GROSSMAN SCHOLARSHIP HS SENIORS

GROSSMAN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

VOC offers $5,000 and $10,000 scholarships* to graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources** and intend to pursue post-secondary education through an accredited environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry-related program in Colorado.


For those who are  connected to the Cole or Westwood neighborhoods or are involved with the My Outdoor Colorado (MOC) Coalition, there is space in the online application form below to indicate your eligibility for MOC Coalition scholarship funds.


Thanks to the generosity of former Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) Board Member Rick Grossman and Susie Grossman for funding these scholarships.

Applications are now closed, and we are currently reviewing all applications. All applicants will be contacted with the Review Committee’s final decisions by March 21st, 2025.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

An eligible candidate:

 

  • Is a Colorado resident;
  • Has demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources** within their personal, educational, and/or professional time. Ideally, students can show that they have volunteered with outdoor stewardship/environment organizations, such as VOC or other Colorado stewardship organizations or land agencies;
  • Is pursuing a degree program with an environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry emphasis at an accredited 4-year college/university, 2-year community college, or a certificate program offered by an accredited*** college/university within the state of Colorado; and
  • Is enrolled in upcoming programs; the candidate cannot be in the last semester of a program as we do not provide funds retroactively.


We are committed to building an organization that celebrates diversity and embodies inclusivity. We encourage and desire applicants from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and walks of life to apply for this scholarship and help grow a more inclusive outdoor stewardship community that engages all people.


FAQs

  • *How do I apply the scholarship funds to my tuition?

    Scholarship funds will be sent directly to the awardee’s academic institution for tuition and fee costs. If the award is greater than that amount, the remaining balance may be held for the next semester or distributed directly to the student for other school-related uses such as room and board or textbooks if this is their final term.

  • **What are examples of caring for our environment's natural resources?

    A demonstrated commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources may be shown in many ways;

    • Volunteerism: Volunteering may include but is not limited to trail construction and maintenance, invasive species management, habitat restoration, gardening and planting, forestry management, flood and fire restoration, recreational improvement, historic preservation, citizen science, or river/trash clean-ups. Volunteer efforts may occur within an environmental/outdoor organization (e.g. VOC, Wildland Restoration Volunteers, Environmental Learning for Kids, Groundwork Denver, Latino Outdoors) or with a Land Agency (e.g. United States Forest Service, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, State Parks, or with local city park agencies).
    • Professional Experience:  Applicants who are currently in employment positions within a natural resources field can reference professional experience to demonstrate a long-term commitment to environmental stewardship work.
    • Educational Experience:  Applicants may also reference personal experiences and school programs that demonstrate their continuous commitment to environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry work.
  • ***How do I check if the school I plan to attend accredited?

    Applicants can visit this link to check that their program is at an eligible, accredited institution: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

  • How do I know if I participated with an MOC Coalition parter organization?

    You can check out this list here to see if you have participated with any of these partner organizations.

  • Are there any Post-Requisites if I receive scholarship funds??

    Yes, but not too many. Click here to read about post-requisites.

Questions? Contact scholarships@voc.org.

Share by: