BHA Invites Applicants for Outdoors For All Scholarship

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is proud to announce the Aidan Long Outdoors for All Scholarship, a fund dedicated to helping young people with disabilities get outdoors by providing access to adaptive equipment or provide assistance with outdoor education. BHA is currently seeking applicants for this new opportunity.

Aidan Nichols Long, 2004-2021, loved life and nature every day. Growing up in Montana his best times included camping, canoeing, and fishing with his mom and dad, Karen Nichols and Ben Long. Despite catastrophic epilepsy, Aidan remained a joyful explorer of the natural world. The Outdoors for All Scholarship is a tribute to his joy by leveling the playing field for young people to enjoy exploring the outdoors.

“Millions of kids across North America want to get outdoors but face challenges because of physical or developmental disabilities,” said Ben Long, Aidan’s father, and a past BHA board chair. “We are excited that this scholarship honors our son’s memory by helping others like him enjoy their lives to the fullest. Together we can lower the unfair obstacles life has thrown at these kids. Everyone deserves to enjoy the Great Outdoors.”

This scholarship is open to anyone ages 10-20 to mitigate the expense of outdoor recreation and conservation education, as well as to expand experiences and opportunities for people with disabilities via the purchase or temporary acquisition of adaptive recreation equipment. The fund was established through a generous donation by MeatEater, friends, and family of Aidan Long and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers is currently raising funds to make sure Aidan’s scholarship will continue to grow and provide opportunities for young people in the future.

Application and submission process:

• $500-$1,000 scholarship to be awarded once per year.

• application period Nov. 1, 2021- Mar. 30, 2022;

• email submissions to admin@backcountryhunters.org with the subject line: Aidan Long/Outdoors For All Scholarship applicant

Application, written, or video, to include:

• name

• age

• location

• activity or gear you would like the scholarship to be applied to

• articulation of financial burden, if any (not required)

• why this young person wants to participate in this outdoor experience

• what does being outside mean to this young person and how does it make them feel and think

BHA’s North American Board of Directors will choose the recipient and scholarship winners will be notified in April 2022.