Yamaha Distributes $290,000 in OHV Grants in 2013

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., awarded more than $290,000 in 2013 through its Access Initiative providing critical funding to OHV communities, riding groups and land managers across the United States.

Yamaha’s Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails (GRANTs) are designed to support the program’s mission of safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable OHV access to trails and riding areas nationwide since 2008.

Highlights from the 2013 GRANT year include:

“The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative is expanding its vision to include conservation, land management and educational groups like the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and National Future Farmers of America,” says Mike Martinez, Yamaha ATV and SxS vice president. “These organizations are focused heavily on public land access, volunteerism, leadership and education, and Yamaha is in a position to help them — alongside the core OHV enthusiasts — in a meaningful way.”

As in previous funding cycles, the second half of 2013 saw projects submitted from the spectrum of OHV concerns and opportunities on public and private lands. Issues mitigated with Yamaha OHV Access Initiative funding included creating legal access from trail systems to nearby facilities and amenities, dust and erosion control systems, building new or replacing inadequate bridges over environmentally sensitive areas or fish-bearing waterways, and ensuring land managers and trail volunteers had the tools and materials necessary to keep trails safe and open and expand the riding opportunities in their areas.

Yamaha GRANT recipients for the third and fourth quarters of 2013 include:

“Yamaha’s OHV Access Initiative made great strides in 2013 with two new states – Wyoming and North Dakota – receiving funding, and with that we are that much closer to having GRANT projects in all 50 states,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV and SxS marketing manager. “We have taken a much more proactive stance in seeking out OHV access opportunities to fund and support and look forward to expanding our platform in 2014.”

The 2014 GRANT cycle calendar is available at www.yamahaohvaccess.com where riders, clubs and land managers can also find the current OHV Access Initiative GRANT application form and guidelines for submission. Yamaha continues to seek qualified projects and applications at local, state and federal levels. The next deadline to submit a GRANT application is Monday, March 31, 2014.