Two for the Trails Grant

Giving Back

Giving back to the environment and community was a founding business principle when we set out to make delicious non-alcoholic beer. As a certified B Corp^TM, transparency and accountability are part of our DNA. That’s why we have set out to provide guidelines on who and what qualifies to receive Two for the Trails grant funding.

We are proud to offer Two for the Trails grants of varying sizes to nonprofit trail organizations, environmental protection organizations, and other nonprofit volunteer groups with outdoor protection and restoration projects. These grants are intended to help organizations offset the costs of trail maintenance, waterway protection, urban greenspace improvement, and overall environmental preservation to create equitable outdoor access for all.

Not all nature needs a trail to enjoy- we also fund projects focused on broader environmental protections like invasive species removal, beach clean-ups and native plant/animal habitat restoration, just to name a few.

Who Qualifies?

• Must be a registered nonprofit organization. United States-based organizations must be registered 501(c)3

• While your organization’s core mission does not need to be rooted in outdoor conservation or maintenance, your project must be. For example, a trail-building project hosted by an organization focused on teaching life skills to foster children does qualify.

• Any international nonprofit may apply, although we give priority to projects in regions in which we operate (USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and EU).

• No project is too big or too small. We understand some projects may be remote and have less visitors than other, and that’s great!

• We are an inclusive brand at our core. We do not partner with organizations:
– Who promote or participate in discrimination against any group of people
– Whose core purpose is rooted in government, politics, or religion
– With clear disregard for the environment, community, social justice, or any of our core values

Two for the Trails grants are intended to:

• Fund projects taking place the following year (this round is for projects in 2025)

• Be utilized within a year of disbursement (end of 2025)

• Fund shovel-ready projects (not in planning stages) and must be approved by land managers

• Have a positive environmental impact

• Align with our mission, including advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in outdoor spaces

Project accountability

A brief mid-year report and a final report will be required from each grant recipient. The mid-year report should provide a status update and basic information about your project. The final report will capture overall data about your project and will require the following items: project accomplishments (ex. miles of trail built, pounds of garbage, debris or invasive species removed, volunteers engaged, trail users after the project completion, etc.), community impact, and a detailed description of the project. The final report will also require a short reflection from the applicant. In addition, we will request proof of use of all Grant funds, including all receipts for materials and records with respect to the cost of labor (including the cost of all training, food, and supplies.) To learn more, refer to the Terms and Conditions of the grant.

how we evaluate

Each grant application will be assessed based on alignment with the grant program requirements and guidelines above, including:

• How sustainable or regenerative is the project for the environment?

• How inclusive is the project for the community?

• The degree to which diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are part of the project or organization.

• Perceived feasibility of the project

• Perceived ability of the nonprofit to complete the project in the allotted 1 year timeframe

• Uniqueness of the project

• How impactful is our donation to the project and if other funding is needed

• Geographic spread of projects. Some grant windows have high concentrations of projects in certain areas. Historically, that has been Connecticut, Colorado, Southern California, Oregon, and Washington. To spread our impact, we aim to fund projects in as many regions as possible, and occasionally, we pass on a project based on its location.

• Clear and complete budget breakdown

The Two for the Trails committee, a collection of Athletic teammates from varying departments and backgrounds, assist in reviewing grant applications.

Project Eligibility

As this program gains popularity, we anticipate a higher volume of requests than the available funding can support. Successful applications will demonstrate how the funding contributes to the environment and community, as well as address organizational or trail-specific needs through advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The project may include engaging or educating the general public on environmental impact, as well as creating more inclusive and accessible resources, trails, or public lands.

Guidelines – Two for the Trails grants are not intended to:

• Fund the research or planning phase of a project;

• Fund a project on primarily private land unless it is given public access;

• Fund base operations costs of the nonprofit organization applying for the grant funding; or,

• Fund the purchase primarily of new equipment not designated for a specific project

Application Information

Application Period

August 17 – September 13, 2024
Grants Awarded

November 1, 2024
Funds dispersed

Checks will be distributed throughout the end of 2024

Applications will be submitted online. Please be sure to review the Terms and Conditions to apply before submitting your application below.

Once you submit the application, it will be automatically emailed to you. Ensure your email address is correct and confirm your submission by emailing a copy to twoforthetrails@athleticbrewing.com.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO APPLY

Information
• Applicant Name, Email, and Title within the organization

• Name of Organization and Mission Statement. Please limit this to under 3 sentences

Project Details
• Please tell us about the project for which you are seeking support.

• What will change because of your receipt of this grant? (Consider DEI, public land preservation, invasive species removal or natural habitat restoration, etc.)

• Identify who will benefit from your project (ex. your organization, the general public, etc.).

• List any project partners and their involvement if applicable (ex. agencies, nonprofits, and other partners).

• How many people will benefit from this project annually? (trail users, park or beach visitors, etc)

Supporting Documents
• Certificate of Insurance evidencing at least the following coverages:
– General liability insurance with limits of no less than $1 million per occurrence and $2 million as an annual aggregate
– Workers’ compensation insurance
– NOTE: if chosen as recipient, Athletic Brewing Co will need to be added as ADDITIONAL INSURED to your Certificate of Insurance before payment
• Completed form W9 (or W8 for non-US applicants)
• Copy of your IRS tax exempt determination letter (or similar document for non-US applicants)
• Copy of your latest Form 990 filed with the IRS (or similar document for non-US applicants)

• Timeline of the project
– Note projects completed in 2025 will take priority

• Detailed budget breakdown
– The funds awarded range from $500 to $50,000, with an average of $5,000 to $10,000 per grant.
– Providing a detailed budget breakdown enables our team to give partial grant awards if application requests exceed the Two for the Trails budget
– Only 10% of your planned budget can be contributed to overhead costs.