MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD
2023 APPLICATION GUIDELINESThis document summarizes the process as well as all criteria for eligibility to submit a project for the
UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA) and be in the running to become the winner of this edition’s
prize. Thanks to the partnership with Bally Peak Outlook Foundation (BPOF) the overall prize money
is EUR 10’000 and will be awarded to the winner (EUR 6’000), the runner-up (EUR 3’000) and the best
new idea initiative (EUR 1’000). The winning project further benefits from communication
amplification through UIAA partner BPOF, a certificate of recognition, a trophy, the golden MPA logo
as well as international communication on all UIAA platforms. The project awarded as best new
initiative benefits from an expert review and advice to further develop the concept and support its
implementation.

1. WHO CAN APPLY?
An applicant can be an individual or a group who identifies as one of the following:-

An association and/or alpine club (member of the UIAA);
A not-for-profit/non-governmental organisation or volunteer community group;
A for-profit business (e.g. tour operators, expedition agencies, etc.).

A letter of support from the UIAA member association in the country(ies) where the project is
implemented, must be submitted with the application. If the applying organisation is a UIAA member,a letter of support from its president must be submitted.
To further enhance the application, letters of recommendation from local climbing andmountaineering associations/clubs, environmental associations, NGOs, governing bodies, and/or
other important stakeholders are especially encouraged. As sound financial practices are a key
element assessors will be looking for, ideally, at least one recommendation letter should specificallymention the organisation’s role of financial oversight over the project at hand.
Each applicant can only submit one (1) project per edition.

1.1

NEW APPLICANTS

New applicants must meet the general eligibility profile as stated above.

1.2

PREVIOUS APPLICANTS

Previous applicants must also meet the general eligibility profile as stated above, and are welcome to
re-apply with either:-

An entirely new project; or
A project that was previously submitted as a ‘new idea or concept’ and that is now a project
under implementation;
A project that was previously submitted as being ‘ongoing project’, and that has sinceachieved a proven track-record with significant results.
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Previous prize winners of the Mountain Protection Award cannot re-apply with the same project.

2. PROJECTSEach submitted project must be involved in at least one of five of the following UIAA MPA categories:-

Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, including flora and fauna;
Sustainable resource consumption and management, such as energy or water;
Sustainable waste management and disposal;
Climate change adaptation and/or mitigation; and/or
Protection of the environment through culture, local traditions and education.

Furthermore, projects are assessed according to their stage of development. A project can fall under
one of the following categories:-

2.1

A new idea or concept;
An ongoing project (under implementation);
A finished project realised in the current or past calendar year.

NEW IDEA OR IMPLEMENTED PROJECT?

All projects, regardless of their development stage, will be reviewed and evaluated by the assessment
team and are eligible to be considered for promotion and display on the UIAA MPA platform. Projects
that are implemented and on-going or finished in the current or past calendar year are eligible tocompete for the MPA main prize (winner and runner-up). Projects that are either at the idea or proof
of concept stage are eligible to compete for the Best New Initiative prize.
All projects accepted into the program receive valuable feedback and advice from experts in the field.
However, the application process is slightly different for each category, so applicants will need todecide whether their project should be considered under Best New Initiative or the MPA main prize
category. The following examples can help applicants decide which category their project fits into:
MPA main prize category

Best New Initiative prize category- Project is completed or has had at least one fullround of implementation.

- Project is at the idea stage or possibly has
undergone a proof-of-concept trial.

- Project has a fully formed budget that has been
put into practice at least once.

- Project has a proposed budget or one that is only
partially determined.

- Project applicants have had an opportunity toevaluate or reflect on actual project successes andchallenges.

- Project applicants are planning for project
evaluation, or have undertaken only a partial
evaluation.

Examples of MPA main prize category projects:

Examples of MPA main prize category projects:- Self-Managed Climbing Parks, Asociación 7a
Escalada (Peru)- No Bins Project, Zero Waste Mont Blanc (France)- Save Lake Belis, Romanian Alpine Club (Romania)- Save Rinjani, Federation of Indonesian Climbing
Activity (Indonesia)- Pamir Horse Adventure (Tajikistan)

If there is uncertainty about which category is appropriate for a given project, applicants areencouraged to contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org with any questions.
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3. ASSESSMENT
3.1

ASSESSMENT TEAM

The assessment team consists of UIAA Mountain Protection Commission delegates and external
experts. Each project is reviewed by up to three members of the assessment team: two UIAA
Mountain Protection Commission delegates (Assessor A and B) and one external expert (Assessor C).

