Giving Philosophy

Outdoor recreation and conservation are the heartbeat of REI's giving philosophy. Since 1976 we have contributed nearly $29 million to nonprofit organizations. REI's annual giving budget is approximately 3 percent of the previous year's operating profits. In 2008 we donated nearly $3.7 million to 415 local and national groups — a funding increase of nearly 6 percent over 2007. For a complete list of 2008 grant recipients click here.

REI's giving efforts are distinguished by our unique employee-driven approach. Our grants program is predominantly guided by local employee nominations. We believe this "on the ground" view is the most authentic way to allocate community support because REI's thousands of employees work, play and volunteer in their communities. As a result, they have the most direct connection with local nonprofits that share our stewardship commitment. Because of our local focus, we do not accept unsolicited grant requests and proposals.

While we are proud of the dollar amount REI has provided throughout our history, our most important measure of success is how our philanthropic efforts increase the number of people participating in outdoor recreation and protecting natural spaces for the enjoyment by all. To achieve this, every grant applicant is asked to submit goals and evaluation metrics that address our success measures. This helps ensure that our giving aligns with REI's core purpose and values.

The dollars REI invested in nonprofit organizations in 2008 delivered the following outcomes:

• 14,481 acres of land and 6,520 miles of trail maintained

• 1,573,138 volunteer hours donated through 130,347 volunteers (via nonprofit grant support)

REI employees also coordinate and recruit volunteers for service projects, and generously donate their time and expertise to help organizations and individuals learn, grow and experience the outdoors. In 2008, REI hosted 785 volunteer projects across the country to protect shared trails, parks and waterways.

Also in 2008, through REI's annual Charitable Action Campaign employees donated $677,000 to their favorite nonprofit organizations. Including the co-op's matching dollars, we gave a total of $1,259,529 to more than 1,200 nonprofit organizations around the world. These contributions represent a 6 percent increase over funds raised last year.