Yamaha Hands Out $190,000 in OHV Awards

Yamaha Motor Corp., USA of Cypress, Calif. has given out more than US$190,000 in GRANT (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails) awards in the first quarter of 2008.

Designed to support safe, responsible riding and sustainable, open riding areas, GRANTs were given to 19 organizations across the United States. GRANT money is being used to fund projects like OHV trail and park development, trail mapping, safety and land stewardship programs and lobbying efforts to increase OHV access on public land.

Launched in January 2008, Yamaha says its OHV Access Initiative is a proactive, grassroots program enabling dealers and customers to fund deserving projects in support of responsible, open access. More than 35 applications were submitted during the first GRANT submission period, which had a February 29 deadline.

“We are pleased at the enthusiastic response to the OHV Access Initiative in just the first few months,” says Mike Martinez, Yamaha’s general manager of ATV and side-by-side operations. “It is truly gratifying to see the amount of work that is being taken on by OHV enthusiasts and public land managers across the nation in support of this important issue.”

“GRANT requests came from all types of organizations large and small including riding clubs, National Forests, even a volunteer fire department,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV and side-by-side marketing manager. “We look forward to our work with these and future OHV Access Initiative GRANT awardees to help establish and maintain open riding areas.”

To ensure that each project is successful, GRANT recipients are required to provide project status and completion reports. The Yamaha OHV Access Initiative will help oversee the projects.

Detailed information on the OHV Access Initiative, including downloadable guidelines and application forms, is available at: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/ohvaccess.

Yamaha will accept GRANT applications each quarter. Applications for the second quarter will be accepted through May 31, 2008

GRANTs ranging from $1,000 to $35,000 were awarded to the following organizations in the first quarter:

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Yamaha launches OHV effort