climbing preservation grant guidelines
Download Quick Links- What We Fund
- What We Don't Fund
- Application Procedure
- Grant Application & Guidelines
- Additional Guidelines & Attachments
- Grant Recipient Conditions
- Use of Funds
- Where To Send Your Application
- Examples of Grants Awarded
Note: We have recently updated our guidelines, so please read this section over carefully. Thanks for your interest.
The Access Fund Climbing Preservation Grant Program funds projects that preserve or enhance climbing access and opportunities and conserve the climbing environment throughout the United States. We are most interested in making grants to organizations and individuals that identify and work on the root causes of local climbing access and conservation issues and that approach issues with a commitment to long-term change. Because we believe that true change will occur only through a strong grassroots movement, our funding focuses on organizations that build a strong base of local climber support and activism.We fund, support, and work with grassroots activist organizations and individuals with direct-action agendas, working on multi-faceted campaigns to keep climbing areas open and conserve the climbing environment. The Access Fund believes that the local battles to resolve an access issue or conserve a climbing resource are effective in raising more complicated issues — particularly those of rock climbing as a legitimate use of public and private natural resources and conservation of climbing resources. We look for projects that produce measurable results, and we like to support efforts that compel the government to abide by its own — our own — laws. Your group's efforts should be quantifiable, with specific goals, objectives and action plans, and should include measures for evaluating success. Because we're a member supported non-profit organization, we fund groups with missions aligned with ours and grant objectives that further that mission, and that's where we believe our small grants are most effective. Most grants are in the range of $1,000 to $4,000. The Access Fund considers requests for over $10,000, but these projects should have national significance and utilize a high degree of matching funds. If you are requesting more than $10,000 please call the Access Fund before submitting your application.
We fund work which:- is action-oriented
- builds local climber involvement and support
- is strategic in its targeting and goals
- accomplishes specific goals and objectives that can be effectively measured
- takes place in the United States
- encourages access or enhance opportunities for climbing
- develops knowledge about natural and cultural resource values where the information is used to open climbing areas or mitigate climbing impacts
- reduces climber impacts on natural and cultural resources within the climbing environment
- raises awareness about climber responsibility toward conserving the climbing environment
- is supported by the climbing community
- utilizes matching agency or local funds (ideally this will be at least 50%)
- incorporates a degree of volunteer labor and/or pro bono services
- fixed anchors, bolts, bolt installation, etc.
- research
- outdoor programs (e.g. taking groups climbing, at-risk programs, youth groups)
- climbing equipment
- marketing or membership recruitment
- facility construction (e.g. indoor climbing walls, artificial climbing facilities, ice parks)
- paid positions and travel stipends
- political campaigns
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
We have recently updated this section, so please read it over carefully. Incomplete proposals may result in the disqualification of your request.
Project Suitability: review Access Fund grant guidelines and assess whether your project is compatible with Access Fund's criteria. The Access Fund encourages applicants to call the Access Fund at the earliest stage to discuss their ideas with the Grants Program Coordinator to ensure that your proposal meets our grant award criteria before submission.
When to Apply: if your work fits within our guidelines, we welcome your proposal prior to our grant deadlines. Grant applications are reviewed in three cycles each year (Applications MUST be received at the Access Fund office by the deadline date — i.e. applications postmarked on that date will be reviewed in the next cycle.)
| Spring | March 1st |
| Summer | June 15th |
| Fall | September 15th |
Who Can Apply: we welcome applications from: local climbing groups, individuals or organizations (Note: tax exempt 501(c)(3) status is not a pre-requisite); governmental agencies that wish to sponsor or organize a local project; conservation organizations and land trusts.
Grants to Individuals: Individuals are required to report grant money as income. IRS Form 1099 will be issued for all grants in excess of $600. Please consult your tax adviser for information regarding your specific reporting requirements.
Release of Funds: grant recipients will have up to six months but no later than the end of the calendar year to claim grant money (recipients will need to resubmit a grant application in the following year if the money is not claimed by December 31), and funding will only be released for projects that begin within 6 months of the grant being awarded.
GRANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES
- Please use the grant application provided. Please click here to download the grant application onto your computer.
- We prefer electronic submissions, with attachments sent separately.
- Only one proposal from an organization will be considered per year. Applications from organizations that have never received AF funding will be given priority over applications from past grant recipients.
- The proposal should not exceed four pages in length.
- Please use only paper clips on the proposal itself (no staples) since we will need to make copies.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES & ATTACHMENTS
Please include proof of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with your application, including your EIN.
If you have a fiscal sponsor, you will need to include their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt letter, along with a consent letter from the organization.
For grant requests over $5,000, the grantee organization is required to submit a copy of their most recent annual financial statements, a copy of the organization's bylaws and articles of incorporation, a listing of current board of directors and the IRS determination letter (501(c)(3) or other tax status) and recent form 990. (Individuals and governmental agencies are not subject to this requirement).
