Outdoor Prolink Professionals Donate Over $84,000 Throughout 2021
Outdoor industry guides, instructors, employees, and other professionals team up with Outdoor Prolink to give back.
Outdoor Prolink, the pro purchase program created for outdoor professionals at the heart of the industry, asks that their members give a micro-donation at checkout when making purchases on the outdoorprolink.com store. As an extra incentive, Outdoor Prolink matched donations on Giving Tuesday, finishing off a year of giving back with $84,738 raised for their four 2021 nonprofit partners, PridePads Africa, Protect Our Winters, Outdoor Afro, and The Conservation Alliance. This is a donation record for the Outdoor Prolink community, topping last year’s total donation of $77,000.
Each year, Outdoor Prolink selects nonprofits focused on their core values, including climate change, conservation, sustainability, and DEI measures. During the holiday season each year, a small donation is required with every purchase, and proceeds go directly to Outdoor Prolink’s four nonprofit partners at the end of the year.
“Our member base represents the most influential leaders in the outdoor industry. We think it’s incredibly important to leverage their collective impact to support key philanthropic initiatives that protect our sacred places, take action on sustainability and conservation, and drive more inclusive participation in outdoor recreation,” said Kenzie Rodriguez, Chief Marketing Officer at Outdoor Prolink. “We couldn’t be more proud of our pros’ contributions to these stellar organizations and we are excited to continue exploring avenues to leverage our community for good.”
Protect Our Winters received the most donations this year, totaling over $38,000. Founded by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007, Protect Our Winters is dedicated to helping passionate outdoor people, including athletes, scientists, and creatives, to protect places and lifestyles they love from climate change.
“To be the most influential organization working on climate in the U.S., POW needs to reach ‘The Outdoor State’ and the 50 million outdoor enthusiasts who make it up,” said Maria Gonzales, VP of Development at Protect Our Winters. “There is no better partner in this goal than Outdoor Prolink and the community of members willing to turn their passion into purposeful climate action. Thank you for your support and for empowering us to take on this mission!”
“We’re deeply appreciative of our continued partnership with Outdoor Prolink and the incredible support their network has provided over the past few years,” said Conor McElyea, Director of Membership and Partnerships at The Conservation Alliance. “Through their annual contribution, The Conservation Alliance redirects funding to more than 50 organizations working on the most pressing land and water conservation opportunities throughout North America.”
“We are very honored and grateful to be featured as a non-profit beneficiary option for Outdoor Prolink’s checkout. The generous support from the hard-working outdoor professionals helps empower women and girls in rural Cameroon to achieve their full potential,” said Marisa Kellogg, Executive Director of PridePads Africa. “Thanks to your donations, we are able to continue the production of our biodegradable, earth-friendly menstrual pads that are made by local Cameroonian women. We are also able to continue providing Menstrual Health Education to reduce period stigma and keep girls in school.”
As of December 30, 2021, all donations made at check out will go to a Boulder Community Wildfire Fund that Outdoor Prolink created to support the local community and raise funds for those who need it most right now who were affected by the Marshall fire.
In early 2022, the Outdoor Prolink will announce their chosen nonprofits for the year, selected to preserve and protect wild places.