FIELD TRIP FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

In order to make the volcano accessible to ALL youth from around the region, Mount St. Helens Institute provides reduced-rate Volcano Outdoor School and Virtual Field Trip programs for schools and youth groups that qualify. Additionally, we offer a limited number of transportation subsidies for qualifying schools attending in-person field trips. Our field trip financial assistance is only possible through the support of our generous supporters, donors and members. If you are in a place to support us, please reach out.

General Information 

• Funds are limited and will be awarded using our funding criteria determined by our grant requirements and annual budget.  
• We have a limited amount of funding each year. We begin awarding funding when we open registration, usually in November. 
• Financial assistance applications must be completed ANNUALLY for each school year: August 1 - July 31. This helps us ensure equity for all groups applying.
• As of 2024, the MAXIMUM financial assistance we can provide for groups is $4999 within each annual fiscal year.
• Financial assistance funding supports in person Volcano Outdoor School field trips or Virtual Field Trip.  
• Schools or groups must submit a W9 for their organization with an Employer Identification Number to receive an award. We do not provide funding to informal organizations.
• If you have any questions please email our team: learn@mshinstitute.org.

Eligibility

• Location: Some funding is unrestricted for location though we focus our support to schools and groups in our surrounding communities and the Portland/Vancouver metro area. A subset of funding is set aside specifically for youth-serving groups and public schools in Cowlitz and Clark counties based on the grants we receive each year.

• Program fee assistance for public schools is based on the percentage of students considered low income as follows: 

  % students low income	Qualify for...
  40-49%	25% financial assistance for program fees
  50-59%	50% financial assistance for program fees
  60-69%	75% financial assistance for program fees and/or transportation assistance Transportation reimbursement is available at a rate of up to $12/person OR up to $600/vehicle, depending on the type of transportation. The number of vehicles eligible for transportation reimbursement is NOT currently limited. The number of programs each year that a group can apply for transportation reimbursement is NOT currently limited. Availability of all funding is limited by our grant funding and is not guaranteed.
  70% or more	90% financial assistance for program fees and/or transportation assistance Transportation reimbursement is available at a rate of up to $12/person OR up to $600/vehicle, depending on the type of transportation. The number of vehicles eligible for transportation reimbursement is NOT currently limited. The number of programs each year that a group can apply for transportation reimbursement is NOT currently limited. Availability of all funding is limited by our grant funding and is not guaranteed.

   

Expectations

EXPECTATIONS OF TEACHER OR GROUP ORGANIZER

• Complete the post-program survey which supports our recurring grant funding.
• If selected to receive transportation assistance for an in-person field trip, your school or group must submit a final invoice from a charter transportation company or your school/organization within 60 days of your visits to receive a transportation reimbursement. 

PARTNERS & DONORS

US Forest Service, WA Recreation & Conservation Office No Child Left Inside, WA State Parks, Honorable Frank L and Arlene G Price Foundation, Autzen Foundation, Outdoor Schools WA, Chevron, Goodfellow Bros., Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and BNSF Railway Foundation.

THANK YOU FOR LEARNING WITH US AT THE MOUNT ST. HELENS INSTITUTE!

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