Explorers Connect

The Best Grants for Old-School Adventure

FundingBelinda KirkComment

These grants are for exploring for the sake of exploring. Often rewarding projects which attempt world firsts, involve extraordinary physical feats, or retrace the steps of explorers of the past, these are the funds to apply for if you are planning an old-school adventure.

 

Neville Schulman Challenge Award (RGS)

Up to £8,000 for an adventure. Recent grant awards include an 800 mile dog-sledding trip to retrace Roald Amundsen's sledging journey. For more information see here

The SES Inspirational Explorer Award

 A £5,000 award for anyone whose expedition has a “special something” about it. Go wild! Find out more here

The Sir Charles Bois Explorer Award

A £5,000 grant to someone undertaking an adventurous expedition with strong physical requirements in a challenging environment, involving scientific pioneering, remoteness or a re-creation of a past journey. See here for more. 

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Open Awards

Up to £6,000 to fund individuals who are embarking on adventurous expeditions that will last between 4 and 8 weeks. For more information, click here

Captain Scott Society Spirit of Adventure Award

£2,000 offered to fund an expedition aiming to achieve an ‘adventure first’. To find out more, click here

John Muir Trust Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant

Grants between £200 and £2000 given to a self-led expeditions to wild places with some kind of a research component. More information here.

Timmissartok Foundation

One grant per year made to anyone in the world embarking on an ambitious expedition. Recent grants include a 2,300 mile kayak journey and a circumnavigation of Svalbard by canoe. See here for more. 

Mount Everest Foundation

Support expeditions of geographical exploration or first ascents. Tend to support trips to inaccessible areas and unclimbed peaks. Click here to learn more. 

The Next Challenge Grant

Grants up to £800 for expeditions and small adventures. Click here to find our more information.