3.2

PROCESSFirst, each submitted application is checked by the UIAA Office for completeness. Incomplete
applications will not be processed for review. Validated projects are then forwarded to theassessment team for review.
Each project is reviewed and scored by at least two members of the assessment team, as defined
above, for each of the following criteria:-

addresses at least one of the five UIAA MPA categories (yes/no)
has a climbing, mountaineering or outdoor sport focus (yes/no)clearly demonstrates and follows a vision and states project goals (score)
clearly outlines expected outcomes and follows an implementation plan (score)
contributes to mountain protection and its people (score)
clearly outlines human and financial resources, including in-kind contributions, source offunding and allocation (score)provides verifiable supporting evidence of project implementation (except for a project
considered under ‘new idea or concept’, which supplies information on expected project
implementation timeline, resources, and budget) and referees (score).

Scores for each individual category can vary from zero (0) to five (5). The criteria scale marking is asfollows:-

0 = no evidence of involvement/effort
1 = not sufficient information or enough details to make a judgement
2 = sufficient information provided, but only partially meets the criteria
3 = good information provided and generally meets the criteria
4 = very good information and details provided and fully meets the criteria
5 = excellent work/involvement/effort provided

An overall score for the project is calculated by taking the average score of the assessors (i.e. total
scores of Assessor A + total scores of Assessor B + total scores of Assessor C) / 3 = overall project
score)
This combined score given to each project highlights its overall performance and can vary from zero(0) to twenty-five (25).
It is the goal of the assessment team to have three team members assess every project. However, inthe unlikely situation (e.g. illness, resourcing, etc) that only two team members can assess a given
project the point spread in each of their assessed categories will be examined. If the two assessors’scores differ by more than three points in a given category (e.g. Assessor A scores category (a) with a3

2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

1, while Assessor B scores category (a) with a 5 → difference of 5 - 1 = 4) a third assessor, part of theassessment team, will be brought in to evaluate the full project. The average score of all threeassessors will give the overall score for the given project.
In a last step, assessors will feed back to projects based on three areas: (1) project impact; (2)financial viability; and (3) project excellence. This shall especially serve and provide value forapplicants in understanding how an initiative is contributing to mountain protection and what areas,
if any, could further be improved and how.

4. RECOGNITION AND PRIZE
All projects that are complete, eligible, and have a minimum score of ten (10) are showcased on the
UIAA website and receive the right to use the UIAA MPA logo in black.
All reviewed projects are ranked according to the overall score given, providing the basis forallocating acknowledgement and prize eligibility. The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission
convenes in a final review, taking into account recommendations and comments by the assessment
team and decides on the following:-

MPA Winner
MPA Runner-Up
MPA Best New Initiative

The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, via its President, notifies the assessment team as well as
the UIAA President and the MPA partner BPOF of its final decision.
The winning project is announced at the UIAA General Assembly and receives a cash prize of
EUR 6’000, a UIAA MPA trophy, the right to use the UIAA MPA logo in gold, a certificate ofrecognition and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article. Exclusive communication of thewinning project will be coordinated with UIAA partner BPOF and amplified through their worldwide
channels. The winner will be asked to write and share a progress report within the next year and a
final report upon completion of the project and submit this to the UIAA Mountain Protection
Commission.
The runner-up to the winning project is announced in the lead-up to the UIAA General Assembly andreceives a cash prize of EUR 3’000, the right to use the UIAA MPA logo in silver, a certificate ofrecognition and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article.
The highest-scoring project under the “new idea or concept” category is deemed the year’s
UIAA MPA Best New Initiative and is announced in the lead-up to the UIAA General Assembly. It
receives EUR 1’000, the right to use a dedicated UIAA MPA logo in black, a certificate of recognition
and will be featured in a dedicated UIAA news article.

