What Genders is the Compass Collective Program open to?

The Compass Collective is offering scholarships for trans adventurers including transfeminine, transmasculine, queer, non-binary, Two-Spirit, gender fluid, and beyond.

Do I have to be a US resident in order to apply?

No, you do not have to be a US resident. You do have to have a valid passport that’ll allow you to travel to the country your Summit Scholarship adventure takes place in. Some individual scholarships may have additional residency or nationality requirements — please review the details of the scholarships you are planning to apply for.

Is there an age limit to apply for the Summit Scholarship?

Yes, for legal reasons you have to be 18 years of age for most programs. There is no upper age limit for The Compass Collective program.

Who are the guides for The Compass Collective Scholarship adventures?

We partner with organizations like The Venture Out Project and Indigo Alpine Guides to provide safe, supportive, and empowering experiences for our scholarship recipients.

The Venture Out Project (TVOP)offers backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and transgender community. TVOP works with guides and facilitators who are also in the LGBTQ+ community to lead each of their expeditions. They strive to ensure that all participants feel safe and included. 

Indigo Alpine Guides was founded by Jack Bynum, who has a passion for creating safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community and has run multiple trips for Queer Mountaineers. Jack says: “Your guide team will definitely be queer but may not be Genderqueer, trans, or non-binary. But we will be 100% committed to creating an awesome welcoming space for everyone.”

Is the Summit Scholarship program welcoming to BIPOC applicants?

100%. We recognize that mountaineering and backcountry adventure is traditionally not just a male- but also a white-dominated experience, and we want to play an active part in changing that.

I would like to apply for Multiple Compass Collective Scholarships. Do I have to submit separate applications for each?

You are welcome to apply for multiple different scholarships but, yes, you do need to submit a separate application for each scholarship that you would like to be considered for. Please note that each application contains 1-2 questions that are specific to the exact scholarship you are applying to; make sure to take care to write a targeted response to each of those questions, rather than simply copying & pasting your entire application from one scholarship to the next.

I didn’t get a confirmation email — was my application received?

If you received an on-screen confirmation that your submission was successful. This may be the only notification you will receive until after the end of the application period, at which time we’ll reach out to everyone who applied to let you know about next steps.

If I am not selected as a Compass Collective recipient, do you provide feedback on what could strengthen my application in future years?

Amidst the volume of applications that we receive, we unfortunately are not in a position to provide individualized feedback for all of our applicants.

What happens if I am awarded a Compass collective Scholarship but, due to some unforeseen reason, I am unable to participate in the adventure my scholarship was for?

Each scholarship is for a specific date & destination. Unfortunately we have extremely limited flexibility in transferring scholarships. Please ensure that you are available for the scholarship dates that you are applying for!

Why do you do all this?

We know how transformative outdoor adventure is. All of us have experienced some degree of that outdoor magic first-hand - that peace, connectedness, and growth - and we want to open up access to that powerful experience to others who may not have an obvious path to get there on their own.