Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

What Outdoor Recreation Roundtable does

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR), founded in 2018 and headquartered at 1203 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit coalition serving as the nation's leading convener of outdoor recreation trade associations. It represents more than 110,000 outdoor businesses across boating, fishing, RVing, biking, hiking, camping, hunting, ATVing, diving, horseback, and skiing activities, and serves primary segments including trade associations, state Outdoor Recreation Offices (25 as of June 2026), federal land and water agencies, rural communities, and the healthcare sector. ORR's core activities are policy advocacy, stakeholder convening, data curation, and program delivery rather than technology development; outputs include the Rural Economic Development Toolkit (developed with Oregon State University CORE), the National Recreation Data hub, the Great Outdoors Month presidential designation, the Outdoor Recreation Technology and Innovation Summit, and the inaugural National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation (May 2026).

ORR generates revenue primarily through recurring membership dues from trade associations and businesses, supplemented by foundation grants such as the $100,000 Richard King Mellon Foundation award in January 2023 and partnerships with the LOR Foundation, The VF Foundation, and the REI Cooperative Action Fund (via Nature & Health Alliance). Go-to-market is community-led: the organization convenes industry, government, and stakeholders through events, member portals, the Confluence of States network (22+ state offices), and direct advocacy channels including testimony, letters, and policy frameworks. Key legislative wins include supporting the Great American Outdoors Act (2022) and the EXPLORE Act (2024), alongside expansion of state-level recreation offices from fewer than 20 to 25 between 2022 and 2026.

Name

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

Legal name

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable

Website

https://recreationroundtable.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(6) coalition representing over 110,000 outdoor recreation businesses and trade associations, convening industry, government, and stakeholders to advocate for the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy through policy, programs, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association / Advocacy Coalition

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation policy
• Trade association advocacy
• Industry coalition
• Rural economic development
• Outdoor recreation economy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ORR generates revenue through membership dues from trade associations and businesses across the outdoor recreation economy. The organization represents the interests of outdoor recreation trade associations and businesses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ORR is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit coalition that convenes and represents the nation's outdoor recreation trade associations and businesses. It delivers policy advocacy at federal and state levels, curates economic data and research, hosts national forums and summits, and administers programs such as the Rural Economic Development Toolkit and grant initiatives to support the $1.3 trillion U.S. outdoor recreation economy.

Product overview

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) is a 501(c)(6) advocacy coalition and trade association representative body, not a product company. It does not offer commercial software products, SaaS platforms, or technology offerings for sale. ORR's activities center on policy advocacy, industry convening, resource development, grant programs, and event hosting to promote the outdoor recreation economy. Its offerings include programs such as the Rural Economic Development Toolkit, workforce career modules, grant initiatives like the Rural Outdoor Recreation and Health Catalyst Grant Program, and events including the National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation and the Outdoor Recreation Technology and Innovation Summit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ORR Membership Trade association membership for national outdoor recreation trade associations, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and universities, providing access to ORR's advocacy, data, events, and member portal.
• National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation First-of-its-kind national convening event bringing together outdoor recreation industry executives and health leaders to advance outdoor recreation as a public health solution. Featured participants included Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum National forum convening outdoor recreation industry executives, policymakers, and stakeholders to shape the future of the U.S. recreation economy.
• Outdoor Recreation Technology and Innovation Summit Annual summit focused on technology and innovation in the outdoor recreation sector, spotlighting public-private partnerships and emerging innovations.
• Rural Outdoor Recreation and Health Catalyst Grant Program Grant program funding locally led projects in rural America that connect outdoor recreation with preventive health, mental well-being, and social connection. Supported by LOR Foundation and The VF Foundation.
• Rural Economic Development Toolkit Resource toolkit for rural community leaders providing information and guidance to leverage outdoor recreation for local economic development. Developed in partnership with Oregon State University CORE.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.3 Trillion in annual economic output
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and supporting.

• Oregon State University Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the Rural Economic Development Toolkit in partnership with ORR. Provides information and resources to rural community leaders for leveraging outdoor recreation for economic development.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (RERC Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) Program - a collaboration between EPA, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Border Regional Commission, and Appalachian Regional Commission supporting rural community outdoor recreation development.
• Confluence of StatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBipartisan coalition of state outdoor recreation offices that ORR works closely with to support establishment and growth of offices nationwide. By 2026, includes 22+ member states with shared policy frameworks for outdoor recreation.
• U.S. Department of the InteriorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for outdoor recreation policy. Secretary Doug Burgum participated in the National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation, advancing shared goals on outdoor access and public lands stewardship.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal health agency partner. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. participated in roundtable discussions on outdoor recreation as a public health solution, with commitment to advance shared goals.
• American College of Lifestyle MedicinestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnounced partnership with Nature & Health Alliance, established by grant from REI Cooperative Action Fund, to launch education series on science of nature and well-being.
• Coalition to Empower Our FuturesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation, supporting vision for a healthier, more outdoor America.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Sportfishing Association: Trade association for the sportfishing industry whose CEO (Glenn Hughes) currently chairs ORR's board. Directly comparable as an ORR member association running parallel advocacy, conservation, and member-services programs for a recreation sub-sector.
• Outdoor Industry Association: National trade association representing outdoor industry businesses and brands. Highly comparable as a peer member of the outdoor recreation advocacy ecosystem that ORR convenes, with overlapping policy interests on public lands, infrastructure, and trade.
• National Ski Areas Association: Trade association for ski area operators and snowsports industry. Comparable as an ORR member running climate, safety, and policy advocacy specific to a recreation sub-sector, with similar member-based funding model.
• Motorcycle Industry Council: Trade association for the motorcycle and powersports industry, whose CEO (Christy LaCurelle) is ORR's current board vice chair. Directly comparable as a peer ORR member association with parallel advocacy, statistics, and member programming.
• RV Industry Association: Trade association for the RV industry, an ORR member association. Comparable in structure and mission as a sector-specific trade group running its own advocacy, market data, and member-services programs within the broader outdoor recreation coalition.
• American Hiking Society: National nonprofit advocating for hikers and trails. Comparable as a recreation-focused advocacy organization with overlapping interests in public lands access, conservation, and outdoor participation that ORR helps amplify.
• National Marine Manufacturers Association: Trade association for the recreational boating industry, whose prior CEO (Frank Hugelmeyer) chaired ORR's board. Directly comparable as a peer ORR member running its own federal advocacy, shows, and industry data programs.

Emerging players

• National Wildlife Federation: Large conservation-focused nonprofit that engages in federal advocacy on public lands and outdoor access. Comparable as an advocacy peer on conservation policy, though its primary mission is wildlife/conservation rather than recreation-industry coalition-building.

Broad incumbents

• National Recreation and Park Association: Larger and broader national organization for park and recreation professionals across public agencies. Comparable as a recreation-sector advocate, though focused on municipal/government providers rather than industry trade-association coalition-building.
• U.S. Travel Association: National umbrella trade organization for the broader U.S. travel industry. Comparable as a sector-wide advocacy coalition that intersects with outdoor recreation on tourism, economic impact, and federal policy, but covers a wider scope than ORR.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ORRoundtable
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outdoor-recreation-roundtable

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Recreation Roundtable