Scholarships +
Leadership Development
The Flash Foxy Scholarship + Leadership Development Fund provides resources and opportunities for women and genderqueer folks to attend and participate at our festivals and education programs, as well as offer resources for our community to continue their outdoor education.
Education Course Scholarships
Thanks to our generous sponsor Arc’teryx, all Flash Foxy Education Courses are offered on a sliding scale starting at $50. To ensure our programs are financially accessible, full scholarships are also available for most education courses! Fill out the short application below to request a scholarship for an upcoming course.
*Please note that scholarships are awarded on a course-by-course basis. You can apply for (and be awarded!) multiple Flash Foxy Education Program scholarships.
ASL ACCESSIBILITY
Thanks to support from Arc’teryx, Rise Outside, and Corps THAT we were able to provide quality outdoor ASL interpretation at two 2024 Flash Foxy Education courses which allowed our Deaf community to grow their skills!
“I’ve participated in a few Flash Foxy festivals and one of their education programs, and each experience has left a lasting impact on me. As someone who is Deaf and queer, it’s rare to find a climbing organization that not only welcomes me but goes out of their way to provide true accessibility. Flash Foxy has created spaces where I feel seen, supported, and encouraged to keep growing as a climber. Through their programs, I’ve gained both technical skills and confidence — but just as importantly, I’ve experienced what an inclusive climbing community can look like. They’ve helped me realize that climbing isn’t only about the moves on the wall, but about building systems of support and belonging that empower all of us. Flash Foxy continues to motivate me to keep pursuing education and growth in climbing, with the dream of one day teaching other Deaf climbers directly in our native language, ASL. They’ve shown me what’s possible when accessibility and community go hand in hand.”
Sam (Marlo) Bragg (she/they)
2024 TGNC AFFINITY Single Pitch instructor (spi) EXAM
“When I first got on track to obtaining my SPI certification, I took my course in a non-affinity space and knew immediately after that I wanted to take my exam in an affinity space. Affinity spaces help ease my anxiety when already in a stressful situation and allow me to feel completely supported, knowing that I'm sharing space with individuals who already have some awareness about the diversity of identities. It's special for me to learn and share experiences with others who have similar goals in the outdoor industry as me and empowering to see folks taking up space not only for themselves but their communities. It means a lot to have the support from Flash Foxy who promptly responded to an empty space in our industry and filled it themselves when others failed to show initiative.”
Cat Runner (he/him), Founder of Queer Climbers Network & Flash Foxy Head Photographer
In October 2024, we hosted a TGNC Flash Foxy Education Affinity SPI Exam in partnership with Sportrock Guides. This exam was a special affinity space for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming climbers. Scholarships were provided to all participants through the Flash Foxy Education Program with support from Arc’teryx.
2024 Leadership Retreat: Yosemite
We were invited by Yosemite National Park to participate in their campground lottery program, which helps bring underrepresented groups to Yosemite. We were awarded a campsite in June 2024 to bring together 13 Flash Foxy community leaders to build community, share skills, and celebrate Pride month! It was the first time most of our participants had the opportunity to gaze up at El Capitan and to climb in the Valley!! This program was supported by Arc’teryx through the Flash Foxy Education Program.
“I am so grateful I had the opportunity to go to the first ever Flash Foxy Leadership Retreat, I definitely almost bailed due to the overwhelming fear that I was not enough and probably got invited on accident. I will probably always feel that way, at least a little bit, when I am offered an opportunity I don’t feel like I deserve. I deal with imposter syndrome almost every single day but being around a bunch of amazing humans that also have imposter syndrome makes me realize I am not alone. Building community is so so so important, especially for folks who have been historically excluded from the outdoors. Keep showing up and enjoying climbing no matter what that looks like for you, I promise there are so many of us out here rooting for you. I deserve to be here, you deserve to be here, we all deserve to be here.”
Sunni Ford (they/them), Founder of Fat Senders & Flash Foxy Instructor
2018-2020 AMGA affinity Partner: women’s spi
As the first affinity program at the AMGA, established in 2018, the Women’s SPI Course has a historical significance in spearheading affinity initiatives within the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). This program was founded in collaboration with Flash Foxy, Brown Girls Climb, and American Alpine Club. Throughout the years, our capacity to directly support this program has changed, but we are excited to see a growing variety of affinity programming offered by the AMGA.