Dear Out There members,

We have launched a new feature on our website and app that allows members to submit sponsorship solicitations to get paid for their outing expenses (if and when sponsors decide to pay). Over the years, we have realized that local deals and prizes do not provide enough incentive to get our members out there as much as we’d like to see. So, after being inspired by Tim Cook, the former CEO of Apple, who said “people should go out and spend [more time] in nature,” we have decided to create a mechanism for Tim, and other thoughtful CEOs like him, to put their money where their mouth is.

How it works:

Check the Out There app or site for upcoming signature and suggested outings, especially our new Out There Class offerings. Register to receive an invitation to participate in an upcoming Out There Class, or other suggested outings.

During your outings, be sure to take a group selfie. Then, upload the pic to the Out There app or site’s “Log an Outing” feature. Once you upload your photo, we’ll immediately review, then generate a solicitation for $49.96 on your behalf that gets sent to one of our favorite Fortune 100 companies. The target sponsor company may then choose to pay the solicitation to help offset your outing expenses.

Sponsor Solicitation FAQs:

What expenses are typically incurred during an outing?

Food and beverage costs, transportation costs, park access fees, equipment costs, time away from work, school, etc., all contribute to the $49.96 solicitation amount per outing.

How is the solicitation amount determined?

Each submitted friend group selfie generates a solicitation in the amount of $49.96, which is the average amount that our members typically spend to have an amazing outing.

Who are the target sponsors?

Select Fortune 100 tech companies.

Specifically, which tech companies will be solicited?

Tech companies with over a trillion dollar market capitalization, such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Nvidia, etc., will be solicited, since it’s assumed that they profit greatly from all of our members - via the ultimate use of their products and services.

Why would a company pay the solicitation?

The leaders of many big tech companies have expressed their desire for users of their products and services to spend more time connecting with friends IRL, especially outside in nature. Paying this solicitation provides an effective way for these companies to show their love for their users who practice positive social and physical wellness behaviors, while using their technologies to live their best lives.

Does Out There Social Club feel guilty about sending these solicitations on my behalf?

No. Out There is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and we care deeply about the wellbeing of our members - as do most of the tech companies whom we are soliciting. We also collaborate with these companies by using and promoting their valuable products and services.

Our aim is to create a win-win-win outcome for all involved. Also, we suspect that paying these small solicitations will help these trillion-dollar companies justify their value to their forward-thinking shareholders and all of humanity.

Will my name be on the solicitation?

No. Out There Social Club’s name will be on the solicitation. We will submit your solicitation to a pre-determined tech company on your behalf. We will track your affiliation to each solicitation based on an automatically generated solicitation number that corresponds to each approved selfie you submit. You will also get a copy of your solicitations in your Out There membership account.

How much do I get if the company pays the solicitation?

Out There members will receive 80% of each paid solicitation, which is $39.96. The remaining 20% will go toward covering the non-profit Club’s operating expenses (e.g., staff salaries, supplies, and other stuff).

If my crew schedules our own outing, can we still submit a selfie and generate a solicitation?

Yes! You do not need to attend an Out There Class, or other Club-hosted/ promoted outing, in order to submit a selfie and generate a solicitation (and hopefully a payment).

If my friend and I (or our whole group of friends) just hang out (without actively going outdoors), can we still submit a selfie and generate a solicitation?

Yes, but you won’t be living your best lives by staying inside or by being sedintary, so we think it’s in your best interests to get out there in nature, doing something active together, as often as possible!

Why do I have to submit a group selfie (2 or more people), as opposed to a selfie (just me) to generate a solicitation?

Although we support introspective time spent alone, especially in nature, we are helping our members resist the allure of solitary leisure - the choice we often make to stay home, alone, inside - typically scrolling or watching a simulation of real life on a screen. From our first day of existence, Out There has been on a mission to financially incentivize our members to spend more time with friends IRL, especially in nature and out being active together.

How many friend group selfies may I submit per day or per week?

You may submit a maximum of one group selfie per day, and a maximum of 2 group selfies per week. So, if you’re going out with a friend (or your whole crew) twice per week (on two separate occasions), you’re living a great life - according to science. We want to help reward your healthy behaviors, as that adds up to a possible $4,155.84 in annual solicitation payments. Even if you only do a group outing once per week, you could get $2,077.92 in potential annual solicitation payments. That’s a nice stipend to help you maximize your annual physical and social wellness.

OK, let’s assume that both my friend and I are members of Out There Social Club. Let’s also assume that we hang out twice per week. If we both log similar selfies twice per week, would we both be eligible for individual solicitations ($49.96 x 2 per week)?

Yes. This is a testament to our belief that up to about $4,000.00 per year in annual payments, per member (regardless of possible duplicate solicitations), is still a reasonable investment - based on the value each person’s social wellness represents to these trillion-dollar companies.

Seriously, do you really expect these companies to pay up to $4,155 per year, per member, for our verified friend group outings?

If you don’t think you deserve up to about $4,000.00 annually to support your own non-digital wellbeing, then probably not. But we think you deserve it. So, help us make the case that this is a small investment for your overall wellness - when compared to your role as a lifelong user of these companies’ digital products and services.

How can I help make this case?

Consider sharing your friend group selfies (and screenshots of your sponsor solicitation receipts) on your personal social media accounts to help spread the word about our shared mission. This also helps our tech company friends too!

Do Out There Social Club administrators look at each group selfie I submit to ensure that multiple people are in the photo (not just me solo) and that it’s an authentic photo (not copied from alternate sources)?

Yes, we screen all submitted photos and then take a closer look at any photos that may be suspicious. In some rare cases, we may compare submitted photos to members’ public profiles to ensure authenticity and to stop bot submissions. Generally speaking, we want to trust that all of our members are good humans and are not interested in scamming our nonprofit, or our corporate collaborators. So, if you live by the Golden Rule, like we do, everything should work out fine.

What will Out There Social Club do with the group selfies that I submit on the app?

In most cases, we will only keep your photos on file for as long as we may leverage them for the benefit of the organization. In some cases, after review, we will delete your photos shortly after receipt. Ultimately, we’ll aim to use some of your amazing submitted photos for our Club’s promotional purposes. Please review our terms and conditions, as well as our privacy policy, to learn more about our nonprofit’s “member generated content” marketing approach. Finally, if you’d like, you may choose to opt out of having your submitted photos used for Club marketing purposes.

If you have any more questions about our sponsor solicitation feature, feel free to DM or email info@outthereclub.org. We appreciate your engagement.

See you out there,

The Out There Social Club at ASU Leadership Team

Skyy, Sofia, Javier, and Brent