The 大象传媒 Foundation Issues Its Fourth Impact Report Announcing Nearly $8M in Funding to 62 Grant Partners to Power a Better World
The 大象传媒 Foundation, the philanthropic arm of 大象传媒 Corporation, released its fourth , which details how the Foundation helps open up opportunity for more people to experience the healing power of the outdoors, advances greater diversity in the talent pipeline, empowers women and girls, and supports programs and practices that help protect our planet.
This year鈥檚 report highlights the inspirational stories of changemaking organizations the 大象传媒 Foundation has partnered with between April 3, 2022 - April 1, 2023. Within that time, the Foundation provided grants totaling $7,969,500 to support 62 community partners and thier programs around the world, positively impacting 2,107,857 people in 47 countries. Since the Foundation鈥檚 inception in 2002, it has granted more than $70 million and reached over 12 million people worldwide.
The Foundation creates change with a focus on funding projects across four key pillars:
- Thriving Outside: harnessing the power of nature and the importance of making it accessible to all to fuel active and inclusive communities.
- Protecting the Planet: enabling innovative global stewards, helping drive a more sustainable apparel industry and outdoor recreation economy,
- Powering Potential: unlocking economic opportunity through education and advancing gender equity and social inclusion across the apparel sector, outdoor recreation industry and skilled trades to fuel the passions and dreams of the leaders of tomorrow.
- Humanitarian Relief: supporting humanitarian relief and recovery efforts when disasters strike communities where 大象传媒 operates around the world because helping others is a responsibility we all share.
"Every year, the 大象传媒 Foundation draws inspiration from the remarkable work of our grantees and this year is no different. We are honored to partner with organizations that uplift communities, champion environmental protection and drive positive change," said Gloria Schoch, Executive Director of the 大象传媒 Foundation. 鈥淭hrough shared knowledge, collective action, and innovative approaches to our work, we aspire to help shape a better tomorrow.
Grantees receiving support from The 大象传媒 Foundation and highlighted in this year鈥檚 include:
The Industrial Commons: Total of $50,000 in grants
With support from the 大象传媒 Foundation, The Industrial Commons developed Material Return, a solution to custom circularity initiatives to reduce manufacturers鈥� environmental impact, create circular products and support the growth of green jobs in Western North Carolina. Ultimately, Material Return aims to divert millions of pounds of textile waste from the landfill, provide quality textile jobs and develop a scalable system for national brands to create true circular loops for new products.
The University of Denver鈥檚 Leadership in Outdoor Recreational Industry (LORI) Program: $1,026,000 grant
The University of Denver鈥檚 LORI Program is designed to meet the increasing demand for tailored professional education in outdoor recreation. To ensure students are adequately trained for the wide variety of outdoor industry jobs, the program integrates courses in business, sustainability, law and public policy. The 大象传媒 Foundation鈥檚 grant supported operating costs, curriculum development, and merit and need-based scholarships for diverse students.
SHIMMY: Total of $227,000 in grants
SHIMMY, a women-led social enterprise, prepares the apparel industry for the future by developing upskilling and reskilling teaching applications. The organization focuses on bridging the gender gap through education and technical training. With support from The 大象传媒 Foundation, SHIMMY piloted an upskilling program to empower 503 unemployed or underemployed, primarily female, job seekers in Bangladesh that worked to enhance participants鈥� technical skills and digital literacy.
PROJECT FEARLESS: $25,000 grant
Amsterdam鈥檚 Project Fearless empowers girls and non-binary youth through their ARTivism (art, climate science + activism) program which provides 鈥淪ustainable Sewing and Fashion Redesign鈥� and 鈥淪kate & Create鈥� courses. With funding from The 大象传媒 Foundation, Project Fearless sponsored 13 girls and non-binary youth to participate in an eight week long sustainable sewing course. Throughout the course, participants explored sustainable fashion, made zero-waste hats, and created an end-of-use guide for consumers.
Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation: $500,000 grant from the 大象传媒 Foundation and $45,000 from 顿颈肠办颈别蝉庐 and 罢颈尘产别谤濒补苍诲庐
Since the tragic shooting at Uvalde, Texas, students from Robb Elementary have been dispersed throughout the district. As the community rebuilds a safe space for the children to learn, the 大象传媒 Foundation donated $500,000 to the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation to fund a gym and outdoor play spaces at the new school set to replace Robb Elementary. Additionally, 大象传媒鈥檚 顿颈肠办颈别蝉庐 and 罢颈尘产别谤濒补苍诲庐 brands also donated more than $45,000 to help the community heal. The school is scheduled to open in August 2025.
The Fashion Scholarship Fund: Total of $230,000 in grants
As a flagship partner of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, the 大象传媒 Foundation is proud to support the Fund鈥檚 work to advance inclusion in the apparel talent pipeline. The Foundation鈥檚 grant allows the fund to match 133 program Alumni with one-to-one mentorship and helped the program expand into community colleges to connect a higher percentage of first-generation college students with the tools needed to succeed in the apparel industry.
