The Northern Wisconsin Outdoor Experiential Education Fund helps residents of Chequamegon Bay communities participate in high-quality outdoors education programs. Applicants should demonstrate financial need and be among groups typically under-represented in outdoors education. Anonymous donors who benefitted from outdoors experiences in their lives created the scholarship to help others benefit from similar experiences.

Eligibility 

• Applicants must have lived in the Chequamegon Bay communities of Red Cliff, Bayfield, Madeline Island, Washburn, Ashland or Bad River for at least four years.
• Must be at least 16 years old
• Demonstrate financial need
• Accepted to a program that emphasizes non-motorized travel in the backcountry, engages in environmentally sustainable practices, encourages participation by people who are typically underrepresented in outdoor education programs and promotes social responsibility.

Qualified programs include: 

• Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
• Environmental Traveling Companions
• National Outdoor Leadership School
• No Barriers USA 
• Northland College
• Outward Bound
• Wilderness Inquiry

Scholarship Grant Range

TBD

Application timeline

• This scholarship is part of the Universal Application: December 1 – February 15
• ONE Universal Application: Create a profile in the scholarship portal. Fill out the first page of the universal application to filter through all of the scholarships you qualify for. 
• This scholarship will also be open in the spring as a separate application for summer programs. 

Award Details

• This scholarship may be used for expenses of post-secondary education at any accredited college, university or technical/ vocational school

• Award Payments will be mailed directly to the school/ university 
  • Fall Payments are mailed July 15-30
  • Spring Payments are mailed December 15-30
• Transferring Schools: Please contact DSACF if you plan on transferring schools. Transferring schools does not automatically transfer your scholarship. If a transfer occurs after scholarship money has been disbursed it may take up to 90 days to reprocess the scholarship payment. 

Tax information

DSACF encourages scholarship recipients to seek tax advice regarding scholarships. According to the IRS: Scholarships, fellowship grants, and other grants are tax-free if you meet the following conditions:

• You’re a candidate for a degree at an educational institution that maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at the place where it carries on its educational activities; and
• The amounts you receive are used to pay for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the educational institution, or for fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for courses at the educational institution.