Since our last update the Overland Expo Foundation has been extremely busy and they just announced their most recent group of grantees. Together they’re working to protect our public lands, educate as many people as possible about a variety of important issues, and continuing the spirit of exploration that brings overlanders together.
Overland Expo Foundation 2024 Grantees
Fox Bravo Overland’s Heroes Night Out Expedition
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $5,000 toward Fox Bravo Overland’s Heroes Night Out expedition in the fall of 2024. The overland adventure will be 9-10 days and allow 24 veterans/first responders to participate with little or no cost to them.
Fox Bravo Overland started in 2011 when a handful of veterans who had redeployed from Afghanistan and Iraq found themselves struggling with reintegrating into “normal” life. They opted to head out into the untamed wilds of the western US where they found an environment where they once again experienced: camaraderie, teamwork, mission focus, physical and mental challenges, and peer mentorship and counsel. They have learned the value of these adventures and focus on helping and healing while they encourage and mentor one another.
For more information on Fox Bravo Overland visit their website at https://heroesnightout.org/outdoors-fbo.
Rally for Rangers Black Hills and Pine Ridge Ride
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $10,000 to Rally for Rangers for their Black Hills and Pine Ridge 2024 project. This project aims to support indigenous conservation efforts for the Northern Cheyenne and Oglala-Sioux tribes, as well as the Black Hills National Forest Motorized Trails program. Tribal rangers are chronically underfunded and under-resourced, negatively impacting their ability to protect critical wildlife and other resources on reservation lands. The Black Hills and Pine Ridge Ride will raise funds to purchase much needed equipment and signage.
Rally for Rangers is a project of the Mongol Ecology Center (MCE), a 501(c)(3) non-governmental organization based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and Tucson, Arizona. Their mission is to protect the world’s special places by empowering rangers around the world with new motorcycles and equipment.
Learn more about Rally for Rangers and how you can get involved on their website: https://rallyforrangers.org/.
Team Overland
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $3,200 to Team Overland for their Guided Overland Adventures. The Guided Overland Adventures offer an engaging outdoor adventure and serves as a vital platform for promoting mental wellness, community building, and a seamless reintegration process for our Veterans.
Team Overland was founded in 2015 with a simple mission to help Veterans reintegrate back into their communities when they return home. To accomplish this, they facilitate free guided overland adventures all over the Pacific Northwest. Their trips, which are always free to everyone, range from quick single-night adventures in the Cascades to week-long multi-state expeditions. They recognized the overland adventure lifestyle as a perfect platform to connect and support the Veteran families in our community. On the trail, they provide all the necessary gear needed to access the outdoors, and their Trail Guides work hard all year to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable time. Team Overland is a 100% volunteer-run organization with every board member, trail guide, and volunteer giving their time and resources to make these trips successful.
Learn more about how you can support Team Overland on their website: https://www.teamoverland.org/.
TEAM Wildlanders
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $5,000 to TEAM Wildlanders BigFoot Outpost program. The OutPost Program is designed to reach adventurers on the trails as they explore. Setup at the trailhead of popular routes, the OutPosts serve to Network and Educate. Information, programs, trashbags, swag, and a “Pit Stop” such as air down or up are provided to adventures. Meeting the off-road and overland community where they are exploring is the goal of the BigFoot Outposts.
TEAM Wildlander is an adventure-minded and conservation-hearted non-profit. Their mission is to conserve the environment while enjoying outdoor activities. They encourage people to “Adventure Wild, Adventure Wise, Adventure Responsible”. They achieve this by growing a community of outdoor enthusiasts who share their passion for the outdoors and work together to conserve it.
Learn more about TEAM Wildlander and how you can be a part of their efforts to conserve for our young future Wildlanders visit their website at: https://teamwildlanders.org/.
READ MORE: Get to Know the Overland Expo Training Team
Tread Lightly!
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $15,000 to Tread Lightly! for their Tread Lightly! Overland Expo Foundation Stewardship Projects. The project’s locations will come from ideas from the overland community. They want to hear from you! Do you have a local outdoor recreation space that needs some TLC? Let us know by April 15th and your local area could be selected. Complete the short application: Stewardship Projects 2.0 Application
Tread Lightly! is a non-profit organization that leads a national initiative to promote the responsible use of motorized vehicles when recreating outdoors. Our goal is to balance the off-road and off-highway vehicle (OHV) users’ need for adventure with the need to conserve the places where they ride and explore.
To learn more about Tread Lightly! and how you can “Do Your Part” visit: https://treadlightly.org/.
Vox United
The Overland Expo Foundation has awarded $5,000 to Vox United to execute the Overland & Water Project—an initiative designed to refurbish and restore five non-functioning wells for five communities in central Mozambique. The project itself is executed by trained well mechanics who travel via motorcycle through Africa’s bush to help people in living in disadvantaged, off-the-grid communities.
Vox was born in the bush of rural Mozambique back in 2008. Moved by the staggering number of children sick & dying from preventable water-borne diseases, they decided to roll up their sleeves and do something about it. The word VOX is Latin for “voice.” Their motivation centers on bringing practical, real-time hope to the voiceless of our world.
Learn more about Vox United and how you can help bring drinking water to remote communities in Africa, visit their website: https://voxunited.org/.