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5. TIMELINE
01 March 2023

Online Application Portal opens
http://theuiaa.org/mountain-protection-award

15 May 2023

Online Applications Portal closes at midnight (CET)23 June 2023

Review by UIAA MPA assessment team concludes

June/July 2023

Showcase of 2023 UIAA MPA Projects on UIAA platforms

31 July 2023

Winners of 2023 UIAA Mountain Protection Award categories(winner, runner-up, best initiative) contacted

6 October 2023

Announcement of 2023 Best New Initiative

13 October 2023

Announcement of 2023 Runner-Up

21 October 2023

Announcement of 2023 UIAA MPA Winner at UIAA General Assembly

6. APPLICATION FORM (unofficial offline version)
2023 UIAA Mountain Protection Award Application Form
(This is an offline version for preparation only. The official online form must be filled out for valid
submission).
Please take the time to fill all requested information via the official online form. Incomplete
applications will not be considered for the 2023 UIAA Mountain Protection (MPA) platform nor will it
be submitted for assessment.
Before commencing this application form, please ensure you have read the specific UIAA MPA
Application Guidelines and are ready to answer all questions in detail. Please note there is no ‘saveand come back later’ function.
Application Deadline: 15 May 2023, midnight CEST
All questions of the form can be accessed from the application guidelines for projects to effectively
prepare ‘offline’. Should you need assistance with the application, due to language barriers or otherconcerns, please contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org – we will be happy to help!
Any information supplied in relation to this form will only be used in conjunction with the2023 UIAA Mountain Protection Award.
ANNEX I: APPLICATION – common to all project categories
1. Contact details
a. First and last name of contact person; phone number (please add format withcountry code +); and email address
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2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

b. Position/role of contact person
2. Applicant
a. Name of organisation (should you be applying as an individual, please reconfirm thename here)
b. Address of organisation (should you be applying as an individual, please reconfirm
your personal address here)c. Official website link of organisation (if available)
d. Applicant identifies as a:i. UIAA member federation and/or alpine clubii. Not-for-profit/non-governmental organisation or volunteer/community
groupiii. A for-profit business (e.g. tour operators, expedition agencies)e. All applicants must submit a letter of support from the national UIAA member
association in the country(ies) where the project is being implemented. Please do sohere.
As a UIAA member association, you will need to submit a letter of support signed byyour organisation's president.
The full list of UIAA member associations can be found here:
https://www.theuiaa.org/members/member-federations/
If there is no UIAA member association in your country, or should you have any
questions, please contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
3. Projecta. Official name of the project being submitted for the 2023 Mountain Protection
Award (if there is no official name, please specify how the UIAA should label thisproject on the official showcase webpage – note, shorter names work better)b. Official website link of project (if available)c. Official Facebook page of project (if available)
d. Official Instagram page of project (if available)
e. Has this project been submitted for the UIAA Mountain Protection Award before?
i. Yes, as a new idea or concept
ii. Yes, as an ongoing projectiii. Yes, as a finished projectiv. Nof. Project status - our project is (select best option)
In case of uncertainty, please refer to the UIAA MPA Application Guidelines and/or
contact us at mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
i. A new idea or concept
ii. Implemented and ongoingiii. Finished
If project type is - i. A new idea or concept - continue the project application in Annexe III (highlighted
in green below).
If project type is - ii. Implemented and ongoing; or iii. Finished - continue the project application in
Annex II (highlighted in blue below).
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2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

ANNEX II – APPLICATION CONTINUED – for implemented and ongoing and finished projects
4. Project details
a. Please select the UIAA MPA category(ies) that best fit(s) your project:i. Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, including flora and faunaii. Sustainable resource consumption and management, such as energy orwateriii. Sustainable waste management and disposal
iv. Climate change adaptation and mitigationv. Protection of the environment through culture, local traditions and/or
educationb. Country/countries where the project is implemented
c. Time period of implementation (started in … / ending in …)
d. Please explain what the project is about and how it relates to climbing,
mountaineering and outdoor sport. (350-500 words)
Note your answer will be used to describe the project on the official showcase pageof the UIAA website.
e. Please describe the vision, goals and aim of this project. (350-500 words)f.

Please describe the implementation and expected outcomes of the project such as
project plan, key tasks, activities, milestones, etc. (350-500 words)
Supporting documents can be included in a later section.

g. Describe how your project goes "beyond business as usual", as an example of bestpractice in mountaineering and mountain-based sports for mountain protection.
(350-500 words)
h. Describe how your project supports stewardship in mountain regions, such as thepromotion of volunteer participation opportunities. (350-500 words)i.

