The Forest Skola Fund is a nonprofit that helps more children access nature-based education. Its primary focus is providing scholarships, with a small portion of funding supporting approved maintenance and safety projects in educational campus spaces.

We started the Fund because we believe access to meaningful outdoor learning should not depend solely on a family’s ability to pay. At Rain or Shine School, we see how time in nature supports children’s curiosity, confidence, relationships, and sense of belonging. We want to make these experiences accessible to more families.

The Fund is intended to support children and families who face financial barriers to participating in nature-based education. Scholarships will prioritize financial need through an application and review process.

Our plan is to direct more than 80% of funding toward scholarships, with less than 20% supporting other approved activities, including educational campus maintenance and safety projects. Scholarship availability will depend on the funds raised.

Our planned outreach includes sharing scholarship opportunities with local families and building connections with schools, family-serving organizations, and community partners. We want to reach families who may not otherwise know about nature-based education or believe it is financially within reach.

Outreach will also invite community members and local businesses to support this work through giving, volunteering, and partnerships.

The Fund grew out of our work at Rain or Shine School, but it is a separate nonprofit organization. Its purpose is to support educational access and approved charitable activities. Any funding involving RSS will require documented review and oversight, including safeguards for conflicts of interest.

We are forming a volunteer board of directors to oversee the Fund’s finances, scholarship process, and charitable activities. Board members will help ensure that decisions serve the Fund’s purpose and that resources are used responsibly. Directors and officers will not receive compensation for their service.

Want to be involved? Apply for the board here!

Families will complete an application, and awards will be reviewed using established eligibility and selection criteria. Financial need will be a primary consideration. The process will include conflict-of-interest safeguards to support fair decisions.

Community members can express interest in board service, help connect us with local partners, share future scholarship opportunities, and support fundraising efforts as they become available.

Our hope is to build a lasting community resource that helps more children learn, play, and develop a relationship with the natural world. We want families to feel that nature-based education is a possibility for their children, and we want our community to have a meaningful way to help make that possible.