Community Grants

Support for local climbing organizations with a vision for the future of their community

The Global Climbing Initiative’s Community Grants provide flexible, project-based funding to locally led climbing organizations around the world. These grants support community-driven work that strengthens climbing access, protects outdoor environments, expands opportunity, and builds long-term resilience within climbing communities.

We prioritize projects that respond to inequities and locally identified needs, particularly those led by individuals from low resource backgrounds and those historically underrepresented in the climbing industry.

Community Grants at a glance

• 28 locally led projects funded in 16 countries

• Partners across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East

• Grantmaking since 2023

• 3 focus areas: Environmental, Social Impact, and Economic Development

Who these grants are for

Our Community Grants are designed for grassroots climbing groups: organizations that are rooted in their local context and leading their own work.

You may be a good fit if:

• You are part of a climbing organization with local leadership and decision-making authority

• Your project is climbing-related and community-centered

• The work is based outside of the continental United States, or led by an Indigenous community within the U.S.

• You have a clear plan for how this project would benefit your climbing community

These grants are not intended for:

• Organizations primarily governed, directed, or funded by entities outside the community they serve

• Chapters, affiliates, or programs of larger international organizations

• Well-resourced organizations for whom small catalytic grants are not necessary or impactful

• Organizations based in high-resource contexts with significantly greater access to funding and infrastructure

What we fund

We offer Community Grants across three categories. Each category has specific eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and budget guidelines designed for its focus area. Click the photos below to explore each category and apply:

Thank you to Osprey Packs for sponsoring our Social Impact Grants!

How the application process works

We aim to make the application process transparent and accessible.

1. Submit an Initial Application

2. Selected applicants are invited to submit a full Project Proposal

3. Proposals are reviewed by our panel

4. Candidates are invited to a grant finalist meeting (translators are welcome if needed)

5. Grant partners are selected and notified

6. Projects are implemented with light-touch reporting focused on learning and impact

Grant Timelines

What we look for

Across all applications, reviewers prioritize:

• Local leadership and strong community connection

• Clear need within the community served

• Feasibility within the proposed timeline and budget

• Potential for meaningful, lasting impact

• Alignment with one of our grant categories

We prioritize clarity and context over polished grant-writing experience, and we welcome applications written in any language (we will translate).

Start your application

Before applying, we strongly recommend reviewing your intended grant category and reading our Guide to Applying, which includes:

• Detailed eligibility criteria

• Category explanations and examples

• Application tips and FAQs

• Language access information

Community Grants in practice

These projects illustrate the range of locally led work our Community Grants support, across different regions, contexts, and approaches.

Explore additional projects by category:

Cover photo: Escalada Sustentable (Mexico)