Topic: REI Co-Op: A discussion about their commitment to community investment

Speaker: Kristen Ragain, Philanthropy & Community Partnerships Manager

Description: Participate in an open discussion with outdoor specialty retailer, REI Co-op, about their commitment to community investment and impact across the country.

The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 18 million members. REI’s HQ is based in Kent, WA (moving to Bellevue, WA 2020) and has 155 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The co-op’s annual revenue in 2018 was $2.78 billion with $8.4 million invested in 431 nonprofits.

REI’s philanthropic investments support efforts to create access to transformational experiences in the outdoors, leading to healthier people, healthier communities and a healthier planet. REI’s grants invest in rewilding cities and towns, stewarding wild places, connecting underrepresented groups to the outdoors, health and nature research, climate change, as well as state and federal policy supporting public lands and the outdoor recreation economy.

Kristen guides the majority of the co-op’s community investment efforts primarily through oversight of REI’s local grant program which spans over 65 U.S. regions. This program engages hundreds of REI employees across the country who help make locally relevant and impactful grantmaking decisions that fund over 350 nonprofits. We are very fortunate to have Kristen speak to us about the co-op’s approach to partnering with nonprofits across the country and how we engage REI members and employees in our philanthropic efforts.

This will be an interactive discussion, so please feel free to come with questions.

Details: Feel free to bring a brown bag lunch.

Date:  Thursday November 14, 2019 from noon until 1:30 pm

Location: KCTS 9 Television Station, 401 Mercer, Seattle, WA 98109

Sponsors: Thank you to our sponsor Greater Giving

Register: $20 per person. For those who attended the full day Corporate Giving Network conference on March 14, 2019 – this event is free.

Host: Thank you to our host Debi Naanes at KCTS 9

Contact: Joy Stephens (425.653.1575 or joy@o2joyent.com) for more information or for sponsorship opportunities.