As a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit, Calleva is happy to offer a variety of financial aid and scholarships to summer campers, students, and scouts who are interested in exploring the outdoors by participating in our programs.

Funding for these efforts is supported by proceeds from Markoff’s Haunted Forest, an annual fall event that brings our community together each October in support of outdoor adventure. We also accept individual donations, and this year our scholarship fund has been boosted by the thoughtful generosity of a longtime Calleva camper who organized contributions from her family & friends as part of her bat mitzvah project in the fall of 2025. 

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Economic Need: We consider family income, family size, and other extenuating circumstances that could cause financial strain.
• Motivation: A written statement from campers and our parents to help us assess enthusiasm for outdoor adventure camp.
• Diversity: Our intent is to broaden the range of perspective and life experience that campers bring with them to Calleva.
• Funding: Awards will be made based on the availability of funds.

Financial Aid

Families with household incomes ranging between $140,000 – $250,000 are eligible to apply for partial financial aid. Household incomes below $140,00 are eligible to apply for financial aid up to the amount of the camp. All recipients of financial aid will pay a $150 per camper, per week deposit. 

Expanding Access to Underserved Communities 

Bringing people together for shared outdoor experiences is at the heart of our mission. To that end, Calleva is deeply committed to ensuring that outdoor adventure is accessible to all children- regardless of background or circumstance. We strive to reduce financial and cultural barriers in an effort to create new avenues for young people to experience the joy, confidence and connection that come from time spent in nature. 

With questions, please email scholarships@calleva.org

Specialty Scholarships

In addition to need-based support, Calleva offers several specialty scholarships which have been created to honor specific individuals who are inspiring to our community. These are full scholarships based on specific criteria.

The Walk Like Will Scholarship 

Established in 2020 & is funded by the Hovis Family (Kristy, Gerald & Sophia) in honor of their son & brother Will, who was a true Calleva-style adventurer. In his 12 short years, Will played almost every known sport, hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, played the trumpet, whitewater rafted, snowboarded, snorkeled, surfed, fished, crabbed, and did a thousand other wonderful things a kid can do. In January 2019 Will was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a rare, aggressive, and mostly terminal form of brain cancer. After a courageous battle, he succumbed to cancer in April 2020. Will LOVED being outdoors and enjoyed kayaking, rock climbing, rafting & hiking. We’re honored to join with the Hovis Family to present a camp scholarship in his name. It’s a fitting way to make Will’s memory a blessing by enabling other kids to experience the joy of nature like he did. To learn more about Will, visit walklikewill.org

The Walk Like Will scholarship is offered for a Calleva camper between the ages of 8-12 who meets the following criteria:

• They are pursuing their first or second Calleva summer
• They are registered for a Sampler or Explorer camp week (an introduction to a variety of outdoor adventure sports); and
• They express a genuine personal interest in an outdoor adventure experience.

Brown Family Scholarship

The Brown Family Scholarship is funded via the Brown Family Giving Fund, a Donor Advised Fund established by Joan and Victor Brown, formerly of Vienna Virginia. 

This scholarship will be designed to fund 2 weeks of camp for a family with multiple children OR 2-3 friends who would like to attend camp together. Awards will be needs-based and will be available to families who have had little access to outdoor adventure experiences. The fund will make Calleva adventures accessible to families who: 

• Live inside the DC Metro area 495 beltway; or in the City of Alexandria or Fairfax County, in communities with minimal green space or areas where safety concerns may limit a child’s ability to roam freely and explore outdoors.
• Recognize the physical, psychological, and spiritual value of time spent in nature
• Are members of families with a household income of less than $140,000
• And would not otherwise have the financial capacity to purchase a Calleva camp experience for their children.

The George Kephart Scholarship Fund 

Created in 2012 to honor a friend and mentor who exemplified the values that have helped us evolve into the organization we are today. George served as a Commissioner of M-NCPPC, Trustee of the Maryland Environmental Trust and the Montgomery County Historical Society Trust, Chair of Barnesville School, a Director of the Mooseum, and on the Montgomery Countryside Alliance Advisory Board. George valued community and was a tireless advocate for local farms and the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. His namesake scholarship is intended to support:

• Campers enrolling in Calleva’s Growing Green or other farm-based summer programs
• Poolesville area residents enrolling in Calleva Adventure Camp.
• Montgomery County high school students undertaking environmental/sustainability projects as part of their academic year
• Scout projects at Calleva Farm, with a specific emphasis on sustainable agriculture or environmental/resource conservation.

The Hal Magleby Scholarship Fund 

Created in the early 2000s to honor a Calleva camper who spent several summers with us before being diagnosed with a terminal illness. His last wish was to spend a week on a Calleva high adventure. During a full week out in the wilderness with a group of high-energy Calleva staff and teenage campers, Hal hiked, climbed, paddled and camped all over the Linville Gorge (in North Carolina). To honor Hal’s strength, passion and incredible perseverance, each year Calleva awards the Hal Magleby Scholarship to campers in Calleva’s West Virginia High Adventures (participants must be 12-16 years old).

McEwan Award for Kayaking 

Tom McEwan has dedicated his life to getting more people involved in paddlesports. The founder of Calleva’s kayaking program and a pioneer of whitewater kayaking in the Potomac watershed, he continues to mentor and inspire young people on and off the water. In his honor, Calleva has set aside funding to promote diversity in paddlesports by enrolling campers in our Maryland or Virginia Kayaking Camp programs. The award is open to all, but will be given with preference to youth from underrepresented populations.