Any proposal for facilities, trail work or installation of signage on public lands requires land owner/manager permission and support. For example, building a trail on federal public lands often requires some level of environmental review and compliance with federal laws. State agencies may have their own environmental review procedures. This means that projects with a facility component require a long lead-time in the planning phase to gain the necessary approval. Check early on with the agency or landowner to gain understanding of their approval process. If your project does require agency approval, a letter from the landowner/manager must be submitted with your proposal.
Land Acquisitions: Considering the management and financial resources of land ownership, the Access Fund views land acquisitions as a tool of last resort and have adopted the following guidelines for land acquisition projects. If you are requesting funds for a land acquisitions please call the Access Fund before submitting your application.
- The area must be imminently threatened with permanent closure or sale to an outside party that may consider land development opportunities or other uses threatening its climbing and/or access resources.
- The area can be acquired for a reasonable price (reasonable price being one that falls within existing market values and is not in excess of appraised value), together with a reasonable budget (including secured funding) or secured exit-strategy for management by another land trust, local climbers organization or governmental agency.
- A fully executed purchase agreement stating how the project will be funded is required before Access Fund grant funds will be allocated to any acquisition.
- A high degree of matching funds is required. The Access Fund's role in land acquisitions is as an additional, not primary, funding resource.
- Applicants whose projects require continued payments and/or financing should submit a plan describing how these payments will be met in the future. These include, but are not limited to, property tax payments, loan payments, lease and mortgage payments. This payment plan will be taken into consideration during the grant review process.
GRANT RECIPIENT CONDITIONS
Prior to the release of funds all grant recipients shall agree in writing to:
- Submit a project report. within 30 days of completion of the project.
If the project is not completed in the calendar year for which the grant was awarded, grant
recipients will need to submit a progress report no later than the end of the calendar year.
This should be 2-3 pages, and should include:
- A summary of expenditures (< 1 page)
- A short summary about the project with completion dates.
- Photos (if applicable) showing before and after shots of the project, or volunteers in action. The Access Fund uses these photos in our newsletter or on our web site.
- Any copies of local newspaper/magazine coverage.
- Return any unused funds. If the project is not completed within one year of Access Fund approval or the agreed time frame, or is completed at less than budgeted all unused funds shall be returned immediately to the Access Fund.
- Provide Access Fund recognition All projects must acknowledge the Access Fund by inclusion of the Access Fund logo on signage, publicity and/or outreach materials. The following wording MUST be included: "This project was made possible by a grant from the Access Fund." Sample acknowledgement signage is available from the office. The Access Fund logo can be obtained electronically.
USE OF FUNDS
- Grantee will use the funds awarded solely for the purpose(s) stated in their application, and must repay to the Access Fund any portion of such funds not used for those purposes.
- Grantee will not attempt to influence legislation within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Code using any of the funds granted by the Access Fund.
- Grantee will not use any portion of funds awarded to participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office, to cause any private inurement or improper private benefit to occur, or to take any other action inconsistent with 501(c)(3) of the Code.
- Grantee will notify the Access Fund immediately of any change in its operations as a tax-exempt entity.
- Grantee will indemnify and hold the Access Fund harmless from any liability or loss arising in connection with the performance of any work and the grant of funds described in grantee's application.
WHERE TO SEND YOUR APPLICATION
Direct your application to "Ellen Jardine, Business & Finance Manager, re: Climbing Preservation Grant."
Email: ellen@accessfund.org
or
Ellen Jardine
Business & Finance Manager
Access Fund
PO Box 17010
Boulder, CO 80306
303.545.6772 x107
303.545-6774 Fax
After receiving your proposal, we will send you an acknowledgment email, including a decision date. We're staffed leanly, so please avoid phoning. Again, our total grant distribution is based on the number of Access Fund members and donations, so the overall dollar amount varies from year to year.
Thanks for your interest in the Access Fund's Climbing Preservation Grant Program.
EXAMPLES OF GRANTS AWARDED
Climbing Facilities/Improvements — trail design/construction, erosion-control projects, toilets, camping, parking
- Indian Creek, UT — $4,000 for trail design and construction in the Broken Tooth and Scarface areas.
- Austin, TX — $1,200 for bridge construction at Reimers Ranch.
- Illinois Climbers Association, IL — $1,800 for organization start up and incorporation costs.
- Tucson Climbers Association, AZ — $1,500 for organization start up and incorporation costs.
- Climbers of Hueco Tanks, TX — $2,000 for climber organization capacity building.
- Southeastern Climbers Coalition, AL — $5,000 toward the acquisition of Jamestown.
- Truckee Donner Land Trust, CA — $5,000 toward the acquisition of the Billy Mack Land Acquisition. (total acquisition cost: $1.2m).
- Salt Lake Climber's Alliance, UT — $3,900 for a climbing information brochure.
- Pisgah Climbers Association, NC — $1,000 for an informational kiosk.
- Colorado Division of Wildlife, Boulder Canyon, CO — $500 for cliff nesting raptor signage.