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 quarter 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: $500–$1,000 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
• Annual membership tp Cultivate Climbing
• 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.
Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship FAQs
What is the Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship program?
Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship is a partnership between the Carolina Climbers Coalition and Cultivate Climbing. It's built for people in Western North Carolina who want to climb, learn, or grow into climbing leadership but are running into barriers getting there. There are two scholarships under this program, each meant for a different point in that journey.
What's the difference between the two scholarships?
Scholarship #1, Access to Climbing Leadership Opportunities, is for adults working toward guide or instructor certifications, mentorships, or other professional development in climbing. Scholarship #2, Equitable Access to Climbing Experiences, is for adults, and for families with children under 18, who want to get into climbing in the first place. It covers things like gym memberships, intro classes, or guided outdoor days.
Who can apply?
Scholarship #1 is open to adults 18 and older with some interest in building climbing leadership skills, whether that's a guide certification, a mentorship, or other training. Scholarship #2 is open to adults 18 and older, as well as families with children under 18 who want to get into climbing together. If you're applying as a family, a parent or guardian completes the application.
Neither scholarship requires a specific climbing experience level. We're looking at the barriers you face and how this support would help, not how advanced you already are.
Where do I apply?
Access to Climbing Leadership Opportunities - APPLY HERE
Equitable Access to Climbing Experiences - APPLY HERE
What if I live outside Western North Carolina?
Western North Carolina is our focus area, but it's not a hard line. If you live outside WNC and feel like you're a strong fit for either scholarship, apply anyway. We'd rather read your application than turn you away over a zip code.
Do I need to prove financial need with documentation?
No. Barriers to climbing don't always show up on a tax return or pay stub. Instead, your written application is the main thing we review. Tell us about your situation, and how this scholarship would make a meaningful difference.
What counts as a "barrier"?
Cost is one, but not the only one. We also weigh things like not having a climbing community or mentor, cultural or social obstacles, and simply never having had the chance to try climbing or guiding before.
Do I receive the scholarship as cash?
No. No recipient receives cash for either scholarship. Instead, the CCC pays your training or program costs directly. If you're awarded the leadership scholarship, we pay your guide for the certification or training days. If you're awarded the access scholarship for gym classes or a punch pass, we pay the gym directly. The dollar ranges below describe what we're able to cover on your behalf, not money handed to you.
How much can the scholarship cover, and what does that look like?
Scholarship #1 covers $500 to $1,000 toward guide or instructor certifications (like SPI or CWI), private guiding days, or training travel and gear, paid directly to the guide or provider. Scholarship #2 covers $150 to $350 toward intro classes or punch passes at WNC gyms, or guided outdoor days, paid directly to the gym or guide.
Cultivate Climbing also donates seven annual memberships each quarter as an in-kind gift. If you're matched with one of these, it comes straight from Cultivate Climbing rather than as a cost the CCC covers. These memberships are for individuals, so if you are applying as a family, you’d be requesting 1 annual membership per member of your family.
Can I apply for both?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility for both. Just make sure your application reflects what you're actually trying to do next, whether that's getting into climbing or moving toward leadership. That helps us route your application to the right review.
How are applications reviewed?
Holistically, based on your written responses. We're trying to understand the barriers you face, how this scholarship would meaningfully improve your access to climbing or leadership opportunities, and how it connects to your personal goals and sense of belonging in the climbing community. There's no scoring rubric or financial cutoff.
When can I apply, and when are awards given out?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but awards go out once per quarter. To be considered for that quarter's award, apply within the priority window below. Winners are notified within 30 days of the priority deadline.
What if I miss the priority window?
Your application doesn't disappear. It automatically rolls into the next quarter's review, no need to resubmit.
What if I'm not selected?
You're welcome and encouraged to apply again in a future quarter.
Who can I talk to if I have questions before applying?
Alycia Andrade at aandrade@carolinaclimbers.org
