These grants support local climbers—those most connected to their communities’ needs—in leading projects that foster equity, connection, and resilience. By providing resources to amplify underrepresented voices and build stronger climbing cultures, they help transform visionary ideas into lasting impact.

 Funding Information

• Requests of or under $1,000 USD.

Eligible Projects

• They are looking to fund direct impact projects with clear and measurable outcomes to support the growth of inclusive climbing communities. Project examples include:
  • Capacity-building trainings on topics such as guiding, safety, first aid, and crag development, focused on expanding opportunities for underrepresented climbers
  • Access to gyms and outdoor climbing for underrepresented climbers
  • Climbing festivals and other events centered on underrepresented climbers

Ineligible Projects

• Projects that take place inside the continental United States (unless led by an Indigenous community)
• Projects not led by local climbers
• Projects without a significant relationship to climbing
• Projects not centered on environmental impact
• Projects that are not aligned with the values of GCI
• Proposals without a clear scope or plan
• Research, white papers, academic projects, or conferences
• Social media or public awareness campaigns
• Political campaigns or advocacy
• Land endowments, acquisitions, or easements
• Salaries, stipends, or general operating costs

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals must be related to climbing (outdoor or indoor), led by a climbing organization outside of the continental United States (or representing an Indigenous community within the United States), and submitted by a member of the local climbing community.
• Please note that they will not award grants to the same organization in the same category in back-to-back cycles (e.g. Spring 2025 and then Fall 2025). If applying in a different category, or applying in non-back to back cycles, the application will be evaluated equally against others regardless of past award status.

Application Requirements

• Each grant recipient must commit to the following as a condition of the grant:
  • Signing an ethics code of conduct and memorandum of understanding (MOU)
  • Attending a project kickoff meeting with GCI before the project begins
  • Naming us as a supporter/sponsor in any events, media, or social media related to this grant project
  • Within 60 days of the completion of the grant project:
    • Providing quality photo
    • Reporting on impact metrics
    • Writing a brief project summary
    • Completing a survey
    • Collaborating with their team to produce a social media post

For more information, visit GCI.

https://globalclimbing.org/social-impact-grants