The Access Fund

Climbing management policy - access fund works with legislators, members of the administration, state agencies, tribal governments, and officials from the us forest service, national park service, and bureau of land management to make sure that climbers' interests are represented in public land planning. We work directly with these officials to educate and advocate for management strategies that balance climbing access with resource conservation, responsible placement and replacement of fixed anchors, sustainable care and management of climbing areas, and recognition of the social and economic benefits of climbing. Access fund also works with local and regional land managers on climbing management planning and stewardship of climbing areas.

Local support and mobilization - access fund works to empower local advocates to join together and form local climbing organizations. Access fund supports these local groups with grants, one-on-one guidance when an access issue occurs, educational resources, stewardship programs, and consulting on political, legal, and regulatory issues. The access fund regularly hosts conferences and summits, which bring together land managers and climbers from across the country to share best practices in climbing stewardship, land conservation, policy, local support and mobilization, and volunteer management.

Land acquisition and protection - the access fund climbing conservation loan program is the first-ever revolving loan program that provides local climbing organizations and other agencies with the funds and expertise to act quickly to save threatened climbing areas. The access fund is a nationally accredited land trust. In special circumstances, access fund will hold endangered property on behalf of the climbing community. As of 06/30/23, access fund owned three properties in fee; leased two properties; held conservation easements on ten properties; and managed three properties under contract. Education the access fund advances climber education through the lens of minimum impact behaviors so that climbers become better stewards of the nations climbing resources. Through social media outreach, print publications, and the vertical times newsletter, the organization provides up-to-date news on policy, area reports, events, action alerts, grants, and more. Risk management and landowner support the access fund works with private and public landowners on tools and strategies to mitigate both real and perceived risks of climbinggiving them the confidence and protections they need to open their land to public access. The access fund works to strengthen state recreational use statutes and helps landowners implement waiver systems and other types of access agreements to mitigate risks.