Incline Friends Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Incline Friends

Purpose
The Incline Friends Scholarship Awards exist to support college-bound students who have demonstrated an interest in outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and/or community efforts focused on conserving natural resources. Up to three scholarships have been created to honor people who have supported these activities within El Paso County.

Scholarship awards
- Up to three undergraduate scholarships will be granted each year, with each award up to $2,500.
- Awards are one-year only and will be paid directly to the educational institution the recipient attends.

Who is eligible
Applicants must meet all of the following:
- Be a high school senior who lives in El Paso County or attends a school located in El Paso County.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Complete every required item listed in the Application Requirements section below.
- Not be related to any current Incline Friends directors or major donors.

Incline Friends awards scholarships without regard to race, sex, religion, age, national origin, or sexual orientation. The organization reserves the right to decline awarding a scholarship in any given year if, in its judgment, no applicant meets its standards.

Selection criteria
Applications will be evaluated on the following factors:
1. Evidence of interest or involvement in outdoor activities, environmental stewardship, or community projects focused on preserving natural resources. Preference may be given to applicants planning to study fields related to natural resource preservation and stewardship.
2. Demonstrated leadership and accomplishments.
3. A 200–500 word personal essay describing the applicant’s qualifications and educational and career goals. (Quality and authenticity matter more than exact word count. Use your own voice—AI-generated language and jargon are easily detected and will not strengthen your application.)
4. Two letters of recommendation from non-family members (teachers, counselors, employers, volunteer supervisors, etc.).
5. Academic record (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00).
6. Future educational or career plans (university/college, community college, trade school, apprenticeship, etc.).
7. Selected finalists may be invited for an interview.

Application requirements and materials
To be considered, applicants must complete the online application and ensure all materials are received by January 31, 2026. The application must include:
- A fully completed online application form. Incomplete forms will not be considered. (Do not begin the online form until you have all documents ready—partial submissions cannot be saved.)
- Two letters of recommendation sent directly by the letter writers to scholarship@inclinefriends.org as PDF files. Letters should state the writer’s relationship to the applicant (e.g., teacher, employer, volunteer supervisor).
- An official high school transcript covering at least the last two years, showing GPA. If an electronic official transcript is not available, scan your official copy and attach it to the application; Incline Friends may request an original hard copy later.
- A 200–500 word essay saved as a PDF and attached to the online application.

All four items listed above must be submitted for the application to be eligible for review.

How to submit
- Complete the online application, attach the required documents, and click “submit.” You will receive an email confirming receipt.
- The application requires a signature. You may provide an electronic signature, or print the completed form, sign it, scan it as a PDF, and email it to scholarship@inclinefriends.org.

Guidelines for letters of recommendation
- Letters should be submitted as PDF files and include the applicant’s name in the file name.
- Letters must be sent directly from the author to scholarship@inclinefriends.org.
- Each letter should indicate the capacity in which the recommender knows the applicant (student, employee, volunteer, etc.).

Deadline
All application materials must be received by January 31, 2026.

Questions
Direct any questions about the application process to scholarship@inclinefriends.org.