Discover Funding Opportunities

Ulysses Trust Expedition and Adventurous Training Grant

The Ulysses Trust provides financial support for members of the UK Volunteer Reserve Forces, University Officer Training Corps (UOTC), and Cadet Forces to undertake challenging expeditions and adventurous training activities. The Trust aims to help units organize expeditions and adventurous training experiences that build leadership skills and resilience. Applications are accepted from units rather than individuals, and the Trust has been supporting expeditions worldwide for many years. The grant program requires submission of an expedition report following the activity, demonstrating the Trust's commitment to documenting the impact and outcomes of funded expeditions.

Arctic Club Award

The Arctic Club Award seeks to promote and support interesting, innovative and adventurous expeditions in the Arctic, particularly for young people. Awards are made annually from the Arctic Club Award Fund, held within the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund (Charity 208791), and administered by Members of the Gino Watkins Memorial Committee (which includes Arctic Club members). Each year, one or more expeditions are given an Arctic Club Award. Applicants may receive a combined award from both the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund and the Arctic Club Award Fund. Members of these expeditions are invited as guests to the Arctic Club Dinner. The Arctic Club also makes small awards to individuals for training purposes such as expedition training, polar bear safety, and ice safety.

Henrietta Hutton Research Grant

The Henrietta Hutton Research Grant offers up to three grants of £500 annually to undergraduate or Masters students undertaking overseas field research as an individual or as part of a team. The fund was established in 1964 in memory of Henrietta Hutton, a University of Oxford student who was a keen ornithologist and founding member of the Oxford Women's Exploration Club. Preference is given to support field research with a significant geographical, social and/or environmental science, or natural history element. Applicants should be undertaking an independent field research project that lasts longer than four weeks. The field research does not have to be related to the student's academic studies, but applicants must be registered at a UK Higher Education Institution. Where the applicant is part of a larger expedition, it should be made clear how their research is distinct from the wider project. Applicants should show strong evidence of host country participation in their research projects.

Ralph Brown Expedition Award

The Ralph Brown Expedition Award is a single annual award of up to £12,500, offered to an experienced researcher leading a research expedition working in an aquatic environment. This includes the study of coral reefs, rivers, lakes and shallow seas. The project should be of value to the host country and, where possible, to the local community. The award has been established in memory of Ralph Brown, a Californian who lived much of his life in New Zealand. He took part in expeditions and was a keen advocate of the use of jet boats to navigate inaccessible and dangerous rivers. Brown died in 1996, shortly after winning the World Jet Boat Championship in Canada. He bequeathed a portion of his estate to RGS-IBG to fund both the Award and the Grants Officer at the Society. The Ralph Brown Award has supported projects since 1998, ranging from the wetlands of Ukraine to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, from coral reef studies to mountain river hazard surveys, and studies of human interaction with waterways. Applicants must be Fellows or Members of the Royal Geographical Society. The grant is open to applicants from any nation.

Fieldwork Apprenticeships

The Fieldwork Apprenticeships aim to give first year undergraduate geography students the opportunity during the summer to work as a Fieldwork Apprentice for a number of weeks on a research project either in the UK or overseas, led by an academic member of staff at their university. Grants of £1,500 are offered annually for students to participate in fieldwork projects led by one of their university lecturers. Applicants must be resident in the UK and be in the first year of an undergraduate geography degree at a UK Higher Education Institution. Applicants must have the support of a lecturer at their UK HEI to participate in a fieldwork project. Applicants should demonstrate how opportunities to get involved in fieldwork would not be available to them were it not for the Field Apprenticeship, and where possible should demonstrate the challenging circumstances that prevent them from having access to such opportunities. These awards are supported through the generous donation of John and Anne Alexander and are part of a portfolio of grants, the Alexander Awards, to support and enthuse students from less advantaged backgrounds through fieldwork. One Apprenticeship is supported through the generous donation of the Hepworth Family, through the Dorothy Hepworth Expedition Award. Recipients are expected to share their experiences with others, for example at their own institution or through the Professional Ambassadors programme.

Journey in Audio

Journey in Audio offers professional training and access to high-quality equipment to document travel, fieldwork or a research expedition through audio recorded in the field. This unique opportunity provides participants with a one-day, in-person workshop led by a professional audio producer at the Royal Geographical Society in London, scheduled for spring 2026. The workshop provides an introduction to soundscapes, how sound is used in storytelling, and how to build a narrative, along with practical training on using audio recording equipment and capturing sounds in the field. Participants receive the loan of professional-standard handheld audio recording equipment for use in the field, a non-commercial license for REAPER digital audio production software, and a financial contribution for travel and accommodation to attend the workshop. After returning from the field, participants will receive group and one-to-one feedback sessions online on the first cut of their audio work. The workshop is open to geographical journeys, fieldwork, or research expeditions being undertaken by individuals or small teams between mid-April and the end of October 2026. Applicants are expected to have a clear plan for their travel, fieldwork, or research expedition and the financial and practical means to undertake it. Eligible projects may focus on any geography-related topic, and applicants with all levels of experience can apply. The opportunity to share audio work through the Society's channels is available, subject to review for quality and content.

