Adventure Travel Conservation Fund Now Accepting Donations for Annual Auction

The ATCF continues to grow in its impact since its inception in 2016. In the last five years, the ATCF and its members have awarded over $500,000 in grant funding and they are anticipating awarding an estimated $100,000 toward conservation projects in September 2023. This has included a successful effort to grow the scarlet macaw population in Belize and reduce pandemic fueled wildlife poaching by funding African wildlife rangers. This past year the ATCF was also able to honor the life of long-time adventure travel advocate Barbara Banks in developing the Barbara Banks Vision Fund, which raised more than $80,000 to fund grassroots projects around the globe. More information on those projects will be shared in the months to come.

A key fundraising effort that enables the ATCF to protect wild places is the annual ATCF auction where members of the industry donate trips and travel-related items to be auctioned online. Last year’s event raised more than $30,000, and the ATCF has set a goal to double the amount in 2023. The organization is currently seeking donations through 16 August.

Donating to the ATCF auction is an opportunity to showcase your brand. While increasing auction efforts, ATCF simultaneously strives to improve the bidder experience, maximize reach, and minimize costs. Auction items will be visible via the ATCF auction webpage, with links to place bids on our partner sites, CharityBuzz and BetterWorld, which market to targeted, philanthropic audiences. For example, CharityBuzz has its own audience and markets the ATCF auction to an exclusive group of 600,000+ environmentally conscious consumers, 60,000 of which are high-net-worth individuals. 

This year’s auction has also been moved to the fall, timed to a period when many travelers purchase trips. Organizations that support the auction will have their brands marketed to consumer and trade audiences. In addition to being promoted in ATCF marketing channels, the auction will be previewed at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido, Japan, to boost awareness and build excitement. The ATCF will host its annual breakfast event and conduct a silent auction with an assortment of donated items during the ATWS event. Event delegates will be able to bid on the silent auction item, and the winner will be announced at the event. 

The main event, the online auction, launches on 27 September, World Tourism Day.

If you are interested in participating in the annual ATCF auction, they would love to hear from you. Past donated items have included trips, flights, experiences, lodging, gear, and photography classes. The organization is open to creative ideas, so if you have suggestions, please contact Soraya at [email protected]. New ATCF members will receive a 1-year base membership for donations over $5,000. As a supporter of the annual auction, your brand will appear before the following audiences:

• 1,000 ATCF email subscribers including international travelers committed to conservation efforts
• 30,000+ travelers and industry professionals through Adventure Travel Prosper and Adventure Travel News 
• 750+ industry professionals during promotions and a silent auction promo at the 2023 Adventure Travel World Summit
• 60,000+ high net-worth philanthropic individuals interested in supporting conservation projects via CharityBuzz, the ATCF online auction-hosting organization
• Partner with charity website receiving over 600,000+ unique views per month
• Promotion of your brand and auction item to ATCF email subscribers, media list, and social media channels, before, during, and following the auction

Who is the ATCF? 

The Adventure Travel Conservation Fund is a member-based, non-profit organization that promotes wildlife and cultural preservation in adventure destinations around the world through small, high-impact grants and other strategies. They were recently named non-profit of the month by Wanderful and have awarded more than $500,000 in grants to international conservation projects. The ATTA helped to launch the ATCF in 2016 alongside other founding members REI, Eagle Creek, ExOfficio, and Uncruise. More than 75 members have joined, with companies such as MiiR, Eagle Creek, REI Adventures, Backroads, North Face, Toad & Co, and Grayl providing a higher level of support. To learn more about ATCF and get involved, visit https://adventuretravelconservationfund.org/.