Many of Maine Audubon’s regional Chapters offer scholarships to help kids and adults attend nature programs around the state. Opportunities differ based on availability, geographic location of applicant, and other factors, but we’re collecting the 2026 scholarship information here in one place to help you find something that might be right for you or a student or teacher you know.
Please email the specific chapters with questions (links in descriptions):
Penobscot Valley Audubon – Greater Bangor
- Inez Boyd Environmental Research Award (IBERA): click here for scholarship information
- Summary: Provides funding for UMaine undergrad or grad student research that aligns with our mission, and/or promotes closer working relationships between the chapter, UMaine, and Fields Pond Audubon Center. Open to all academic disciplines.
- Geographic Restrictions? No residential geographic restrictions, but must be an enrolled student in good standing at the UMaine Orono campus.
Application / Selection deadline: Mid-March (apply), Mid-April (select) - Selection deadline: Mid-April
- Additional Details: Award may be used to cover any research needs not covered by other funding sources, including travel/lodging. Applicants must submit a proposed project budget and indicate exactly how the award funding will be used. IBERA recipients are expected to cite Penobscot Valley Audubon as a sponsor in all written and oral research presentations, and also to present their research as a chapter program, usually in conjunction with our Annual Meeting in May or June.
York County Audubon – York County
- June Ficker Hog Island Scholarship: click here for scholarship information
- Scholarship destination: Hog Island – Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week (info about the camp here >). Up to two educators for summer session (August 9–August 14, 2026). During this action-packed week, educators will learn approaches, methods, and activities for engaging both children and adults with nature.
- Age range of possible recipients: Adult educator (teacher or person in an educational environment i.e., land trust educator)
- Geographic restrictions? Live and/or work in York County
- Application deadline and selection deadlines: Applications due by Feb 18, notification to recipient Mar 1.
Maine Young Birders Club (Affiliated with York County Audubon)
- The Maine Young Birders Club Hog Island Scholarships for Teens
- Scholarship destination: Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens (info about the camp here >) – June 21–26, 2026
- Summary: This intensive 6-day, 5-night program on Hog Island allows enthusiastic young birders to work with some of the country’s best-known birders and ornithologists on field identification, bird ecology and conservation. This program includes the unique opportunity to see Audubon’s seabird restoration work in action, and visit Eastern Egg Rock during the puffin breeding season (weather and sea conditions permitting).
- Age range of possible recipients: 14-17
- Application deadline and selection deadlines: Apply by Feb. 18. Applicants will be notified by March 1.
- Additional information: This scholarship will pay 100% of the recipient’s cost for program tuition, room and board. Applicants must be 14–17 years old to attend. In return for this scholarship, we ask that the recipient write a short summary of their trip and explain what they learned.
Downeast Audubon (click here for scholarship information) – focused on Hancock County
- Hog Island Teen Birders Camp
- Scholarship destination: Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens (info about the camp here >) – June 21–26, 2026
- Summary: This intensive 6-day, 5-night program on Hog Island allows enthusiastic young birders to work with some of the country’s best-known birders and ornithologists on field identification, bird ecology and conservation. This program includes the unique opportunity to see Audubon’s seabird restoration work in action, and visit Eastern Egg Rock during the puffin breeding season (weather and sea conditions permitting).
- Age range of possible recipients: 14-17
- Geographic Restrictions? Hancock County applicants preferred but not required.
- Acadia Institute of Oceanography
- Summary: Offering full and partial scholarships to grade school students. The number of scholarships range from 4-10 depending on the amount of funding. There are 3 sessions: beginning (ages 10-12), intermediate (12-15) and advanced (15-19). For returning students, we offer a partial scholarship of half the amount (info about the camp here >)
- Deadline and Selection: Apply by end of February, selection in March.
- Geographic Restrictions? Hancock County applicants preferred but not required.
- Hurricane Island Summer Science Program
- Summary: 1-2 Middle school students (grades 7-8) for island ecology session in summer. Hurricane Island programs embed students in experiences that leverage the art and practices of science as tools for leadership and social change. Through personal and group explorations, students explore their own strengths as transformative leaders who can address the sustainability challenges facing our world today. (info about the camp here >)
- Deadline and Selection: Apply by end of February, selection in March.
Merrymeeting Audubon (click here for scholarship information) – greater Brunswick area
- Hog Island – Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week
- Summary: One educator for summer session (August 9 – August 14, 2026). During this action-packed week, educators will learn approaches, methods, and activities for engaging both children and adults with nature (info about the camp here >)
- Application deadline and selection deadlines: March 2, 2026.
- Geographic Restrictions? Educators from Arrowsic, Bath, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Durham, Freeport, Georgetown, Harpswell, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Litchfield, Phippsburg, Pownal, Richmond, Southport, Topsham, West Bath, Westport, Wiscasset, and Woolwich may apply.
- Hog Island Teen Birders Camp
- Scholarship destination: Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens – June 21-26, 2026
- Summary: This intensive 6-day, 5-night program on Hog Island allows enthusiastic young birders to work with some of the country’s best-known birders and ornithologists on field identification, bird ecology and conservation. This program includes the unique opportunity to see Audubon’s seabird restoration work in action, and visit Eastern Egg Rock during the puffin breeding season (weather and sea conditions permitting) (info about the camp here >)
- Age range of possible recipients: 14-17
- Application deadline and selection deadline: February 14, 2026 (application deadline), March 2026 (selection deadline)
- Geographic Restrictions? Students from Arrowsic, Bath, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Durham, Freeport, Georgetown, Harpswell, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Litchfield, Phippsburg, Pownal, Richmond, Southport, Topsham, West Bath, Westport, Wiscasset, and Woolwich may apply.
- UMaine 4H Camp
- Scholarship destination: Merrymeeting Audubon offers scholarships to all four University of Maine 4H Camps and Learning Centers to students, 8 to 16 years old, for week-long, residential programs. The camps are as follows: Bryant Pond in the town of Bryant Pond; Tanglewood, located in Lincolnville; Blueberry Cove, in Tenants Harbor; and Greenland Point in Princeton (info about camps here >).
- Summary: A variety of programs are offered, including nature- and conservation-based, as well as traditional, such as camp sports, camp crafts and arts.
- Age range of possible recipients: 8-16 years old
- Application deadline: April 15, notification April 30
- Geographic restrictions: Arrowsic, Bath, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Durham, Freeport, Georgetown, Harpswell, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Litchfield, Phippsburg, Pownal, Richmond, Southport, Topsham, West Bath, Westport, Wiscasset, Woolwich. Homeschoolers in these areas are also welcome to apply.
Mid-Coast Audubon (click here for scholarship information) – Knox, Waldo, and Lincoln Counties
- Multiple Options
- Summary: Multiple scholarships are available. The funds for scholarships are made possible through the generosity of the Jean Hamlin Fund and other donors, with additional funding from the Mid-Coast Audubon general fund. Camps and other educational programs including: Camp Forest, Brooks, ME, Camp Mummichog (Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust), Damariscotta, ME, Hog Island Audubon Camp, Bremen, ME, Tanglewood 4-H Camp (University of Maine), Lincolnville, ME, Acadia Institute of Oceanography, Seal Harbor, ME, Camp Chewonki, Wiscasset, ME.
- Age range of possible recipients: Students (kindergarten through graduate school) or educators who reside in Knox. Waldo, or Lincoln Counties.
- Application and selection deadlines: Application must be received at least 30 days before the program start date.
- Additional information: Funding is available for multiple recipients.
