Polaris and the National Forest Foundation Announce Recipients of 2024 Polaris Fund for Outdoor Recreation Grants

Medina, MN (July 12, 2024) Today, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII), a global leader in powersports, in partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) announced the 2024 recipients of the Polaris Fund for Outdoor Recreation grants. 

The partnership between Polaris and the NFF was established in 2021 with the Polaris Foundation pledging to donate $5 million to the NFF over five years, establishing the Polaris Fund for Outdoor Recreation endowment and provide grants that support outdoor recreation and conservation work to help protect forests and surrounding lands for years to come.

“Through the NFF and the Polaris Fund for Outdoor Recreation grants, we strive to make a positive impact on trail restoration, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat projects that help facilitate great outdoors experiences,” said Lucy Clark Dougherty, president of the Polaris Foundation. “As a longtime supporter of NFF, Polaris is proud to partner with them to protect public lands.”

This year’s funding will support partnership projects in two National Forest locations: Kelly’s Pond Multi-use Trail in Texas and the East Verde Watershed in Arizona.

"The NFF’s on-going partnership with Polaris highlights the impact of collaboration between organizations with a shared passion for the outdoors," expressed Mary Mitsos, the President and CEO of the National Forest Foundation. "We are immensely grateful for the support of the Polaris Foundation, and we look forward to continuing our work together to protect and enhance our public lands."

The 2024 Grant Recipients: 
Kelly’s Pond Multi-use Trail in Sam Houston National Forest, Texas
The grant will help extend enhancements on the multi-use trail in Kelly’s Pond, including trail contouring, addressing drainage problems, and installing 600-700 linear feet of trail turnpike. These improvements aim to revitalize and create a durable multi-use trail for ongoing recreational activities in the Sam Houston National Forest. 

East Verde Watershed Project in Tonto National Park, Ariz.
The grant will be used to provide educational resources promoting responsible riding at strategic access points and to decommission unauthorized trails. This initiative is intended to enhance the safety and enjoyment of riders and other trail users in the Phoenix and Payson area.

Polaris is passionate about the outdoors. Through the Polaris Foundation, Polaris partners with organizations like the NFF, Tread Lightly, and community riding clubs to enable environmental stewardship. Additionally, Polaris’ annual TRAILS grants provide funding to national, state and local organizations promoting safe and responsible riding and supporting environmental preservations and trail access. To date, the program has supported more than 400 all-terrain vehicle, off-road vehicle and snowmobile organizations with more than $3.5 million in grants.
To learn more about the Polaris and NFF partnership, please visit https://www.polaris.com/en-us/national-forest-foundation-partnership/.  

About the National Forest Foundation
The congressionally chartered National Forest Foundation promotes the enhancement and public enjoyment of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF improves forest health and Americans’ outdoor experiences. The NFF’s programs inform millions of Americans about the importance of these treasured landscapes. Each year, the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitats, plants trees in areas affected by fires, insects, and disease, improves recreational opportunities, and enables communities to steward their National Forests and Grasslands. Learn more at www.nationalforests.org.

About Polaris Inc.
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris’ high-quality product line-up includes the RANGER, RZR and Polaris XPEDITION and GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves nearly 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com 

Media Contacts
National Forest Foundation – Catherine Cody
Email: [email protected] 

Polaris Inc. – Jessica Rogers 
Email: [email protected]