Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship Fund
Introducing the Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship Fund
The Carolina Climbers Coalition is thrilled to announce a powerful new partnership with Cultivate Climbing. Beginning with the opening of Cultivate’s Foundy Street location, $3 from every Cultivate Climbing membership each month directly supports CCC’s stewardship, access, and community initiatives — and helps remove barriers in Western North Carolina.
Every membership helps protect and preserve climbing areas, fund essential stewardship work like trail building, bolt replacement, and habitat protection, and power a growing suite of access programs designed to make both indoor and outdoor climbing more inclusive.
At the heart of this partnership is the Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship Fund — a community-powered fund dedicated to expanding who gets to climb, who gets to lead, and who gets to belong in the climbing community.
The Cultivate Mosaic Fund Supports:
- Quarterly Leadership Pathway Scholarships: Supporting adults pursuing guide, instructor, and advanced climbing education and mentorship opportunities.
- Quarterly Access & Participation Scholarships: Reducing financial and structural barriers to climbing by covering classes, memberships, guided experiences, and gear access.
- One Annual Youth Access Partnership Project in Western North Carolina: Partnering with a local youth-serving organization to provide indoor and outdoor climbing opportunities for underserved youth — introducing the next generation to the joy, confidence, and connection that climbing offers.
Together, these programs are building a more inclusive climbing community — from first-time climbers to future guides and instructors, to young climbers discovering climbing for the very first time.
How to Apply for a Scholarship
Learn about the programs this scholarship funds, and apply for a scholarship at the links below.
Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship #1. Access to Climbing Leadership Opportunities
The Carolina Climbers Coalition and Cultivate Climbing aim to support a more diverse and inclusive climbing community by creating pathways into professional climbing leadership. This scholarship provides funding for adults interested in pursuing climbing guide or instructor training, or other professional development opportunities. Recipients will be matched with local guides or guide services to help cover training and certification costs.
Supports adults pursuing:
• Guide and instructor certifications (SPI, CWI, etc.)
• Skills practice through private guiding days
• Training travel and gear
Award Range: $1,000–$2,000 per award (Typically 1–2 recipients per quarter)
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Live in Western North Carolina
- Be interested in building climbing leadership skills or pursuing guide, instructor, or advanced training opportunities
- Demonstrate through their application responses that this scholarship would meaningfully reduce barriers to accessing these opportunities
Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship #2. Equitable Access to Climbing Experiences for Adults Scholarship
The Carolina Climbers Coalition and Cultivate Climbing are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the joy, movement, and connection that climbing can offer. This scholarship supports adults who face barriers to participation by covering costs such as climbing gym passes, introductory climbing courses, limited time gym memberships, or outdoor climbing experiences.
Supports:
• Gym passes & short-term memberships
• Intro classes
• Guided outdoor days
• Gear access
Award Range: $150–$350 per award (Typically 3–6 recipients per quarter)
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
Be 18 years or older
Live in Western North Carolina
Demonstrate through their application responses that this scholarship would meaningfully reduce barriers to accessing climbing opportunities
Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship #3: Youth Access Partnership Project
This project partners with a youth-serving organization in Western North Carolina to deliver indoor and outdoor climbing experiences to underserved youth populations.
• Not application-based
• CCC identifies and partners with a community organization
• Partner selects the climbing venue that best fits their youth
• May include gym sessions, outdoor field days, instruction, transportation, and gear access
Please contact aandrade@carolinaclimbers.org to discuss potential partnership for this scholarship.
