The world's leading sports and outdoor trade fair creates an independent foundation to channel lasting positive change across the globe
Founded by ISPO, the world's leading sports and outdoor trade fair, the ISPO Impact Foundation was unveiled today, alongside eagerly-awaited details of the €1 million global grant fund it will be distributing annually. The independent foundation will harness the power of outdoor recreation and sport as a force for good, in pursuit of a healthier planet and more active, inclusive communities.
Through ISPO's landmark annual donation, the Foundation will channel funding into initiatives across the globe that protect and restore the planet's vitally important natural environments, whilst also building stronger, more active communities. It is a statement of intent from a trade fair that has long championed the outdoor and sports sectors, whilst recognising that those sectors have both the responsibility, and the unique ability, to drive real-world change.
Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group, said: "ISPO has always been more than a trade fair. It is a platform that brings together the people who care most deeply about sport, the outdoors, and the natural world. Creating the ISPO Impact Foundation felt like the natural next step: a way to turn that passion into lasting, practical change. But it was always our intention that the Foundation would operate with full independence. The decisions about where this money goes, and the projects it supports, belong entirely to the trustees, the advisory council and the communities they serve, which is exactly as it should be."
Chair of the Trustees and CEO of the UK's Outdoor Industries Association, Andrew Denton, said: "Healthy natural environments and widespread participation in outdoor recreation and sport are fundamental to the future of our sectors, as well as to the health of our planet and the communities within it. The ISPO Impact Foundation represents a powerful opportunity to put that belief into action, internationally and at scale, year after year. We are grateful to ISPO and Raccoon Media Group for their vision and generosity in making this possible, and we take the responsibility of stewarding this fund very seriously."
The Foundation will be accepting project applications from non-profit organisations around the world from 1–30 June. A wide range of grants will be available, designed to ensure that no project with genuine impact is too small, or too creative, to be considered. Micro grants of €2,000 will support grassroots local clubs, groups and teams making a difference closer to home, while multi-year grants of up to €100,000 will be available for larger, more established organisations with the potential for significant, and potentially global, impact.
General Manager of the ISPO Impact Foundation, Tanya Kenrick, said: "The potential of this Fund to catalyse lasting change, for our planet and for the health of the communities that depend on it, is genuinely extraordinary. We are building something that will grow in impact every single year, and the Trustees, the Advisory Council and I are tremendously excited to begin partnering with the innovative, passionate organisations that will help shape what this Foundation becomes."
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About the ISPO Impact Foundation
With charitable formation imminent, the ISPO Impact Foundation is an independent grant-making organisation founded by ISPO, the world's leading sports and outdoor trade fair. Funded by an annual donation of €1 million from ISPO, the Foundation distributes grants to non-profit organisations across the globe, supporting initiatives that protect and restore the planet's natural environments and build stronger, more active and inclusive communities.
The Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Trustees, comprising Andrew Denton (Chair), Mark Held and Hannah Lewis. The Trustees are supported by an Advisory Council of experts drawn from across the outdoor recreation, sport, and sustainability sectors, encompassing brands, suppliers and retailers: Katrin Bauer (Ortovox), Ben Blishke (Intersport), Yasmin Dufournet (Salomon), Julian Lings (Specialized), Marie Måwe (WL Gore), and Debbie Read (Eqiup Outdoor Technologies).
The Foundation will accept grant applications each year, with four levels of funding available ranging from €2,000 to €100,000. For full details and application information visit ispoimpactfoundation.org.
Press contact: Tanya Kenrick, General Manager,