The Rochester Birding Association’s scholarship program is intended to help young birders improve their
birding skills, to encourage young birders to learn more about bird behavior and ecology, and to connect
Rochester young birders with a broader young birding community.

Who is eligible?

Only active youth members of RBA Young Birders are eligible to receive scholarships. There are no
age restrictions for applicants beyond those of the eligible program, and applicants are eligible to
receive scholarships regardless of whether they have been funded in the past.

What programs and expenses are eligible?

Eligible programs are those that help young birders learn more about birds or improve their birding
skills. Such programs include birding camps, educational workshops including online webinars, young
birder conferences, and professional ornithological meetings. While birding trips and festivals are
valuable experiences, they are not currently eligible for scholarship funding. Applicants can request
funds to support registration fees, travel, food, and lodging.

How much funding is available?

The RBA has committed $1000/year to the scholarship program, with an annual cap of
$500/applicant.

What are the responsibilities of a scholarship recipient?

In addition to representing the RBA in a positive way by being an enthusiastic but well-behaved
participant during the program, all scholarship recipients are expected to write a short article for the
Little Gull discussing their experiences on their return. If appropriate, recipients may also be asked
to make a brief presentation to RBA Young Birders.

To apply, fill out the application form. If you are requesting a scholarship of $100 or more, include a
short essay that describes why you want to participate in the program.