“On January 30, 2025, Inspiring Girls* Expeditions Alaska was given a “stop work” order by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). We were told to cease and desist all USGS-funded activity related to Inspiring Girls* due to the Trump administration’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The USGS previously supported a large share of our work, including funding the bulk of the costs for our Girls* on Ice Alaska expedition and salaries for our year-round staff. We are angry and devastated by the Trump Administration’s actions taking away our funding that was already Congressionally-approved and in hand.
Our programs are designed to make science and the outdoors more welcoming and inclusive of high schoolers from all backgrounds, and this move deprives youth of that chance. We do not yet know how this huge financial loss will impact our ability to host expeditions in summer 2025. At this time, we will continue accepting applications for participants and instructor positions for both Girls* on Ice Alaska and Girls* on Water, and in the meantime, we will work to raise funds for our programming elsewhere. If you would like to support free science and art expeditions for high school youth, you can donate here: inspiringgirls.org/donate-uaf-expeditions. Every gift helps.”