Muncie’s Own Red-tail Land Conservancy Wins $5K Mountain DEW Outdoor Grant

Photo provided by PepsiCoPhoto provided by PepsiCo

By PepsiCo—

PURCHASE, N.Y.— MTN DEW® has announced the 40 recipients of the MTN DEW Outdoor Grants program, which awards $200,000 to organizations championing the great outdoors across the United States. Muncie’s Red-tail conservancy was one of the winners, receiving a $5,000 grant. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, 7.1 million more Americans enjoyed outdoor recreation in 2020 than in the year before – with a record 53% of Americans participating at least once. Recognizing the unprecedented number of people who retreat to the wilderness as the pandemic carries on, MTN DEW launched Outdoor Grants as an immediate response to support community organizations that will continue to foster and maintain this uptick in outdoor activity.

While the demand for outdoor recreation keeps rising, the pandemic is simultaneously causing funding declines or stagnancies for community organizations. To help narrow this disparity and reach even more local nonprofits impacted by funding and volunteer participation challenges than before, MTN DEW doubled the number of its Outdoor Grants from its 2020 program. Organizations and consumers applied for a chance to receive a $5,000 grant in October 2021 by sharing how they or their favorite community organizations positively impact their local outdoor spaces at www.DEWOutdoorGrants.com.

“Red-tail Land Conservancy is honored to have found a partner in MTN DEW and be recognized as a leading conservation organization in the Midwest. With generous support from MTN DEW Outdoor Grants, Red-tail can restore vital habitats, preserve natural beauty, and create inclusive places for outdoor exploration and discovery in east central Indiana.” —Kelley V. Phillips, Communications & Outreach Manager

Grant recipients were selected based on their efforts to protect and preserve the outdoors and how they help people get outside—whether through outdoor conservation, participation or infrastructure initiatives. Aside from a common dedication to the outdoors, grant recipients shared various passions around education and restoration to address the recent influx in activity and the resulting effects on lakes, hunting grounds, urban outdoor spaces and more. Recipients of grant awards are listed below.

Ozark Regional Land Trust dba Ozark Land Trust 
Columbia, MO

Wander Woman Outdoor Adventures Inc 
Shawnee, KS

The Foundation for Sustainable Forests, Inc. 
Spartansburg, PA

Solutions to Avoid Red Tide Inc 
Tallevast, FL

Borderlands Restoration Network 
Patagonia, AZ

OKC Beautiful 
Oklahoma City, OK

Pickerel Lake Conservancy 
Sioux Falls, SD

Operation SPLASH Inc. 
Freeport, NY

Association for the Preservation of the Eno River Valley, Inc DBA Eno River Association 
Durham, NC

CCC Foundation 
Beverly Hills, CA

OutdoorMore, Inc. 
Eau Claire, WI

Missouri Stream Team Watershed Coalition 
Shelbyville, MO

Rochester Accessible Adventures, Inc. 
Rochester, NY

TennGreen Land Conservancy 
Nashville, TN

Vashon Nature Center 
Vashon, WA

Fontenelle Forest 
Bellevue, NE

Camp PossAbility, Inc. 
Fort Wayne, IN

Raritan Headwaters 
Gladstone, NJ

Friends of Sky Meadows State Park 
Delaplane, VA

Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports 
Steamboat Springs, CO

Milwaukee Riverkeeper 
Milwaukee, WI

Minnesota Valley Refuge Friends 
Bloomington, MN

The Westwood Right Incorporation, dba The Westwood Right Project CDC (WRPCDC) 
Dayton, OH

Greensboro Parks Foundation 
Greensboro, NC

BikeNet dba Billings TrailNet 
Billings, MT

Access Illinois Outdoors (Two Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Area)
Pittsfield, IL

Clean River Partners 
Northfield, MN

Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail 
Beulah, MI

Keep Knoxville Beautiful 
Knoxville, TN

Long Tom Watershed Council 
Eugene, OR

Lower Phalen Creek Project 
St. Paul, MN

Urban Rivers 
Chicago, IL

Greater Greenville Parks Foundation 
Taylors, SC

Pisgah Area SORBA 
Skyland, NC

Royal Gorge River Initiative Organization

Canon City, CO

The Spirit of Okoboji 
Okoboji, IA

Red-tail Land Conservancy 
Muncie, IN

Florida’s Nature Coast Conservancy, Inc 
Cedar Key, FL

Chattahoochee Riverkeeper 
Atlanta, GA

Bolsa Chica Conservancy 
Huntington Beach, CA

“We’re proud to invest in the work of even more diverse, local organizations who are helping the great outdoors be even better for future generations,” says Jill Abbott, chief marketing officer, PepsiCo Beverages North America, Central Division. “From funding trails to hosting educational clinics for women, this year’s grant winners are making substantial strides to drive outdoor access and protection in their communities during a critical time.”

With a heritage steeped in the great outdoors, MTN DEW has long committed to helping more Heartlanders access the great outdoors and shares their values, pride and commitment to embracing the elements and preserving their longevity. MTN DEW has donated more than $1.25 million this year to fuel outdoor passions to-date. Later in 2022, grant recipients will share how they are using their grants to take their work to the next level.

To learn more about the MTN DEW Outdoor Grants program and the 40 grant recipients, visit www.mountaindew.com/world/outdoorgrants. Stay up-to-date on the latest MTN DEW news by visiting www.mountaindew.com and following @mountaindew on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About MTN DEW

MOUNTAIN DEW®, a product of PepsiCo North America Beverages, is the No. 1 flavored carbonated soft drink in the U.S. With its one-of-a-kind citrus taste, MOUNTAIN DEW exhilarates and quenches with every sip. In addition to the original MOUNTAIN DEW and DIET MOUNTAIN DEW®, the permanent DEW® product line includes MTN DEW® KICKSTART™, MOUNTAIN DEW CODE RED®, MOUNTAIN DEW VOLTAGE®, MTN DEW® ZERO SUGAR, MTN DEW MAJOR MELON™ and MTN DEW MAJOR MELON™ ZERO SUGAR. For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com, www.facebook.com/mountaindew or follow on Twitter @mountaindew.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.