Welcome to the Backcountry Squatters Scholarship for Outdoor Education

This cycle we will be awarding $2000 in scholarship money for outdoor education!

Women and gender-queer people who seek non-male dominated spaces in the outdoor community can apply to this scholarship and be awarded up to $600 in order to enhance their participation, leadership, or representation in the outdoor industry and community.

Extra consideration is given to applicants that are members of the Backcountry Squatters chapter at their university with the expectation that they are registered on the MightyNetwork app. If you are at a university that does not have a chapter, you are still invited to apply! If you are not in school but between the ages of 17-25 (“college aged”) you are also invited to apply.

Use this application as an opportunity to speak about your merit and financial need.

Merit will be based on one of two factors:

1. An applicant’s demonstrated willingness to break down prohibitive barriers that underrepresented individuals face when joining the outdoor community and industry (underrepresented individuals includes women, communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, folks with disabilities, underrepresented financial classes, underrepresented geographies in the outdoor community or other communities not listed here).

2. An applicant’s aspiration for developing leadership skills needed as a professional in the outdoor industry. Either as a guide, athlete, or as a professional working to disassemble barriers that exist for peers trying to achieve the same goals. These applicants are directly increasing women and gender-queer people’s representation in the outdoor industry.

Applications are due Thursday, March 26th, 2026 at 11:59 PM MST.

Please reach out to scholarships@backcountrysquatters.org with any questions.