Every ABM course registration includes a contribution to a cause that matters. When you register, 3% of your tuition goes directly to the organization you choose — organizations doing real work in Alaska's backcountry, emergency response, and outdoor education communities.
These aren't random picks. Every organization on this list was chosen because their mission connects directly to what we do — training people to respond when things go wrong in the field, and making sure more Alaskans have the skills and support they need to do it.
McCarthy Emergency Services is a volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving one of Alaska's most remote frontier communities — McCarthy-Kennecott, in the shadow of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Founded in 2012, their mission is saving lives by coordinating EMS response, providing education, and supporting area medical and search and rescue volunteers. The nearest advanced life support provider is four hours away. The nearest hospital is six hours away. In 2025, MXY volunteers responded to 27 emergency calls and coordinated 6 air evacuations. They operate without a borough, without tribal health system access, and without a clinic — and they show up anyway.
No public website · Contact: mxyems@gmail.com
Denali Rescue Volunteers is a Talkeetna-based 501(c)(3) that supports and equips the volunteer rescuers who serve on Denali National Park's mountaineering patrols. They provide gear, training, financial support, and community backing so that skilled VIP volunteers can focus on the mission — saving lives in some of the most extreme alpine conditions in the world.
AMRG is a nonprofit volunteer SAR organization based in Anchorage, founded in 1960. Fully accredited through the Mountain Rescue Association, they respond to backcountry emergencies statewide — ground search, high-angle technical rescue, avalanche response, and downed aircraft. Their members train year-round and operate under the Alaska State Troopers, averaging around 15 missions annually.
Onward & Upward is an accredited 501(c)(3) based in the Mat-Su Valley that uses adventure and the outdoors to help Alaska's youth build resilience, confidence, and community. Their programs are built around the belief that time in the field changes people — and that financial barriers shouldn't determine who gets that experience. They work with schools across the Anchorage and Mat-Su districts, putting young Alaskans on a path that starts outside.
The Belay On fund is ABM's own scholarship program. Contributions go into a dedicated account and are awarded twice a year to nominees who have the drive to get trained but need a hand with the cost. A WFA or WFR certification can be a stepping stone to SAR volunteering, an EMT license, or simply being the most prepared person in a remote community. The fund exists because not everyone can absorb a $280 or $700 course fee — and that shouldn't be the reason someone doesn't get trained.
No complicated checkout process. You pick at registration, we handle the rest.
Choose your course, pick your organization, and show up ready to work. The giving back part happens automatically.