co-op… we make these decisions together as members. So why is this process connected to Purchasing something in this narrow span of time? I think that seems a little manipulative… I can’t make my preference known unless I buy something in that period of time? Perhaps this would be a more comprehensive process if it were initiated at the end of the year. I.e. if my dividend is $300, for example, I get to allocate $30 to a particular project… or whatever ratio it is that REI uses to determine the amount of the ‘investment/donation’ which REI disburses.

    Reply
  13. Shaine

    I love REI and have been a member for over 20 years. I wish I could participate in this program but the nearest store is about 200 miles away. I do all my orders online at REI.com. Would it be possible in the future for there to be a process to let members without a store nearby nominate organizations serving their region? This might be more inclusive for members who live and recreate in rural and remote areas that equally deserve support from companies like REI.

    Reply
  14. Kelle

    We cast out VOTE in our Kennesaw, Ga store. Thank you for allowing us to have a voice. ##Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy and Trust for Public Land

    Reply
  15. Pam Jiner

    This is awesome! Thank you REI. I would like to see nonprofit programs that introduce and engage children in enviroentail learning and experiences at National parks and forests; like Denver, CO’s – Environmental Learning for Kids (Elk) Program. A $1 Million would get thE school built, purchase buses and more to enable children outdoor experiences normall not available to them.

    Reply
  17. Joan Lee

    Fabulous REI. Love the store and love what your doing here. Our State and National Parks need a lot of help. We need to support so many areas, due to lack of personnel coverage, due to budgets. Thank you for your amazing kindness and generosity. I’m here to support REI and your cause. God bless.

    Reply
  18. kevin king

    Thank you for all you do. I like the products I’ve bought from you. Have not sent anything back, and bought many hundreds of dollars woth since I started with you in 2018 on

    Reply
  20. Amy B.

    What a great way to creat awareness about local philathropic projects! I would love to see a bridge built across the San Diego River for hikers to safely traverse the crossing near Jackson Street Parking Lot.( Mission Trails Park)

    Reply
  21. Donovan Garcia

    Love the idea but some of the members don’t have a store in their area.

    Reply
  22. L S

    Would be nice for online customers to vote as well–my nearest REI store is 3 hrs away.

    Reply
  23. Matthew Michael

    I am really proud of REI Board of Directors for their decisions to support all these groups/issues.
    Matt M., Sacramento CA

    Reply
  24. C R

    Love it that this is happening! Was a tough choice at our local store because two of the options were my favorite hiking areas.

    Reply
  25. Zoey

    This sounds amazing and gives me all the warms and fuzzies. However, as someone who lives nearly 200 miles from the nearest co-op, and a brief window of participation (and notice), I’m sad to not be able to participate. This would have been a great thing to open up to online customers.

    Reply
  26. Henryk

    Hi, is the Norwalk, Connecticut store not participating?
    Thx,
    Henryk – member since ‘94

    Reply
    • Aer Parris

      Hi Henryk,

      All stores should be participating. Happy voting!

      Best,
      Aer Parris, staff writer

      Reply
  27. Lamar O'Brien

    I applaud REI’s efforts to offer grants to help to these parks & recreation areas. I have been an member of REI for more than 40 years, however I live in Mississippi – a long distance from any REI store. I have been a loyal customer of REI all this time, but I have to order on line. Although I live in MS I have traveled to many of the places you mentioned in you above list and wish to see these places preserved and enhanced for my next visit. I think you are being myopic in your approach. I am not the only REI member in this situation. I strongly encourage REI to include an on-line participation in this program.

    Reply
  28. Joseph

    I received no such token yesterday during my in-store purchase. Does every REI store even know about this program?

    Reply
    • Aer Parris

      Joseph,

      We’re so sorry that you didn’t receive a token. REI stores should all have the program up and running. Which store were you in?

      Best,
      Aer Parris, staff writer

      Reply
    • Michelle Flandreau

      Hi!
      Seattle and Issaquah are within the Puget Sound market. The nonprofits are Forterra, Washington Climbers Coalition and Great Peninsula Conservancy.
      Best,
      Michelle Flandreau
      Editor, Co-op Journal

      Reply
  30. Karen

    You’d get more for your money be spending a million on one goal rather than 20. I get that you want to encourage member participation (and spending) but you can make more of a difference by putting it all in one place. Why not put it toward a new long trail?

    Reply
  31. Deborah

    Houston Parks Board should be on the list…building 150 miles of hike and bike trails in Houston and making 3000 acres of greenspace available to the public.

    Reply
  33. Sandy Chytraus

    I think it’s great that REI is doing something like this with their profits. But it would be even more wonderful if they could help the Navajo people where 40% of them lack fresh running water, one of the basics of life and survival! Here’s 2 links concerning their situation…..
    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-off-the-grid-navajo-residents-are-getting-running-water
    https://www.navajowaterproject.org/
    If you can, helping the Navajo people get water is my choice rather than hiking and biking trails.

    Reply
  34. Sandra Marshall

    This is a wonderful non-profit group in San Antonio (Selma) TX. Helping mentally and physically disabled persons through equine assisted therapy. https://www.facebook.com/thesaddlelightcenter/

    Reply
  35. Isabel

    This is a great idea! How did you pick your organizations? The three orgs from Portland, OR are all conventional white led organizations and only one is doing anything that resembles Equity work.

    Reply
  36. Steven P Hutchins

    I was alittle surprised not to see the Boy Scouts or the Girl Scouts listed as they both have vast , local camp grounds that can always use some funds to improve facilities. Since many scouts use REI as their main supplier of camping equipment, it seems only fair for them to be somewhere on the list.

    Reply
  39. Christopher Ramírez

    What can REÍ do to support more people of color and low income communities and families have equitable access to outdoors?

    Reply
  40. James Kinsella

    Maybe tie the Katy Trail in with the Clark Bridge at Alton, Ill.

    Reply
  41. Kathie Brennan

    This is an an awesome opportunity for individuals see how the funds are made available. Sad to say, I wish our St. Louis MO store was more forthcoming about the program when contacted by a NFP trail association about how to be considered as a partner when informed about the program from another NFP trail association up north. What are the considerations to be chosen? Will the program be announced as when it will happen again? REI does an amazing job of keeping up with current trends involving all types of recreational opportunities and allowing your customers to help ‘share the wealth’ with those NFP organizations goes a long way.

    Reply