Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant
Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant supports young American climbers with expedition travel, gear, and other costs to explore remote ranges, attempt unclimbed peaks, and pursue difficult new routes.
This grant was recently updated
The 2027 application window is November 2–January 31, closing at 11:59 p.m. MST, with awards of $3,000–$7,500. Added Rock and Alpine guidelines cover big-wall, bouldering, and single-pitch sport/trad projects, allow U.S. permanent residents, and exclude paid, guided expeditions; other selection details also changed.
Funder: American Alpine Club
Due Dates: December 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MST (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Typically $300–$1,000 for expedition travel, gear, and other necessary expenses
Summary: Supports young American climbers pursuing challenging objectives in remote mountains, favoring unexplored ranges, unclimbed peaks, and difficult new routes.
Key Information: Applicants must be U.S. citizens, active AAC members, and age 25 or younger at the application deadline.
Description
Established in 1966, the American Alpine Club’s Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant encourages young American climbers to explore remote mountain areas and attempt climbs more difficult than they might ordinarily pursue. The program favors unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, and difficult new routes, helping cover the travel, gear, and other expenses needed to achieve an expedition’s objective.
The program emphasizes both the excellence of the proposed project and the fellowship shared by climbing partners. The review committee encourages team applications that highlight this fellowship, while assessing applicants’ appropriate mountaineering experience. Recipients are also expected to practice low-impact mountain stewardship, represent the Club’s mission and values, and share their experiences with the wider climbing community.
