Wilderness immersion for social impact leaders

Our programs empower changemakers with the leadership skills, strategic clarity, and connection with the planet needed to catalyze a meaningful and sustainable impact.

Who we serve.

This multi-faceted experience attracts a diverse group of social impact leaders and changemakers. Whether you’re a well-seasoned founder owner or just starting on the path of building an organization, the Wild Gift Fellowship can help support the growth of your leadership capabilities and your venture.

What we do.

Wild Gift is a non-profit organization that hosts guided backpacking trips for social impact leaders to practice problem-solving in a new, adventurous way. Our free Fellowship program is a harmonious blend of personal and professional development and deep immersion into the wilderness.

Wild Gift believes the following leads to more resilient and effective leaders. 

  • Reverence for wild nature inspires personal responsibility for our collective wellbeing.

  • Wild nature is an incredible teacher and source of creative inspiration.

  • Introspection and awareness of one’s inner landscape fosters more conscious and courageous leadership.

  • Diversity of perspectives fires the imagination for more resilient, creative, and meaningful solutions.

  • Wilderness immersion liberates leaders from modern distraction, offering clarity of purpose and vision.

  • Navigating uncertainty and the resulting discomfort cultivates an adaptive mindset that helps us respond constructively to the inevitable challenges of changemaking.

The power of nature.

In the wild, we must be resilient, adaptable, and intentional. Our program allows participants to harness these teachings, and apply them to their venture, business, and daily life.

Mission

Wild Gift hosts immersive wilderness experiences that equip changemakers with strong leadership skills, a deep connection to nature, and the inspiration to make a meaningful impact in the world.

Vision

Wild Gift will transform the field of social impact leadership by facilitating a deeper alliance between changemakers and wild nature.

  • “As Executive Director of Wild Gift, I have the opportunity to witness the process of deep contemplation and reflection, as fellows question how to achieve more... how to make a bigger impact.”

    Cassidy Cichowicz

    Wild Gift Executive Director

  • "Walls came down that I didn't even know were up, forever friends were forged, and limits were tested. It was powerful, deeply emotional, and beautiful."

    Rachel Willis

    2023 Wild Gift Alum

  • "I learned a lot being surrounded by other female entrepreneurs... we were all a working unit in making everything happen."

    2022 Wild Strides Alum

  • "I've deeply enjoyed the camaraderie within our cohort and support for each others' ventures, and the structured programming to further the development of my venture through reflection."

    Jay Simpson

    2022 Wild Gift Alum

Meet our alumni

  • Laurel Birk

    Laurel Birk

    FOUNDER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREST

  • Sarah Knapp

    Sarah Knapp

    FOUNDER OF MAPPY HOUR

  • Raj Vable

    FOUNDER OF YOUNG MOUNTAIN TEA

  • Christian Shaw

    FOUNDER OF TREESWAX

  • Georgia Grace Edwards

    FOUNDER OF GNARA APPAREL

  • Alexander Bailey

    FOUNDER OF BLACK OUTSIDE, INC.

  • Rachel Willis

    FOUNDER OF OUTPATCH

  • James Gray

    FOUNDER OF SEREN LABS

See all alumni
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FAQs

  • We welcome mentors and supporters who share our passion for environmental and social change. Please scroll down to the bottom and click “contact us” to reach out to our staff and learn more about how you can contribute your expertise, time, or resources to our mission.

  • You can stay informed about Wild Gift by subscribing to our newsletter below, or by following us on social media where we share updates, stories, and the latest achievements of our fellows and organization.

  • Wild Gift supports emerging leaders from North America and focuses on projects with a global and environmental impact. However, our network and mission have a broader international reach.

  • Donations are essential to our work. Please visit our donation page, where you can make a one-time donation or set up recurring contributions to help us empower the next generation of environmental and social entrepreneurs.

  • Currently, Wild Gift offers one Fellowship per year to founders of environmental and social impact organizations. In addition, we are launching a new program, Wild Strides, which is a "bite-sized" version of the Fellowship. Visit our Wild Strides page for more info!

    The areas we’ve trekked include:

    Utah:

    Southern Utah’s wildly diverse and pristine landscape makes it an ideal setting for a springtime backcountry experience. The prehistoric beauty of the arches, canyons, and buttes, along with the desert-adapted flora and fauna provide endless opportunities for exploration and immersion in a breathtaking wilderness setting. The route includes a mix of day hiking from remote basecamps to multi-day backpacking. No prior backpacking or canyoneering experience is required; however, we encourage participation from folks open to adventure and willing to be continuously awestruck by the incredible topography and landscape!

    Idaho:

    The Wild Gift basecamp in Sun Valley, Idaho is the gateway to the largest wilderness and roadless areas in the lower 48 US states. Far from major population centers, this remote wilderness is the domain of abundant wildlife flora and fauna, a blank canvas for engagement in one of nature’s most dynamic mediums. The route follows a gentle progression from rolling sub-alpine terrain to the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountain ranges. No prior backpacking, snowshoeing, or skiing experience is required. Fellows will quickly develop the skills to travel safely, proficiently and joyfully. The adventure starts in a backcountry “hut” and progresses out into the wilderness traveling over several mountain ranges over a distance of 40 miles with close to 14,000’ of elevation gains and loss.

    Alaska:

    In the early years of Wild Gift, the trek was held in rural Alaska. Fellows trekked with two guides across glaciers, through rugged trail-less forests, and down rivers in old canoes. Perhaps some of the most wild expeditions, we hope to one day take our Fellowship back to the great frontier.

To see FAQs related to the Fellowship or Wild Strides specifically, please visit the respective pages.

Make a donation to Wild Gift

Support the next generation of social impact leaders by donating to our Wild Gift fund.