Gateway Partners

Gateway Partners are organizations and institutions that provide educational opportunities to underserved populations. By providing students full tuition scholarships to NOLS courses, we are able to narrow the gap between underserved communities and a life in tune with the backcountry.

Just as wilderness, community, and leadership are a few of the core values at NOLS, diversity and inclusion strengthens each of them, making it a fundamental thread that ties our mission to our vision.

NOLS works to create and foster an inclusive environment that embraces and leverages the various dimensions of diversity of our students and staff.

We believe every person, regardless of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, or multiple other facets of diversity, should have access and the opportunity to take a NOLS course. The school desires to remain relevant and adaptable to diverse populations and committed to their inclusion in the outdoor industry.

The Gateway Partner Program is central to NOLS' student inclusion efforts. Our Gateway Partners are organizations and institutions that provide educational opportunities to underserved populations underrepresented in the outdoors. Students from these organizations receive full tuition scholarships from NOLS and the sponsoring organization to attend NOLS courses.

Thanks to these partnerships, NOLS has narrowed the gap between underserved communities and the valuable leadership lessons, appreciation of nature, and healthy lifestyle that come with a NOLS course in the backcountry.

Below are just a few of our Gateway Partners. To learn more about the program, please contact NOLS’ Diversity & Inclusion Manager at diversity@nols.edu or download the following "Diversity & Inclusion in Practice" (pdf).

A Better Chance, Connecticut
Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School, Massachusetts
Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation - Khumbu Climbing School, Montana
B.O.L.D. Mountain School, Washington
Chinquapin School, Texas
City Kids Wilderness Project, Washington DC
City Wild, Colorado
Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center, Colorado
Giving Every Child Knowledge of the Outdoors (GECKO), Colorado
GirlTrek, Washington DC
Girls Inc. of Santa Fe, New Mexico
GirlVentures, California
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, California
High School for Environmental Studies, New York
Ironwood Tree Experience, Arizona
J.S. Morton East High School, Illinois
Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) Charter Schools, USA-wide
Leadership Public School of Richmond, California
MATCH Charter Public High School, Massachusetts
The Nature Conservancy--Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF), New York
Northeastern Illinois University Experiential Programs, Illinois
San Francisco State University Dept of Recreation, Parks, & Tourism, California
The Student Conservation Association (SCA), USA-wide
Southwest Open High School, Colorado
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), New York
State of Connecticut Wilderness School, Connecticut
Summer Search, USA-wide
TEAK Fellowship, New York
United World College, New Mexico
YES Prep Public Schools, Texas
Eastside College Preparatory School, California
University Academy, Missouri