REI Cooperative Action Fund
The REI Cooperative Action Fund is a public charity based in Sumner, Washington, that supports U.S. nonprofits working to make the outdoors more accessible and inclusive. The organization was formed in 2020. It says REI Co-op supports its operations and some of its grantmaking; donations from the general public, excluding credit card transaction fees, go to grantees.
REI Cooperative Action Fund at a glance
In short: REI Cooperative Action Fund gave $13.5M across 561 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $13,540,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 561
- Average grant
- $24,135
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $11,181,431
- +35.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (19% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. Covers 18 months (fiscal year-end changed).
How to apply to REI Cooperative Action Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests; invitations to apply are by invitation only. Its recommendation form is not a grant application. Recommendations are accepted for consideration, but the Fund says it cannot respond to or fund every recommendation. Organizations must be U.S.-based, serve U.S. communities, have current 501(c)(3) public charity status or a fiscal sponsor with that status, align with at least one initiative, and have a track record of connecting historically excluded communities to the outdoors. The Fund does not support individuals, political or religious organizations, preschool–12th-grade schools, or endowment campaigns. No deadline is stated.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1938, Sumner, WA 98390-0800
Phone: (425) 300-4897
Website: https://reifund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from REI Cooperative Action Fund
Who REI Cooperative Action Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Texas A&M Foundation ($417K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
667 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 520 grants of 667 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund supports organizations across the country that serve U.S. communities. In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (23%), Oregon (9%), Washington (7%), Texas (6%), and South Carolina (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 561 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $647K (2021) to $13.5M (2024, 18 months). In 2024 it made 561 grants totaling $13.5M.
*2024: Covers 18 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
*2024: Covers 18 months (fiscal year-end changed).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M Foundation College Station, TX | General Support | $400,000 |
| Clemson University Foundation Clemson, SC | General Support | $386,438 |
| Ecologistics Inc Eugene, OR | General Support | $300,000 |
| Taking Care of Texas DBA Texan by Nature Austin, TX | General Support | $300,000 |
| Kidsgardeningorg Burlington, VT | General Support | $200,000 |
| The Redford Center San Francisco, CA | General Support | $200,000 |
| Trust for Public Land in Support of Project Nature Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $200,000 |
| University of California Davis, CA | Health and Nature Research | $200,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | General Support | $200,000 |
| Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | Health and Nature Research | $196,985 |
Ready to take the next step with REI Cooperative Action Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024* | $11,181,431 | $18,981,153 | $14,632,001 | $13,540,000 | 561 | $409,865 |
| 2023 | $8,243,596 | $9,381,381 | $7,210,765 | $6,783,620 | 62 | $740 |
| 2022 | $5,245,105 | $6,565,561 | $2,997,147 | $2,880,620 | 31 | — |
| 2021 | $1,772,720 | $1,772,720 | $745,218 | $647,464 | 13 | — |
*2024: Covers 18 months (fiscal year-end changed).
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to create a more equitable outdoors by bringing together the collective strength of its community. It supports nonprofits through three initiatives:
- Connecting People Outside: Connecting historically excluded communities to the outdoors and cultivating joy, healing, belonging, connection, and well-being.
- Creating Space Outside: Ensuring equitable access to quality, nearby, culturally relevant outdoor spaces.
- Centering Health Outside: Strengthening and amplifying research on nature’s importance to individual and community health and well-being.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among grantees. Black Outside says its mission is to reconnect Black and African-American youth to the outdoors through culturally relevant experiences. The East Coast Greenway Alliance says it works to promote a safe, accessible multi-user greenway linking cities and towns from Maine to Florida. KidsGardening says it creates opportunities for children to learn through gardening.
Grantmaking
Among the largest grants were $386,438 to Clemson University Foundation for general support; $300,000 to EcoLogistics Inc. for general support; and $200,000 each to KidsGardening, The Redford Center, Trust for Public Land in support of Project Nature, and the University of Washington Foundation. The University of California received $200,000 for health and nature research.
The Fund describes two grantmaking approaches. Strategy Grants support sector work such as research and tools, coalition building, narrative change, and capacity building; organizations may be identified by the Fund’s grantmaking team, other funders, or the general public. Local Grants support local and regional nonprofits providing direct services through work to create outdoor spaces and connect people outside; local REI store and distribution center employees and the general public may recommend organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ben Steele as chair; Marc Berejka as president; and Eric Artz, Wilma Wallace, Katie Kniffen, Squire Simpson, Sharon Philpott, and Chris Carr as directors. The filing identifies Wallace as general counsel through January 2024 and Carr as a director through April 2024. It also lists Kristen Ragain as vice president through October 2023 and managing director.
REI Cooperative Action Fund is led by Marc Berejka, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marc Berejka
President
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Steele
Chair
Director From → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roma McCaig
Chair From
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Ragain
Managing Director
Vice President → Vice President & Managing Director, 2022
Vice President & Managing Director → Managing Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Artz
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Philpott
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wilma Wallace
Director
General Counsel → General Counsel & Board Chair, 2023
General Counsel & Board Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Kniffen
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Kirkpatrick
Director From
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Squire Simpson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Kelly
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nina Freedman
Secretary From
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Raelynn Hulse
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Rick Palmer (2021–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Dogberto Quintana (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Tom Greenwood (2022–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Caiti Anderson (2023) — Director
- Former: Catie Anderson (2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about REI Cooperative Action Fund
How much does REI Cooperative Action Fund give each year?
REI Cooperative Action Fund gave $13.5M across 561 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. The 2024 filing year covers 18 months because its fiscal year-end changed. In 2023 it gave $6.8M across 62 grants.
What is REI Cooperative Action Fund's typical grant size?
REI Cooperative Action Fund's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $24,135, across 561 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does REI Cooperative Action Fund give grants?
REI Cooperative Action Fund's top state is California, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (10%) and Washington (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (22 grants), Portland, OR (19 grants), Washington, DC (17 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (13 grants).
Does REI Cooperative Action Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of REI Cooperative Action Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (551 of 561) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Health and Nature Research" (10 grants).
Who are REI Cooperative Action Fund's largest grantees?
REI Cooperative Action Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Texas A&M Foundation ($416,600 across 2 grants), Clemson University Foundation ($386,438) and Ecologistics Inc ($300,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is REI Cooperative Action Fund?
REI Cooperative Action Fund reported $11.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $19.0M.
What does REI Cooperative Action Fund fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to create a more equitable outdoors by bringing together the collective strength of its community. It supports nonprofits through three initiatives: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from REI Cooperative Action Fund?
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests; invitations to apply are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is REI Cooperative Action Fund's EIN?
REI Cooperative Action Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4299419. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does REI Cooperative Action Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 23, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work REI Cooperative Action Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in REI Cooperative Action Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). REI Cooperative Action Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rei-cooperative-action-fund-morg_77574aececaf4817bd6779fcb79678d5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_854299419_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{REI Cooperative Action Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rei-cooperative-action-fund-morg_77574aececaf4817bd6779fcb79678d5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from REI Cooperative Action Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
REI Cooperative Action Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?