How does your project benefit the local communities where it is implemented andhow do you collaborate with them? (350-500 words)j.

For the implementation of your project, do you collaborate with local, regional, or
national authorities? If so, how? (350-500 words)
Supporting documents such as recommendation letters are highly encouraged andcan be included in a later section.

k. Describe the human and financial resources, including sourcing and allocation such as
budget, human and financial resources and allocations. (350-500 words)
Supporting documents can be included in a later section.
l.

Describe your communication strategy and dissemination of your project's activities
and results to the general public. You can also mention how the UIAA could support7

2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

these efforts, as part of the UIAA MPA platform. (350-500 words)
m. If your project were to win the Mountain Protection Award, explain how the project
would use the prize money. (350-500 words)
Supporting documents (e.g. spreadsheet) can be included in a later section.
n. Is there anything else you would like to mention as part of your application?
5. Attachmentsa. Please add the logo of your organisation here (if available)b. Please add the logo of your project here (if available)c. Please attach any additional letters of support here (if available)
d. Please attach any additional documents here (if available)
Documents may include annual report, business plan, promotional flyers, additional
letters of support, etc.
e. Please attach any additional documents here (if available)
Documents may include annual report, business plan, promotional flyers, additional
letters of support, etc.
f. Each project needs to submit two high-resolution photos. Please add a first highresolution picture here. This will be used as supporting material and on the UIAA
channels to strengthen the visual storytelling of your application.
g. Each project needs to submit two high-resolution photos. Please add a second highresolution picture here. This will be used as supporting material and on the UIAA
channels to strengthen the visual storytelling of your application.
h. Do you have more pictures of good quality? Please add it here (optional).
i. More pictures (optional)?
j. Link to Flickr or another online photo gallery (if available)
k. Video content as a share link (if available)
If you couldn’t upload all your documents, pictures and/or videos here, or should you have more toshare, please send them via email or by WeTransfer to mountainprotection@theuiaa.org before thedeadline of 15 May 2023. Any documents coming in after that deadline will not be considered by theassessment team.
6. Please note that, by submitting video, photographs, logo and other material, you confirm
that you agree to grant to the UIAA and the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation - UIAA’s MPA
partner - a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, right and license to use, reproduce, modify,
adapt, publish, create derivative works from, distribute, make available to the public, withrespect to your photograph worldwide and/or to incorporate your photograph in other works
and publications in any media now known or later developed for the full term of any rightsthat may exist in your photographs or video.
i. I accept
ii. I don’t accept
7. Your application will be assessed as defined in the UIAA MPA Application Guidelines. By filingyour application, do you agree to have met all the criteria and prerequisites?
i. I accept
ii. I don’t accept
If you have questions regarding the application process, please do not hesitate to contact the MPA
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2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

team under mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
Thank you for applying for the 2023 UIAA Mountain Protection Award!
Our team will be in touch with you shortly regarding the completeness of your application. Nominees
will be contacted about assessment outcomes at the beginning of August 2023. The winner of theMountain Protection Award will be contacted confidentially in mid-August to prepare communication
amplification in collaboration with Bally Peak Outlook Foundation and invited to the UIAA General
Assembly on 21 October 2023 in Trabzon, Turkey.
This completes the application process for implemented or finished projects.

ANNEX III – APPLICATION CONTINUED – for projects in concept or idea stage

4. Concept details
a. Please select the UIAA MPA category(ies) that best fit(s) your project idea:
i. Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems, including flora and faunaii. Sustainable resource consumption and management, such as energy orwateriii. Sustainable waste management and disposal
iv. Climate change adaptation and mitigationv. Protection of the environment through culture, local traditions and/or
educationb. Country/countries where the project will be implementedc. Expected period of implementation (started in … / will start in … / ending in …)
d. Please explain the concept or idea and how it relates to climbing, mountaineeringand outdoor sport. (350-500 words)
Note your answer will be used to describe the project on the official showcase pageof the UIAA website.
e. Please describe the vision, goals and aim of this project. (350-500 words)f.

