While becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit aligned with the original structure of GOAT and may have helped raise initial capital, it has not greatly impacted the way The Mountain Goat manages its climbing gym finances. ![]() Afterwards, GOAT teamed up with a local contractor to erect the owner-built climbing gym, which officially opened to the public in 2012 as The Mountain Goat. In September of 2011, McCrary initiated a crowdfunding campaign to support this project which raised $35,000 of tax-deductible donations when an anonymous donor matched 75% of the money raised. McCrary also wanted a place where all the hard work of transporting kids and tracking down waivers would not go to waste on rainy days, younger children could adventure separate from older peers and all youth could train and climb year round. Photo: GOATĪs GOAT grew, there was a pressing need for storage and office space. It fit the traditional non-profit model of providing a service to the community and asking donors to support it.” Outdoor climbing trips with GOAT. When looking at it from that point of view, it made sense. “None of the kids that came on the trips were paying anything and our revenues were from donations. “When we started out and were just taking kids outdoors, it was a logical thing,” says McCrary. Providing outdoor trips for at-risk students was the primary focus, so McCrary filed GOAT as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. In these early stages, McCrary had no intention of opening a climbing gym. GOAT grew exponentially after the first summer and eventually added white-water rafting and mountain biking to its repertoire, as well as full-time staff. ![]() After working for an advertising agency during the week, McCrary, along with a few volunteers, would take underprivileged youth rock climbing on the weekends. Great Outdoor Adventure Trips (GOAT) – the parent organization of The Mountain Goat – was started in 2008 by executive director Ryan McCrary, who ran the operation entirely from the confines of his own home. In brief, while their mission is certainly worthwhile and fosters a positive gym atmosphere, the financial ramifications of operating as a nonprofit gym may prove more restrictive than advantageous in the long run. Nestled between retail stores surrounding the Haywood Mall and the downtown airport of Greenville, South Carolina, lies The Mountain Goat, a small 5,000 square-foot climbing gym with a big mission: to provide a safe and healthy gym environment for the public while helping break the cycle of systemic poverty affecting at-risk American youth.Īdvertised as the only 501(c)3 climbing gym in the US, The Mountain Goat is certainly a unique member of the climbing industry which demands both attention and an explanation. Photo: GOAT Fun times at The Mountain Goat.
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