Access Fund Grants are available for projects that increase rock climbing accessibility. Funding will preserve and improve climbing areas across the nation. Applicants may be nonprofits, agencies, land trusts, and individuals. Applicants who have not previously received funding will receive priority.
Funded projects will demonstrate local climber support, collaboration with land managers, and a commitment to long-term change. Applicants' efforts should be quantifiable, with specific objectives, a detailed budget, and measures for evaluating success.
Funded work will:
- Be action-oriented.
- Encourage access or enhances opportunities for climbing.
- Be forward-looking and consider long-term impact.
- Reduce climber impacts on natural and cultural resources within the climbing environment.
- Increase scientific understanding of climbing impact, climbing behavior, and economic impact to improve best practices for climbing management. All research projects must have a clear plan for distributing and communicating the results.
- Develop knowledge about natural and cultural resource values and provide information about open climbing areas or mitigate climbing impacts
- Raise awareness about climber responsibility toward conserving the climbing environment.
- Consider how the improvement will fit into the climbing resources and affect all users. Have proven support from a local climbing organization or climbing community.
- Demonstrate inclusive and nondiscriminatory access to the climbing area and incorporate JEDI principles when executing projects.
- Incorporate a degree of volunteer labor.
- Use matching agency and local funds, in-kind support, and pro bono services. Projects using at least 50% of the entire budget from matching funds will receive maximum consideration.
- Be strategic in its targeting and goals.
- Accomplish specific, measurable goals and objectives.
- Take place in the United States.
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