Program applications allow us to make space for all community members
Basecamp Cascadia’s Mission
Basecamp Cascadia is an outdoor community space for all. We facilitate wild, immersive adventures of self-discovery in nature, to inspire the next generation of exemplars of environmental care.
Why are we taking applications?
Although it is more simple to accept program participants meeting the essential eligibility requirements on a “first come, first serve” basis until the program is full, and then put subsequent interested participants on a waiting list, we believe this method is misaligned with our mission to be an outdoor community space for all. First come, first served programs tend to bias participation toward parties with:
Greater financial security to make an early financial commitment
Schedule certainty
Digital fluency and/or careers using computers
Identify with structurally or historically majority/dominant populations in the outdoor activity community
In other words, we are implementing an application process to ensure that a diverse set of potential participants have a chance to sign up for a program, and our participants meet the essential eligibility criteria of each program before we accept payment or reserve a space for them.
How do we do this?
Step 1: Set a goal
In advance of the program, the program organizers will determine participation goals for each program. For example, if Program A includes a maximum of 50 participants, has a mission to cultivate local community connections and move a step closer toward racial desegregation in the outdoors, we may target the following participation goals:
By race:
50% Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)
50% other races
By locality:
50% from North Central Washington (full-time resident of Chelan, Douglas, Grant and/or Okanogan counties)
50% residents of other locations
Step 2: Application process
Rather than first come, first served, interested participants will submit an application to participate. In the application, Basecamp Cascadia staff will include questions that allow us to determine whether their participation contributes toward a program goal (in the example above, applicants will indicate whether they identify as BIPOC and their zip code).
Step 3: Application timeline
In an effort to balance a) our desire to counteract the implicit biases associated with “first come first served” style admissions, and b) provide participants with some schedule certainty, we will review applications in rounds. Within each round, all applications will be considered, irrespective of the order in which the application was received. Applications in Round 1 will be considered at an earlier date than applications in subsequent rounds. Within the pool of applicants in each round, spots in the program will be filled based on random selection of participants that fall within the target participation goals and meet essential eligibility criteria. Once a participation goal is fulfilled, any subsequent applicants within that category will be placed on a waitlist and contacted in case a spot opens for them, the maximum number of participants increases and/or the program goals are adjusted by organizers.
Example timeline:
Program date: February 19th
Round 1 of applications: December 1st - January 1st. All applications received in this timeframe will be evaluated on January 1st, and applicants will be notified of acceptance or waitlist status on January 3rd.
Round 2 of applications: Jan 1st - Jan 15th. All applications received in this timeframe will be evaluated on Jan 15th, and applicants will be notified of acceptance or waitlist status on Jan 17th.
Round 3 of applications: Jan 15th-Feb 1st. All applications received in this timeframe will be evaluated on Feb 1st, and applicants will be notified of acceptance or waitlist status on Feb 3rd.
Final round: Feb 1st - Feb 19th: For the final round during the weeks leading up to the program, Basecamp Cascadia staff may relax participation criteria and/or accept applicants from the waitlist in order to offer the program to as many people as possible.
We welcome your feedback!
We welcome feedback on this process and suggestions for how to improve our admissions process.