The VF Foundation Issues Its Third Impact Report to Seed Change through 77 Grant Partners around the World
DENVER– (April 6, 2023) – The VF Foundation, the philanthropic arm of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC), today released its third Impact Report, which details how the Foundation served as a catalyst for change and positively impacted more than three million people in 93 countries.
Between April 4, 2021 and April 2, 2022, The VF Foundation provided grants totaling more than $8 million to support 77 community partners around the world focused on its four priorities: 1) Outside Matters: increasing equitable outdoor access and conservation to foster sustainable and active lifestyles; 2) Worthy Work: investing in educational pathways to inspire the next-gen of inclusive leaders in apparel and footwear; 3) Free to Be: fostering the freedom of self-expression and creativity to ensure everyone has the opportunity to follow and pursue their passions; and 4) Disaster Relief and Recovery.
"We are proud to help seed the solutions to some of today’s most pressing issues that will grow positive change and meaningful impact around the globe," said Gloria Schoch, Executive Director of The VF Foundation and Senior Director of VF Corporation. "Contained in this report are the stories of people, causes and communities that are opening up opportunities for more people to experience the healing power of the outdoors, to advance greater diversity and equity in the talent pipeline, empower women and girls, as well as support programs, policies and practices that help protect our environment.”
In addition to the direct support provided by The VF Foundation, VF’s associates and portfolio of brands invested nearly $23 million in monetary and product donations throughout the year to positively impact millions of people and the planet we share.
Grantees receiving support from The VF Foundation and highlighted in this year’s Impact Report include:
Full Circle Expedition & Wind River Indian Reservation: The VF Foundation, in partnership with The North Face® and Smartwool®, helped fund the Full Circle Expedition, which made history as the first Black expedition team to summit Mount Everest. This grant is part of the Foundation’s commitment to increase access and possibilities for underrepresented communities in the outdoors. In addition, funding from The VF Foundation enabled four Central Wyoming College students from the Wind River Indian Reservation, to trek to Everest Base Camp.
Paradox Sports, Veterans Ascent: The VF Foundation’s funding supported Paradox Sports’ trips to Grand Teton and Yosemite National Parks for 20 veterans with disabilities. By enabling Paradox Sports to increase participation in and access to climbing and mountaineering opportunities, the Foundation is helping to empower veterans by providing unique and life-changing experiences.
Regenerative Rising, Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification (GRASS): With funding from The VF Foundation, Regenerative Rising has developed the Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification (GRASS) to accelerate regenerative agriculture principles in the marketplace. The GRASS specification sets minimum requirements for regenerative livestock supply chains that allow producer choice among certifications and auditing systems, taking into account environmental, climate, animal welfare, producer economics, and social justice concerns.
Nature Conservancy, Regenerative Ranching & Stewardship: The VF Foundation’s grant to The Nature Conservancy targeted the development of a "toolbox" of metrics and curricula to re-introduce indigenous and Latinx ranchers to regenerative ranching, aiming to improve the management of 30% of U.S. grazing lands by 2030 for clean water and wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and job creation. The funding also supported a virtual fence pilot project with Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico that uses GPS collars to manage cattle.
Trust For Public Land, Community Schoolyards Initiative: The VF Foundation supported the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to transform schoolyards into vibrant recreation spaces that meet community needs and address environmental inequities from heat islands to flooding. With the funding, TPL's CORE Fellows and Youth Teams identified priority park spaces for improvement in Denver's Westwood and Montbello neighborhoods and advanced community-driven designs for Amedee Bregy Elementary in Philadelphia and Bronx Latin School in New York, positively impacting an estimated one million people across these community projects.
Creatives Want Change (CWC), Pre-College Summer Programs To Build An Educational Pipeline In Fashion Design: The VF Foundation’s grant helped CWC send a new cohort of students to pre-college programs, providing them with life-changing opportunities to shape their high school, college, and early career trajectories. This initiative contributes to the fashion-talent pipeline and cultivates a diverse creative talent pool for the industry.
Forum For The Future, Growing Our Future (GoF): The VF Foundation’s work with Forum for the Future aims to transition the U.S. agricultural system towards a just and regenerative one. GoF brings together more than 135 organizations to drive scale for the transition to regenerative agriculture. In addition, representatives from VF brands actively participate in the GoF community and continue to support the initiative.
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About The VF Foundation
With its grantees, The VF Foundation strives to innovate and problem-solve in collaborative ways to drive transformation and lasting change with the vision of creating a more equitable and sustainable world. Since its inception in 2002, The VF Foundation has granted nearly $70 million globally to improve the communities where VF operates meaningfully. It’s committed to driving movements for the betterment of people and the planet across its key strategic pillars: championing Worthy Work, embracing Outside Matters, empowering creativity and self-expression as we are Free to Be, and supporting Disaster Relief. Learn more at https://www.vfc.com/responsibility/the-vf-foundation.
Media Contact
Aila Hernandez
aila.hernandez@finnpartners.com
Released April 6, 2023