Scholarship Program: Frequently Asked Questions (for Donors)
1. What does the scholarship program do and whom does it support?
The Outward Bound Scholarship Program awards $5.5 million in support to more than 5,000 students each year. We award partial and full scholarships to individuals and groups based on need and merit. Working with students from all walks of life, our goal is to create programs rich with socio-economic and ethnic diversity, to explore our differences as our greatest strengths, and to return our students to their communities with greater knowledge of themselves and the world around them.2. Why should I support scholarship students?
More than 85% of scholarship funds directly support students who could not participate in our programs in any other way due to financial constraints. For many students, an Outward Bound program is a life-transforming experience resulting in increased self-confidence, compassion and service to others. This learning is embedded in students’ lives when they return to their families and communities.3. What portion of my gift supports students and what portion administers the program?
100% of your gift supports student scholarships with tuition and other course expenses. Program administration is funded separately.4. What is the best way for me to support Outward Bound students? May I make a gift in memory or in honor of an individual?
Our goals are to support every student with appropriate levels of scholarship funding and to deliver high quality programs to students. We can help you direct your support to the programs and students you choose, whether aid is based on need or merit. We are better able to serve students effectively through outreach programs with limited designations on gifts.5. How can I designate my gift?
We want to meet your needs and interests and to ensure that we can deliver high quality programs to students. In general, it’s easiest for us to place funding with very few restrictions or designations on the gift.6. How do you locate students to participate with scholarship support?
Our network of national and local partnerships with schools and community-based organizations recommends candidates and help students prepare for their courses. For students who require a great deal of pre-course preparation, we work through hub locations where we have support staff in place to assist students and partners: New England, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, OR.7. What will I know about the student I sponsor and when?
Each fall, all scholarship donors receive an annual report on how their gift supported students.