Our Vision

To help others better understand and appreciate our natural world through interacting with the environment.

Our Mission

The Kate Svitek Memorial Foundation provides financial support to individuals, groups, and various institutions whose interests and goals align with our vision. The Foundation’s primary focus is to promote and help underwrite a range of activities and educational opportunities principally related to outdoor and wilderness exploration, study, observation, preservation, improvement, expansion, and enhancement related to land, water, or atmosphere.

The Kate Svitek Memorial Foundation may provide support in the form of scholarships and/or grants to:

1. Local, public, private, or religious schools & universities.
   
2. Organizations that promote the exploration, study, use, and enjoyment of outdoors and wilderness, such as but not limited to: 
        - Outward Bound 
        - NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) 
   
3. Community or civic organizations and programs, parks, or commissions, etc., that help promote or support learning projects or programs for preserving, maintaining, or improving the environment.

Education and adventure through activities in the outdoors are emphasized by the foundation. Funding may be provided for guided trips to both known landmarks as well as remote and unexplored destinations. Activities may include hiking, backpacking, camping, scuba diving, water activities, as well as exploration, mountaineering, and related activities.

Support may be provided for speakers and seminars related to the outdoors, adventure, ecology, and the environment.

Our Accomplishments

In 20 years, the Foundation has been able to provide:

• Annual scholarships to students at UVM to be used for summer internships
• 35 scholarships to NOLS
• 177 scholarships to NCOB
• Yearly grants to Wissahickon Charter School
• Grants to 91 different organizations in 32 states
• Total amount of grants awarded: $1,589,487