The 2022 Explore Fund Council
Since 2010, The North Face Explore Fund has funded and collaborated with hundreds of nonprofits to support access and equity with communities of explorers. In 2019, driven by the belief that everyone deserves the right to explore, The North Face implemented an evolved approach to impact with a focus on cultural relevance and collaborative grantmaking as a way to further support equity to the outdoors. In 2020, The Explore Fund Council was formed to bring this vision to life.
The Council—a group of leaders across culture, entertainment and academia—co-developed Seven Practices for Inclusive Exploration, an inclusivity framework to enable work at The North Face and in the outdoors more broadly. This year, The North Face convened the second cohort of leaders—storytellers and creators—who are continuing the work to bring the Practices to life through storytelling and grantmaking.
Meet the new Explore Fund Council.
Meet the new Explore Fund grantees.
Creates affordable and transformational climbing experiences and community for people with disabilities, empowering persons of all ages and abilities to explore indoor, outdoor, ice, rock and competition climbing—365 days a year.
Creates safe spaces for Black women to enjoy the outdoors, build connections, collectively heal and conserve.
A Washington State non-profit (est. 2017) that aims to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the climbing and mountaineering community by developing leaders of color. To accomplish its mission, Climbers of Color provides supportive mentorship, technical training and access to key resources, including gear and scholarships.
An entirely Disabled-led organization celebrating and facilitating Disabled people’s experiences in the outdoors.
Leading international organization that provides education and training programs, mission leadership and project support services for submerged heritage preservation and conservation projects worldwide with a focus on the African Diaspora.
An intersectional women's outdoors club and 501c3 equipping Black, Indigenous, women of color with the tools, education, resources and experiences they need to collectively heal in nature.
An environmental education and conservation leader facilitating culturally relevant and multilingual connections to local nature and community through outings, environmental education and land stewardship.
Builds and nurtures a community that features and encourages Native women runners on and off the reservation, while increasing visibility worldwide for historically excluded runners.
The first and only Indigenous-led mountain bike enduro race facilitating intergenerational knowledge and connection to ancestral trails for and with Diné (Navajo) people on Diné Lands.