Please describe how the idea will be implementation and expected outcomes of the
project such as project plan, key tasks, activities, milestones, etc. Please note that inorder to be eligible to win the prize money of EUR 1,000 as ‘Best New Initiative’ theproject must show a clear timeline that describes the development and/or
implementation of the project. (350-500 words)
Supporting documents can be included in a later section.

g. Describe how your project will go "beyond business as usual", as an example of bestpractice in mountaineering and mountain-based sports for mountain protection.
(350-500 words)
h. Describe how your project will support stewardship in mountain regions, such as thepromotion of volunteer participation opportunities. (350-500 words)
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2023 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARDi.

How does/will your project benefit the local communities where it is implemented
and how do/will you collaborate with them? (350-500 words)j.

For the implementation of your project, do/will you collaborate with local, regional,
or national authorities? If so, how? (350-500 words)
Supporting documents such as recommendation letters are highly encouraged andcan be included in a later section.

k. Describe the human and financial resources, including sourcing and allocation such as
budget, human and financial resources and allocations. Please note that in order tobe eligible to win the prize money of EUR 1,000 as ‘Best New Initiative’ the project
must show clear evidence that additional funds and/or in-kind contributions havebeen or will be sought. (350-500 words)
Supporting documents can be included in a later section.
l.

If already in place, describe your communication strategy and dissemination of yourproject's activities and results to the general public. You can also mention how the
UIAA could support these efforts, as part of the UIAA MPA platform. (350-500 words)

m. If your project were to win the Mountain Protection Award category of ‘Best New
Initiative’, explain how the project would use the prize money. (250-300 words)
Supporting documents (e.g. spreadsheet) can be included in a later section.
n. Is there a specific area you would appreciate expert advice on, as part of this UIAA
Mountain Protection Award application? If so, please explain.
o. Is there anything else you would like to mention as part of your application?
5. Attachmentsa. Please add the logo of your organisation here (if available)b. Please add the logo of your project here (if available)c. Please attach any additional letters of support here (if available)
d. Please attach any additional documents here (if available)
Documents may include annual report, business plan, promotional flyers, additional
letters of support, etc.
e. Please attach any additional documents here (if available)
Documents may include annual report, business plan, promotional flyers, additional
letters of support, etc.
f. Please provide clear evidence that additional funding and/or in-kind contributions
have been or will be sought.
g. Please provide a project implementation timeline that describes the development
and/or implementation of the project.
h. Each project needs to submit two high-resolution photos. Please add a first highresolution picture here. This will be used as supporting material and on the UIAA
channels to strengthen the visual storytelling of your application.
i. Each project needs to submit two high-resolution photos. Please add a second highresolution picture here. This will be used as supporting material and on the UIAA
channels to strengthen the visual storytelling of your application.
j. Do you have more pictures of good quality? Please add it here (optional).
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k. More pictures (optional)?
l. Link to Flickr or another online photo gallery (if available)
m. Video content as a share link (if available)
If you cannot upload all your documents/pictures/videos here, or should you have more to share,please send them via email or by WeTransfer to mountainprotection@theuiaa.org before thedeadline of 15 May 2023. Any documents coming in after that deadline will not be considered by theassessment team.
6. Please note that, by submitting video, photographs, logo and other material, you confirm
that you agree to grant to the UIAA and the Bally Peak Outlook Foundation - UIAA’s MPA
partner - a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive, right and license to use, reproduce, modify,
adapt, publish, create derivative works from, distribute, make available to the public, withrespect to your photograph worldwide and/or to incorporate your photograph in other works
and publications in any media now known or later developed for the full term of any rightsthat may exist in your photographs or video.
i. I accept
ii. I don’t accept
7. Your application will be assessed as defined in the UIAA MPA Application Guidelines. By filingyour application, do you agree to have met all the criteria and prerequisites?
iii. I accept
iv. I don’t accept
If you have questions regarding the application process, please do not hesitate to contact the MPA
team under mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
Thank you for applying for the 2023 UIAA Mountain Protection Award!
Our team will be in touch with you shortly regarding the completeness of your application. Nominees
will be contacted about assessment outcomes at the beginning of August 2023. The winner of theMountain Protection Award will be contacted confidentially in mid-August to prepare communication
amplification in collaboration with Bally Peak Outlook Foundation and invited to the UIAA General
Assembly on 21 October 2023 in Trabzon, Turkey.

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