Calling all Female Ski Industry Professionals—Applications Open for Game-Changing Grant
Blizzard Tecnica has officially opened applications for the 2026 iteration of their ground-breaking educational funding grant, the Hilaree Nelson Professional Development Program.
The program was developed as a part of Blizzard Tecnica’s Women 2 Women initiative, which was started in an effort to develop ski gear that was not just catered to women, but developed by them.
As the Women 2 Women program grew over the years, so did its greater mission of empowering women in the mountains. About to enter it’s sixth year, the Hilaree Nelson Professional Development Program was named in honor of Nelson, who was one of the most accomplished female ski mountaineers of our time and a beacon of empowerment for women in skiing.
Nelson tragically passed away in 2022 while attempting a descent of the world’s eighth highest peak, Manaslu.
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The program named in honor of Nelson now provides funding to women looking to further their own professional endeavors in the ski industry.
In the past, the program has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial assistance for women pursuing higher avalanche education, ski guiding certifications, boot fitting certifications and MasterFit courses, and more. Participants in the program also receive Blizzard skis and Tecnica boots.
“We’re trying to get women into higher-level roles within the ski industry. If they wanna pursue a career in the ski industry, we want to help them take the courses that they need, give them the equipment they need,” said Global Women2Women Program Leader, Leslie Baker-Brown in an interview with POWDER earlier this year.
Applications for the 2026 Hilaree Nelson Professional Development Program officially opened on November 17, 2025 and are open until December 15, 2025.
Applicants are given questions about their current professions, obstacles that have stood in their way when it comes to skiing, how they intend to ‘pay it forward’ if they are selected for the program, as well as describe the program they intend to use the funding for. Recipients will be announced in early January of 2026.
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