Bronco Wild Fund to Support Outdoor Preservation, Public Access, Starting with National Forest Foundation and Outward Bound USA

DEARBORN, MI – Ford today announced creation of the Bronco Wild Fund, which will support the responsible enjoyment and preservation of the great American outdoors. A special endowment will be funded by a portion of the proceeds from Bronco^® two-door, four-door and Bronco Sport SUV sales, as well as Ford licensed merchandise. The fund’s goal is to raise up to $5 million annually and today pledged to plant 1 million new trees by the end of 2021.

“The Bronco Wild Fund will help Bronco owners and off-road enthusiasts connect with the outdoors on a deeper, more personal level – ultimately enabling them to become responsible stewards of our nation’s treasures,” said Mark Grueber, Bronco brand marketing manager.

Connecting with and inspiring people into the wilderness, responsibly

Bronco Wild Fund will work through a series of strategic alliances with nonprofits selected for their preservation efforts of America’s outdoors and their encouragement of responsible stewardship through improved access and education.

The first two nonprofits to reach those objectives are the National Forest Foundation, which will receive support to help with its reforestation of America’s national forests, and Outward Bound USA, which will receive funds to provide access for young people to learn and grow through outdoor experiences in some of our country’s great wilderness spaces.

Future preservation initiatives will include financial support for reforestation and trail maintenance programs, forest health, fire mitigation and restoration work. The fund will provide additional support through equipment donations to various forestry agencies across the U.S., while outdoor access programs will focus on education and scholarships, outdoor learning and environmental stewardship.

To learn more about the Bronco Wild Fund, go to www.broncowildfund.com.

National Forest Foundation

The National Forest Foundation, created by Congress in 1992, is the only nonprofit solely dedicated to protecting and promoting America’s 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. A primary effort of the organization has been ongoing reforestation for post-forest fire restoration and reforestation in other areas of natural disturbance. The foundation launched the 50 Million for Our Forests campaign to raise funds by 2023 to plant 50 million trees across the National Forest System. Along with helping the foundation reach its goal faster by planting 1 million trees, Bronco Wild Fund will contribute to ongoing reforestation efforts.

Bronco enthusiasts can participate in forest stewardship efforts directly through programs to help plant a tree for every $1 donated. Ford dealers can support the foundation through volunteer and engagement efforts organized by Bronco Wild Fund. Additional sustainability programs will be announced later this month.

“We are proud and excited to receive this incredible support through the Bronco Wild Fund for our 50 Million for Our Forests campaign,” said Mary Mitsos, president and CEO, National Forest Foundation. “Their backing will help restore forests damaged by severe wildfires and help protect our nation’s water supply, air quality and sequestering carbon. Through this alliance, we’ll also help people reconnect with the wild in a responsible manner to encourage stewardship of our public lands and help protect America’s national forest resources.”

Outward Bound USA

Offering programs to access some of our country’s great wilderness, Outward Bound USA is a world-recognized nonprofit on a mission to change lives through challenge and discovery. Founded in 1941, the organization pioneered outdoor adventure learning around the world and now operates in more than 30 countries.

In the United States, Outward Bound delivers expeditionary learning programs in and out of the classroom that build character, leadership that results in effective teamwork and a respect for the environment. Bronco Wild Fund will donate $50,000 to Outward Bound USA in 2020 to create unique Bronco-inspired backcountry expeditions to provide access to outdoor learning experiences that teach responsible enjoyment and care for the environment and public lands. The fund has allocated $250,000 for Outward Bound USA scholarships for 2021.

“We are thrilled to work with Ford to create special opportunities for young people to learn and grow through outdoor adventures that they will carry with them for a lifetime,” said Josh Brankman, executive director, Outward Bound USA.

Outdoor enthusiasts can engage with Outward Bound USA and regional Outward Bound Schools to promote nature-based learning and community service through future programming.

Iconic Bronco brand returns

Since 1965, Bronco has always stood for off-road innovation. The original Bronco SUV helped change the off-road space with its agility and sports-oriented off-road 4×4 capability, and enabled Ford to be the first American manufacturer to reference “sports-utility vehicles,” or SUV.

Bronco is the new outdoor lifestyle brand from Ford with an all-4×4 family of vehicles including Bronco two-door, first-ever Bronco four-door and smaller Bronco Sport models – all engineered with Built Wild^™ Extreme Durability Testing, Capability and Innovative Design principles.

Additionally, the brand will include unique Bronco Off-Roadeo driving schools across four U.S. locations, plus an independent Bronco Nation online adventure community that elevates the Bronco lifestyle and enables both owners and fans to be part of a passionate, knowledgeable adventure-driven community.

To learn more about Bronco and Bronco Sport, go to Ford.com/Bronco.