Building Future Leaders
At DEEP, we’re democratizing outdoor education and providing deserving and diverse young people access to life-changing experiences.
20 Years Young
DEEP, founded in 2001, is a not-for-profit organization which provides funding for young people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. We are a passionate community of leaders who have extensive experience in outdoor education and programming.
We see guided outdoor education as an important element in the development of inspired, empowered, compassionate leaders, and as one of the best paths to positive change and personal growth in an individual’s life. The power of these experiences is most apparent when young people apply what they've learned in their communities back home.
Addressing the Adventure Gap
Historically, outdoor adventure and education has suffered from a lack of diversity and inclusion. Access to outdoor education is an important life experience, and we’re committed to bridging the Adventure Gap by removing financial barriers to outdoor education, with a focus on BIPOC communities.
We acknowledge and welcome our responsibility to examine and meaningfully respond to the racial disparity present in the outdoor community, and are dedicated to ensuring a culture defined by diversity and inclusion.
Funding Trips
DEEP funds individuals to participate in multi-week backcountry canoe trips facilitated by Northwaters & Langskib Wilderness Programs (NWL).
Empowering Youth
The on-trail curriculum has been refined throughout the last 50 years to equip our participants with the soft and hard skills necessary to surmount life’s biggest challenges.
Impacting Communities
The programs we support provide vital leadership skills that can be applied to all facets of life, preparing individuals to be contributing members within their respective communities.
As a fully-volunteer organization, 100% of funds raised go directly to youth programming. Over 1,000 young people have benefitted from DEEP scholarships.
Our Partnership
with NWL
DEEP scholarships support two outdoor education programs: Northwaters and Langskib. We believe that Northwaters & Langskib combines creative and positive approaches to community building, rite of passage experiences, and connection with the natural world. NWL has won international recognition for experiential learning and the development of young leaders.
Our volunteer board fully consists of previous or current NWL leaders and have witnessed first-hand the power of foundational outdoor experience in shaping future leaders.