Chester Bowl exists to make outdoor recreation in Chester Park available to any family regardless of their income or ability to pay. For decades, Chester Bowl has had a scholarship fund that has helped hundreds of families afford to ski, snowboard, and come to summer camp by awarding full or partial scholarships.
For the winter of 2025/2026, we have $22,882 in scholarship awards available. This is a significant amount, but it is very likely that requests will exceed the funding we have available, as requests have averaged between $40,000 and $50,000 annually.
Families will need to request scholarships during the registration period between September 17 and October 13. The request is part of the regular registration process, and you will have the opportunity to request a full or partial scholarship. We expect that anyone who does not register by the October 13 deadline is unlikely to be awarded a scholarship.
You can find out more and register now at this link.
If you are a family requesting a scholarship, we want you to ask for what you need – but only what you need. Families may be responsible for paying a portion of their program fees even if they requested a full scholarship. We are optimistic that we can spread out the awards so that most, or even all, of the folks wanting to participate this winter will be able to afford to. You MUST register by October 13 to be awarded a scholarship for the winter, even if you are just requesting a season pass.
Chester Bowl is prioritizing scholarships for new families and returning families who completed their volunteer hours last winter first, followed by returning families that did not complete their volunteer hours. Families with the lowest income will also likely receive a higher percentage of their request than those with higher income.
Your family will be notified of its scholarship award by Chester staff by October 14. If your family chooses to accept this award amount and move forward with the winter program you will watch the winter slideshow and sign up for fitting times as part of the regular process that begins on October 15.
We raise money for the scholarship fund through Fall Fest gate donations, our silent auction, grants (thank you Boreal Waters Community Foundation and Rotary Club 25 for your recent awards!) and donations from individuals and businesses. If you want to support the scholarship fund, please give generously at the Fall Fest gate, bid at our annual November silent auction and attend the Warren Miller film screening on November 14, and/or contact Dave about making your tax-deductible gift directly.
If you have any questions about the scholarship fund, you can reach out to Dave at dave@chesterbowl.org or 218-940-9378.