The Gino Watkins Fund Awards

The Gino Watkins Fund Awards support expeditions guiding and inspiring enterprising people towards scientific research and exploration in the polar regions. The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund gives grants annually of up to £4,000 towards expeditions that meet its objective of the diffusion and improvement of knowledge of the polar regions. The Fund endeavours to increase our knowledge of one of the least known, but most important parts of our planet, and also to stimulate the lasting qualities of enterprise, endurance and leadership gained in this uniquely arduous environment. The Fund was established in 1933 in memory of Henry George ('Gino') Watkins, who revolutionised polar exploration. Expeditions supported by the Fund visit Greenland and other high Arctic lands, as well as the Antarctic. Applications come from researchers, expeditioners, adventurers and organised groups, with particular favour given to expeditions that bring experience and training to young people or those early in their career.

Neville Shulman Challenge Award

The Neville Shulman Challenge Award aims to further the understanding and exploration of the planet - its cultures, peoples and environments - while promoting personal development through the challenges involved in undertaking a research project or expedition. Established in 2001 by Neville Shulman CBE for the Royal Geographical Society, each year two awards of up to £10,000 are given to challenging research projects or expeditions. Applicants must demonstrate how the project is challenging – both physically and in terms of the issue being studied and the new insights that will be generated. Projects should have elements of both local and global interest, a clear purpose to advance geographical knowledge through well outlined methods of data collection, and with opportunities to share findings widely. Applications are invited from both individuals and groups. Project proposals directly relating to PhD or MSc research will not be accepted. It is expected that the grant will provide the majority of funding needed to undertake the project.

RGS Explore Grants

The RGS Explore Grants offer £500 to £5,000 to support teams undertaking overseas expeditions. As the successor to the Geographical Fieldwork Grants, the Society's longest running grant scheme, these awards are designed to support and enable the next generation of explorers and field researchers, especially those undertaking their first overseas projects. Awards will be made to teams undertaking original, challenging journeys with meaningful local collaborations at their core, aiming to advance geographical knowledge and deepen understanding of the world's environments, people and places. The expedition is expected to take place outside of the UK with a minimum of four weeks in the field, ideally undertaken between April and October.

The Next Challenge Expedition Grant

The Next Challenge Grant is an annual bursary for adventures that was started in 2015 and has funded over 70 different adventures. The money comes from Tim Moss (founder), small crowdfunded donations, and contributions from other adventurers. The grant was created to give back to the adventure community, as the founder received many expedition grants when younger that helped him undertake fantastic adventures. In 2015, the website earned £200 in advertising revenue which was offered as a grant, and when announced, many other adventurers and 100 members of the public matched the pledge, raising £1,600. This process now happens every year, typically raising around £2,000. The money is distributed between winning applicants, each receiving between £100 and £800 plus equipment. The grant is primarily aimed at beginners and those who have not done lots of expeditions before. Winners also receive equipment available to borrow and email support from Tim Moss. The grant is open to all people, of all ages, and of any nationality.

The Julie Tullis Memorial Award

The Julie Tullis Memorial Award is a small grant to assist deserving female mountaineers or any disabled climbers or mountaineers, both male and female, to achieve their climbing or mountaineering ambitions. Named after Julie Tullis, the first British woman to climb an 8,000m peak who died on K2 in 1986, the award was initiated by the Sandstone Climbing Club as a permanent memorial to her life and achievements. The fund and its associated campground at Harrisons Rocks have been handed over to the British Mountaineering Council for administration. The grant is awarded on an annual basis, with applications reviewed by the BMC International Committee with input from two representatives of the Sandstone Climbing Club, including Chris Tullis, Julie's son.

The Jack Bloor Fund

The Jack Bloor Fund was established in 1985 to commemorate the life of Jack Bloor, a Yorkshire legend and pioneering fell runner, climber, orienteer, caver and cyclist. The Fund continues Jack's enthusiasm for encouraging young people to enjoy the outdoors whilst always aiming to fulfil their potential. The Fund provides grants to young people under 26 years who live or are based in Yorkshire to improve their physical and/or technical skills in any recognised outdoor adventure sport. Applications are welcome all year round and are reviewed individually by the Jack Bloor Trustees. The Fund supports activities including fell running, cycling, mountaineering, outdoor first aid courses, independent expeditions, orienteering, athletics, sailing, biathlon, canoeing/kayaking, climbing, and various qualifications. Successful applicants are asked to provide a short report and photographs detailing what the grant has helped them achieve. Money for the Fund is raised through donations and the annual Jack Bloor Races held on Ilkley Moor each May.

