March Newsletter
Update from the Executive Director
After a successful and inspiring board retreat in December, in which we came away with priorities for 2023, we’ve had our heads down working on an implementation plan. The word for the year is Amplify. Amplify funding, impact, membership, grantees, and network.
It’s important to note that in 2020 and 2021, during the acute phase of the pandemic when travel came to a virtual stop, the ATCF continued to support critical communities progressing their conservation efforts. The need was great and the organization felt a responsibility to help where it could. In 2021, we also reached the milestone of having distributed $500,000 to 33 projects in 27 countries around the world. In 2022 we worked on rebuilding the organization, which had been hard-hit by the pandemic along with the travel industry, and re-engaging our communities.
For 2023, our two primary focus areas are:
Reconvene our community - bring our membership back together, bring in new partner businesses from the travel and outdoor supply chain, and convene our grantees. Work has begun on several fronts.
Evolve our grant program - bring in stronger elements of communities who are supporting climate mitigation, consider our geographic reach of projects that qualify for funding, and integrate the ability for individuals to earmark additional funds to projects that align with their priorities. A new and energized Grants Committee is hard at work. Look out for the announcement of our 2023 grant program by May.
Nominations open on May 7th for ATCF members to put forth a project for funding consideration. Keep an eye out for more information on the nominations process coming soon!
There is lots more news to come including our annual Travel Conservation Auction, planned for the fall.
Please reach out to me with any questions, comments, or ideas. Contact us
Welcome to Three New Board Members
We are thrilled to welcome three new members to the ATCF Board of Directors. Welcome, Nicole Abbott, vice president of Wilderness Travel, Amit Sankhala, owner of Encounters Asia, and Jonathan Burnham, ATCF’s digital director! These remarkable individuals will add insight and expertise to ATCF’s strategic direction. Learn more about ATCF’s new board members here.
Hydro Flask Joins ATCF at the Trailblazer Level
We are thrilled to announce the addition of Hydro Flask as ATCF’s newest Adventure Trailblazer ($10,000 Level). Hydro Flask joins other like-minded businesses in supporting sustainable tourism and conservation efforts. Hydro Flask is well known for its reusable, high-quality water bottles and is committed to reducing the use of single-use plastics. The company’s products are a perfect fit for adventure travelers who are passionate about sustainability and conservation.
"ATCF’s mission aligns with Hydro Flask’s commitment to responsible consumption. Not just the bottle, but the way people explore and engage with the outdoors," said Jeffery Walter, Hydro Flask's corporate social responsibility (CSR) specialist. "Our products are designed for a world of adventures, and it is essential for organizations like ATCF to equip travelers and explores with the knowledge and tools to be stewards for the planet."
Hydro Flask has also teamed up with the ATCF on an exciting partnership that will support a local project and community. More details coming soon.
Barbara Banks Vision Fund (BBVF) Raises $80,000
We are pleased to announce that in three months, the Barbara Banks Vision Fund raised more than $80,000 to support the work of the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund. The fund was set up by Charles Altekruse, with Benjamin and Jeremy Banks-Altekruse, to honor the life of wife and mother Barbara Banks, a pillar of the adventure travel community whose untimely death of cancer in May 2020, came as a shock to all who knew and loved her.
New & Returning Members
Mountain Travel Sobek is known as the pioneer of adventure travel and has been offering immersive travel experiences for over 53 years. Their worldwide network of guides and experts allows them to offer tours on all seven contents!
Conservation Conversation With Explorer X
Michael Bennett, Ed.D, is the co-founder of Explorer X, a Seattle-based travel design company launched in 2017 by him and fellow travel industry veteran Jake Haupert. It crafts unforgettable and impactful travel experiences for its clients. The company’s mission is to support clients in both traveling better and living better. Bennet puts it this way, “We're sort of the love-child of Anthony Bourdain, the irreverent yet savvy traveler, and Joseph Campbell, the wise and sage-like teacher.”
Calendar
Spring 2023
April 4
ATCF Happy Hour in Berkeley, CA
May 7
Grant nominations open for ATCF members. (funding consideration)
May 9-11
AdventureELEVATE held in Portland, Maine
Fall 2024
September 11-14
Adventure Travel World Summit held in Hokkaido, Japan
Thanks so much for reading our March newsletter and if you have any questions about the auction please feel free to contact me.
Cheers,
