Jim Ratz Memorial IFMGA Grant

Jim Ratz was an inspiration to many guides across the country, loved outdoor education and his family. Jim was a past Vice President of the AMGA and Executive Director of NOLS. His vision for guiding in America incorporated his love of the mountains and passion for making a living while preserving these same mountains. In his honor, this grant has been established to help support guides who are finishing their IFMGA certification.

Criteria for application

The purpose of this fund is to provide one $250 scholarship for a guide wishing to advance her/his IFMGA Certification. The scholarship is to be used for any AMGA advanced course or exam. The candidate must be in the last of the three disciplines to become IFMGA certified. The successful applicant is a guide who:

• Is a current member of the AMGA
• Is currently enrolled in at least one AMGA programs
• Is pursuing IFMGA Ceritification.
• Is seeking to better his/her guiding skills through educational courses and/or exams
• Has not received funding from the Jim Ratz Grant in the previous calendar year
• Will provide a written report on the use of the scholarship as well as provide two photographs (after the course) for the Jim Ratz Grant and the AMGA within two weeks of completing the course.

Submit your application

Deadline for application: January 1, 2008.
Please mail the application — along with a climbing resumé — to the AMGA at PO Box 1739, Boulder, CO 80302. Your application will be reviewed by a team of AMGA representatives.

(+) Download Scholarship Application (PDF)

If you have questions, please contact the AMGA office at 303.271.0984 or katie@amga.com.