Every application we receive matters. We read each one carefully, and we want you to know exactly what we look for when deciding who to support. No mystery, no guesswork. Here is how it works.

What the Fund Covers

The BIPOC Athlete Fund covers your race entry fee for one of our partner races. But it does not stop there. We also connect you with mentorship and bring you into a community of athletes who are building something together.

When we invest in an athlete, we are investing in a relationship. We cover your entry, pair you with a mentor, and bring you into community. In return, we ask you to show up — not just on race day, but for the people and the work that make this possible.

Who Can Apply

To apply, you need to meet a few basic requirements:

• You identify as a person of color, including Black, Indigenous, and all people of color
• You are interested in trail running, whether it is your first trail race or you are looking for support to stay in the sport
• You are willing to engage with community through things like Slack, events, and connections with other athletes

We also prioritize applicants with underrepresented identities within communities of color, including women, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and people with disabilities. The sport of trail running has significant access gaps, and we want to help close them.

What We Look For in Your Application

Our application has six steps. Here is what each one tells us and why it matters.

1. Your Race

We partner with specific races because they share our values. When you choose a race, we want to understand your connection to it. We also ask if this is your first trail race — first-timers are a priority for us.

2. Who You Are

We want to know you as a person, not just as an athlete. What communities do you belong to? What role does the outdoors play in your life? What has your relationship with trail running looked like, and what has made it easy or hard to access the sport?

There is no formula here. Just connecting with you.

3. Why This Race, Why Now

This is not just about needing funding. We want to understand why this specific race matters to you at this moment in your life. What would it mean for you to cross that finish line?