REI issuing $4.2M in grants for restoring natural spaces

Recreational Equipment Inc., the Kent, Wash.-based national retailer of outdoor equipment and apparel, on Tuesday said it plans to issue $4.2 million in grants to nonprofits that restore natural spaces.

REI — a co-op that has six Oregon stores, four of which are in the Portland metro area — each year designates 3 percent of the previous year’s operating profit to its annual grant program.

Last year it issued $3.7 million in grants to more than 320 nonprofits nationwide.

The company accepts nominations from its employees and then invites nominees to apply for grants. To be eligible, an organization must be an outdoors nonprofit promoting active volunteerism through activities such as trail building and restoration.

Applications for 2011 were already submitted throughout the spring and the company is now notifying grant recipients in its communities.

In coming months, REI said customers and co-op members can visit a local REI store, the REI blog, or the local REI pages on Twitter or Facebook to learn about various grant partners.