Horizon Lectures Adventure Fund

The Horizon Lectures Adventure Fund provides grants of £450 to encourage and enable people to undertake their own adventurous trips, ideas and expeditions. The fund welcomes a broad range of ideas but does not accept applications from individuals taking part in organised trips or commercial expeditions. Successful applicants are required to deliver a 25-minute talk following their trip to the Horizon Lectures audience in Oxfordshire and acknowledge the fund on expedition websites and reports. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with no fixed closing date, and decisions are typically communicated within 3 months of application. Additional expenses for travelling to speak at events in Oxfordshire are not provided, so applicants should factor this into their planning.

BMC Expedition Grant

The British Mountaineering Council provides grants for international mountaineering expeditions through two separate funding streams. The first stream supports British people from under-represented groups going on mountaineering expeditions, including students and younger BMC members under 35, women, people from diverse ethnic communities, trans & non-binary people, people from LGBTQ+ community, people with a disability, and people with mental health conditions. The second stream supports British people going on innovative high-level mountaineering expeditions with significant, cutting edge and innovative ascents as their main objectives. The BMC recognizes the climate emergency and will only support expeditions in remote environments when applicants can demonstrate commitment to minimizing environmental impact, have a plan to offset carbon emissions, leave no trace behind, and respect local populations. Grant support is given to those who have considered the environmental impact including carbon emissions and sustainability initiatives. Expedition members must be BMC members, and grants are awarded with consideration to team composition and prior grant history. Recipients must submit a summary report within 4 weeks of return and a final report in due course, waiving copyright for publication. They must also contribute to BMC lecturer events if required. Grants are not available for commercial expeditions or fee-paying client situations.

Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant

The John Muir Trust offers this Grant to give people the opportunity to seek out life-changing experiences in wild places of the world in ways which will benefit both the person, and the wild places themselves. The grant commemorates two former presidents of the Scottish Mountaineering Club who each led inspiring and adventurous lives. The Grant wishes to support projects which reflect the ethos of both men and give others an opportunity to follow in their footsteps. A grant of £500 - £2,000 will be made on merit to a person who wishes to experience wild places in the spirit of Des Rubens and Bill Wallace. The project should involve travel to wild places, must be adventurous, have an educational or scientific component – and be a life-changing experience leading to a commitment to practical action to conserve wild places. The Grant committee favours independent self-led experiences over commercial expeditions, or pre-paid/charity trips. Priority is given to individuals whose financial need is greatest and grant recipients are required to provide a short project report following their return. Applicants must have a Scottish interest/link. In the decade since its inception the Grant has made over 40 awards to a wide variety of recipients, supporting adventures from studying Panamanian rainforests to circumnavigating the Isle of Skye in a kayak.

Andrew Croft Memorial Fund Grants

The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund was established in 1998 to preserve and promote the life, spirit and hopes of Colonel Andrew Croft DSO OBE, Arctic explorer and wartime commando. The Fund provides grants annually for expeditions and research in the Arctic regions, as well as supporting other initiatives within its charitable objectives. The Fund advances education of young people below the age of thirty in subjects which can be advanced by research and field work particularly in the Arctic, by providing grants to enable participation in scientific expeditions. The Fund also supports charitable purposes for the benefit of Arctic communities and assists members of Her Majesty's Constabulary with the cost of further education and training to enhance their effectiveness within the community. Grants are approved annually in March/April each year. The Fund operates as a registered charity (number 1078106) and evaluates applications at the discretion of its Trustees, supporting expeditions and initiatives that align with Colonel Croft's legacy of developing talent, leadership, and Arctic exploration. Applications are welcomed from young people seeking to participate in Arctic research and field work, as well as from police officers pursuing further education and training opportunities.

Zack Martin Breaking Barriers Grant

The Zack Martin Breaking Barriers (ZMBB) Grant was created in memory of Zack Martin, an avid climber and humanitarian who died just before his 25th birthday. This grant seeks to fund expeditions that focus primarily on humanitarian efforts and secondly on an objective involving alpinism, mountaineering, rock/ice climbing and bouldering. Successful candidates must demonstrate how their expedition fully encompasses both tenets of this grant. The humanitarian objective must have immediate impact, be sustainable, feasible and assure continuity to provide benefits to local people after initial implementation. Ideally, objectives will teach locals 'how to', enable infrastructure and provide some level of continued support and funding. The alpine objective must focus on alpine related adventure and/or discovery in the natural environment. Exploration in other areas such as ski mountaineering or river exploration that lead to a greater understanding and improvement of the alpine environment could also be considered.

Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant

Started in 1966, the Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant has long encouraged American climbers age 25 years and younger to go into remote areas and seek out climbs more difficult than they might ordinarily be able to do. Unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, and difficult new routes are looked upon with favor. The review committee encourages applications from teams emphasizing the fellowship component of their objective. Grants are awarded based on the proposed project's excellence and evidence of appropriate mountaineering experience. Recipients are expected to act as American Alpine Club ambassadors to the domestic and international climbing communities, practice environmentally low impact and leave no trace ethics, and submit expedition reports upon return.

McNeill-Nott Award

The McNeill-Nott Award was established by the American Alpine Club in partnership with Mountain Hardwear in memory of Sue Nott and Karen McNeill, who died on Mt. Foraker in 2006. This award preserves the spirit of these two talented and courageous climbers by providing grants to amateur female climbers exploring new routes or unclimbed peaks with small and lightweight teams. The award focuses on projects with strong exploratory and adventuresome mountaineering objectives, with these elements being more important than the technical rating of the climbing objective. Two or three grants between $700 and $4,000 are awarded annually to amateur teams that best meet the criteria for pursuing an exploratory objective. The program is only open to female-led teams, with preference given to teams composed entirely of female or female-identifying members. Teams must climb with the highest ethical standards using a minimum of fixed ropes, camps, personnel, and equipment. Commercial, professional, and principally cause-related expeditions are ineligible.

Cutting Edge Grant

The American Alpine Club has inspired and supported cutting-edge climbing achievements for over 100 years. The Cutting Edge Grant, presented by Black Diamond, continues this tradition, aiming to fund advanced climbing athletes in pursuit of world-class climbing and mountaineering objectives. The grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored mountain ranges, unclimbed peaks, difficult new routes, first free ascents, or similar world-class pursuits. Objectives featuring a low-impact style and leave-no-trace mentality are looked upon with favor. Cutting Edge Grant awards significantly contribute towards total expedition costs, typically falling in the $4,000 to $10,000 range, though award amounts vary based on project and budget. Recipients are expected to provide comprehensive documentation including trip reports, photography, articles for the American Alpine Journal, and may be asked to give presentations at AAC events.

The Alison Chadwick Memorial Grant

The Alison Chadwick Memorial Grant was established in 1978 in memory of Alison Chadwick, a leading British mountaineer who died close to the summit of Annapurna whilst participating in the American Women's Annapurna Expedition. The Memorial Fund was instituted to provide grants to further British and Polish women's mountaineering in the world's greater ranges. In 1991, administration of the fund was transferred to the Mount Everest Foundation. The Award can be made to expeditions with mainly female climbers, or to individuals taking part in mixed expeditions. Applicants should use the standard MEF application form, and their eligibility will be considered automatically during the screening process. This grant specifically supports women's mountaineering expeditions to major mountain ranges around the world. It honors the legacy of Alison Chadwick by enabling female mountaineers from Britain and Poland to pursue ambitious climbing objectives in remote and challenging environments.

ReQuest Foundation Youth Polar Projects Grant

The ReQuest Foundation provides grants to support young people aged 16-24 undertaking polar projects. These projects can include research/technical work, education, creative/artistic endeavors, or expeditions/explorations related to the polar regions. The foundation welcomes applications for polar-relevant projects of various kinds. Applicants must be UK residents or British citizens and be members of a youth organisation. Each applicant must have an advocate (a non-family adult supporter) from their youth organisation. The foundation reviews applications on a six-monthly cycle with deadlines of 31st January and 31st July each year. Initially, grants of up to £500 per six months are offered, rolling over to no more than £1000 per year. The financial contribution may be contingent on other funds being raised and/or achieving staged milestones. Recipients must provide a case study within two months of completing their project.

Now on Earth Youth Adventure Grant

The Now on Earth Youth Adventure Grant is designed to enable young adults to undertake adventurous expeditions that help develop self-confidence, resilience and mental wellbeing. The grant is intended to support those who would otherwise struggle to finance their adventure. A significant role in the organisation of any trip is considered a key part of the learning experience, so grants are not awarded to individuals seeking to partake in organised trips, races, courses or events. The grant supports human-powered expeditions involving physical exertion with clearly defined goals that are as original as possible and span a minimum of 3 days. Expeditions must be self-organised and recorded afterwards in a blog post with photographs or film format for sharing on the website and social media. Applications for adventures with purpose (environmental, social etc) and close to home UK-based expeditions receive extra scoring points. Grant awards generally range between £100-£500 depending on the expedition, although potentially more in a minority of cases. The expedition must take place within 12 months of the grant being awarded. The grant is currently closed with plans for the next fundraiser in June/July 2026.