$15 million latest gift from Arthur Blank to Outward Bound raises his philanthropic giving to over $1.3 billion

Outward Bound USA is proud to announce that it has been awarded a transformational $15 million grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

This record-setting gift will propel Outward Bound USA’s Advancing Access to the Outdoors initiative—a comprehensive effort designed to expand and innovate its community-based outdoor education programs and ensure fair access for students across the country.

The grant will launch the new Center of Excellence, which will strengthen programs across all nine regional Outward Bound Schools. It will also fuel capacity-building efforts, including the expansion of five- to seven-day immersive expeditions, which focus on leadership and character development, as well as accessible one-day programs tailored for local schools and community organizations.

Over the next five years, this investment is set to double the number of students reached annually, engaging 75,000 young people each year by 2029 and providing transformational outdoor learning experiences for a total of 275,000 students nationwide.

“Today marks a milestone in our journey toward ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to experience the life-changing impact of outdoor education,” said Ginger Naylor, CEO of Outward Bound USA.

“We are deeply grateful for the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s shared vision and commitment. This grant directly enhances our ability to expand our programs into communities across America, empowering more youth—especially the 90% of families currently unable to afford an experience like Outward Bound—to build confidence and reconnect them to themselves, others, and with the natural world.”

Arthur M. Blank, chairman of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, added, “Outward Bound has had a profound impact on my life, teaching me the invaluable lesson that we are all capable of far more than we realize. Outward Bound USA has consistently demonstrated excellence in fostering the courageous leaders of tomorrow through the transformative power of outdoor education. We are proud to support their efforts and firmly believe their programs provide important avenues for youth development.”

Justin Ennis, Executive Director at the Philadelphia Outward Bound School shares, “This grant is a game-changer. There is tremendous demand for our programming, and this grant will enable us to provide many more students with unique and challenging learning experiences that build resilience, leadership, and a lifelong connection to nature. Our crew is thrilled to see the impact this transformational investment will have on the schools and community organizations we serve.”

By launching the Center of Excellence and expanding its community-centered programs, Outward Bound USA is reaffirming its commitment to accessible, sustainable, and inclusive outdoor learning. This initiative comes at a critical time when ensuring fair access to skill-building learning experiences can increase youths’ confidence to navigate their future in school, life, and beyond.

Outward Bound USA is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the transformative power of outdoor education. With a network of nine regional schools across the United States, Outward Bound inspires young people to develop resilience, leadership, and a profound connection to the natural world through challenging and meaningful experiences.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause.

Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1.3 billion to charitable causes. Their collective giving areas are Atlanta’s Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development.

Across these areas, they take on tough challenges by uniting the courage and compassion of our communities so that all thrive together. In addition to the priority areas of giving, the foundation oversees an extensive portfolio of grants, including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military, and stuttering.

Arthur M. Blank is owner & chairman of the Atlanta Falcons. Now in his 12th season, Blank has distinguished himself as one of the most innovative and progressive owners in all of professional sports, allowing him to attract and retain some of the most talented executives, coaches, and players in the NFL.

Blank is widely known in the business community for his success in building the world’s largest home improvement retailer. He co-founded The Home Depot in 1978 with Bernie Marcus and retired from the company as co-chairman in 2001.

In 2003, for the second time in three years—and the only time in the publication’s 30-year history—Blank was named Georgia’s Most Respected CEO by Georgia Trend magazine, and in 2002 he was inducted into Georgia State University’s Business Hall of Fame. Among other previous honors, his alma mater Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, inducted Blank into its Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs in 1995 and conferred on him an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in 1998.

Also in 1998, The Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship, the nerve center for entrepreneurial activity at Babson, was named in his honor.

Blank is dedicated to giving back. Through his generosity, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted nearly $300 million to support early childhood development, education, the arts, and parks and green space.

A native of Flushing, N.Y., Blank received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Distinction from Babson College. He has six children and three grandchildren.

Arthur Blank has committed to directing at least 95% of his wealth to philanthropy and expects the foundation’s giving to continue at a pace of at least $100 million per year.