Mission of National Get Outdoors Day
Unify public and private sector interests in efforts to influence American lifestyles, especially among youth, in ways that maximize the physical, mental and other benefits derived from activities in the Great Outdoors through a focused effort to invite Americans to designated sites on a single day, as well as to highlight and assist the efforts of National Get Outdoors Day partners year-round.
Governance
National Get Outdoors Day was originally coordinated by the Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition and is a sequestered account operating under ARC’s 501(c)3 tax exempt and charitable determination by the Internal Revenue Service. This parallels the status of National Public Lands Day, which is a program of NEETF. Both partners envision that the program may eventually become an independent, tax exempt entity with its own governance. In the mean time, ARC’s Board of Directors has approved the creation of a committee that shall determine the program direction of National Get Outdoors Day and the expenditure of all funds except for those provided by ARC or governed by any contracts or agreements for which ARC has fiduciary responsibilities.
ARC proposes that the governance of National Get Outdoors Day be bicameral, with a national advisory board and an operating committee.
The national advisory board would be comprised of nationally significant individuals and representatives of nationally significant organizations, each of whom shall commit to actively support the efforts of National Get Outdoors Day through personal advocacy, fund-raising and other measurable support.
The National Get Outdoors Day Operating Committee shall be comprised of all entities providing a minimum of $10,000 in cash or qualifying in-kind support of the program each fiscal year. The operating committee shall develop a program for the effort, solicit comments on the proposed program from members of the national advisory board and other designated interests and then agree to and oversee the execution of the program.
Non-profit organizations may receive a 75% reduction in the required contribution if they (a) are sponsors of a national effort consistent with and coordinated with National Get Outdoors Day or (b) host one or more qualifying National Get Outdoors Day sites or (c) participate nationally in the day, with active stations at 50% or more of the National Get Outdoors Day sites.
Reaching Targeted Audiences
National Get Outdoors Day will focus on reaching those who now derive little or no benefits from active outdoors lifestyles, especially youth. Gaining the attention of these audiences is a major challenge. Finding channels reach these audiences shall be a high priority, and we will involve communities of faith, youth service organizations, specialized communications entities, educational entities and businesses.
In addition, the National Get Outdoors Day effort will consider events that are located at places where targeted audiences often visit, including shopping malls, retailers that attract large numbers of Americans (data suggest that 90+% of all Americans shop at Wal*Mart at least once each year), schools and special events and festivals. To increase the success of National Get Outdoors Day efforts, local events will be encouraged to utilize food, music, appropriate communications devices (including non-English posters and announcements) and other magnets, select event times appropriate for key target groups and select locations readily accessible to targeted groups.
National Sponsors
National Get Outdoors Day shall solicit the active involvement of qualifying businesses and campaigns. Generally, national sponsors shall have values and public identities compatible with the healthy, outdoors goals of the program. Sponsorship either nationally or regionally will not include companies connected with adult-content products and will normally exclude producers and promoters of alcoholic or tobacco products, but final eligibility shall be determined by guidelines and specific provisions approved by the Operating Committee.
Especially attractive are tie-ins with communications channels focusing on youth (Disney Channel. Scholastic (which reaches 97% of America’s school population), BusRadio ( which reaches 3 million youth daily), etc.), organizations in the healthcare field (including health insurance companies, professional medical societies and food-related interests.
Category exclusivity may be offered to appropriate national sponsors (1) providing reasonable efforts have been made to reach alternative companies in the sector for involvement and (2) upon a majority vote of the operating committee of National Get Outdoors Day.
Link to Community Service and Volunteerism
Although the focus of National Get Outdoors Day will be on the fun and benefits of active outdoors lifestyles, local events are encouraged to incorporate youth service efforts in National Get Outdoors Day activities. For 2009, the operating committee will consider an opening volunteer/community service effort at many National Get Outdoors Day sites led by National Youth Marine Alliance and linked to Take Pride in America.