Camp Nor’wester Financial Aid Opportunities
Financial Support for Camper Tuition
At Camp Nor’wester, we are fortunate to be able to offer Financial Aid Awards to make the camp experience available to a broader community of campers. On average, we are able to provide assistance to approximately 50 campers each year. In the hope of being transparent about our Financial Aid process, we share the following information on camper eligibility and how our decisions are reached on award amounts.
For families who receive assistance, they can expect partial to full awards, but to be asked to cover their camp store deposit ($150) and an enrollment deposit ($50). For our returning campers and their families, previous years' tuition balances must be paid before applying for aid in 2025.
For information on our Indigenous Campership Award, please scroll down.
For information on Financial Aid for our Family Camp program, please contact kathleen@norwester.org
Financial Award Guidelines
Annual Application Process
Documentation: For each summer Applicants must submit an explanation of extenuating circumstances on the financial aid questionnaire and be willing to provide additional documentation if asked. The questionnaire is available after you submit a camper application in your CampinTouch account under Forms & Documents.
Review: All information provided for the committee will be via blind reviews of applications, where reviewers are not provided with identifying information about the applicant. This can help prevent biases based on personal factors. The Camp office may contact you to ask clarifying questions about your request.
Submission and Notification Timeline:
Priority Enrollment (returning 2024 campers) November 1st- November 30th.
Returning Camper Financial Aid Requests are due by January 4th
Committee First Review and meeting 2nd week of January.
Open Enrollment December 1st to January 15th.
Open Enrollment Financial Aid Requests are due by January 15th
Committee First Review of new requests week of January 20th/finalize of returning requests
Committee 2nd Meeting new requests week of January 27/finalize awards
Award notifications February 7th
Families have until February 21st (two weeks) to accept, reject, or appeal their award.
Payment Plans set up with final payments by June 1st
Acceptance and Appeal Process: Applicants will be notified of their award status and remaining balance by email. Applicants have two weeks from their notification email to accept, decline, or appeal their award amount. Appeals should be submitted by email. The committee will review all appeals and may request additional information.
Payment Options: The Camp Office will work with families to set up payment plans for the remaining balance with June 1st being the due date. Previous years’ balances must be paid in full before the applicant can reapply to attend camp and request aid for the next summer.
Award Amount
Financial Award is awarded by the committee via blind reviews of applications, and determined by the following criteria at the discretion of that committee:
Need-Based Assessment: Financial aid will be primarily awarded to families demonstrating a significant financial need with the award determination factors as follows:
Family Income: The committee will consider the combined adjusted gross income of all household members based on Seattle-area free & reduced lunch scale and King County Livable Wage scale. For families based outside of the PNW region, the committee will use the same MIT scale for living county and comparable free & reduced lunch in a neighboring school district to the applicant.
Family Size: The number of dependents in the household will be taken into account, both for children and extended dependent family (i.e. grandparents, etc).
Other Financial Obligations or Extenuating Circumstances: The committee may consider other financial burdens, such as:
Family circumstances such as loss or incarceration of a family member, job loss, serious illness, house-lessness, change in family make-up i.e. divorce, or separation.
Indigenous Heritage: For youth who identify as Indigenous, specific financial assistance is available, regardless of financial need. See below for information.
As award amounts are determined, families can expect that amounts will be also considering the following parameters:
Sliding Scale: Financial aid awards will be determined on a sliding scale based on the family's demonstrated need.
Maximum Award: The maximum financial aid award will be established annually and may vary based on the camp's financial situation.
Partial Payments: In some cases, the committee and staff may consider partial awards, payment plans, or deferred payments.
Staggered Awards: For families with multiple children attending camp, the committee may implement a staggered award structure, providing full funding for the initial years and reduced funding in subsequent years. The intent is to balance a consistent level of financial aid over multiple years of enrollment for a family, while gradually reducing the award amount to ensure the program's long-term sustainability.
Initial Years: Families are eligible to receive their full financial aid request for the first three years of their child's attendance (do not have to be consecutive years). 2025 will be the starting year for all applicants to count toward the 3 years of initial review.
Subsequent Years: For each additional year of attendance, the financial aid award will be evaluated in the 2nd round of applications to ensure priority that continues to allow new families use of the financial resources AND/OR for each additional year of attendance.
Re-evaluation: The committee reserves the right to periodically re-evaluate a family's financial needs to determine if adjustments to the financial aid award are necessary.
Indigenous Campership Award
Camp Nor’wester has been fortunate to be in relationship with the Kwakwaka’wakw community since the 1950s and we have made Indigenous education a priority in our program in the decades since. We have a Kwakwaka’waka-style Big House on property, as well as art and carvings by several Indigenous artists, which are used often in our summer programs to enhance our community’s understanding of the history of the Northwest Coast region as well as to provide a foundation for cultural education and relationships. We are also excited to be building connections with other Coast Salish and First Nations individuals and groups through many continuing channels.
Established in 2018, this offers Indigenous youth from diverse communities and economic backgrounds the opportunity to experience Camp Nor’wester and be part of a community of cultural sharing and exchange. Our mission is to inspire independence and knowing of oneself, grow and strengthen relational skills with both peers and adults, and awaken a passion for the outdoors in an emotionally-safe and nurturing environment so that stewardship becomes a ripple effect throughout one’s life.
The Campership award details are available at the link below. Please contact the Camp office to notify us of your interest in applying for the award as soon as you decide you are interested. Returning award recipients from 2024 may apply between Nov 4 – November 30. New camper applicants may do so during our general Open Enrollment period after contacting the Camp Office (a CampInTouch account will be created and directions will be explained for accessing the application) starting December 1st.
Once a camper application is submitted, families must complete and submit the Follow-Up Questionnaire, available in their CampInTouch account, as soon as possible, and no later than January 15.
Camper applications will be reviewed shortly after submission and applicants will be notified as soon as possible of an award being granted so the camper can be enrolled by January 15th, 2025. Any applicant not receiving an award will also be notified as soon as possible.
Note: Applicants who turn in their application and follow-up form after the deadline will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds and spaces are available.