List of mountaineering grants

Alison Chadwick Award for Women

The Alison Chadwick Memorial Award is a financial award made to either a female mountaineer or an all female expedition. The award is administered the by MEF. Further information about the Alison Chadwick Award

Alpkit Foundation

Cash support to help individuals, schools and organisations overcome obstacles that prevent them from Going Nice Places and Doing Good Things.  Check out details here.

Alpine Club

The Montane Alpine Club grants are available twice a year for both official Alpine Club expeditions and independent expeditions with one or more aspirant/full Alpine Club members taking part. Grants range from £575 to £1725 per expeditions.

Preference is given to expeditions by students and younger members, and to those who have not previously received a grant. Grants are usually given to expeditions attempting new routes in high and/or hard to reach mountain ranges e.g. the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. Grants will now not typically be given for the more well- travelled mountain areas in Central Alaska, Patagonia, or Greenland (unless the applicants are young members who are new to expeditionary climbing).  First ski ascents or descents are not usually supported. A new feature of the grants is that they may now be awarded to teams attempting early repeats of technical routes, especially on 7000m and 8000m mountains, and/or if they aim to improve on the style of earlier ascents. It should be noted that the amount awarded will be reduced pro-rata for each non-member in the expedition team e.g. A four person team awarded £800 will have £200 deducted for each non-member (or member who has received a grant in the last 2 years) in the party. Check out details here

Alpine Ski Club

There are two awards here: The Kenneth Smith scholarship and the Memorial Adventure Fund. Available to ski mountaineers in support of exploratory expeditions, attending advanced courses or conducting related research. Average grant: up to £600. Full details, application form and contact details are here: Alpine Ski Club Grants

American Alpine Club

There are a range of different grants set out on the American Alpine Club grants page. Check them out here

Andrew Croft Memorial Fund

The Fund's objectives are:

• Supporting the advancement and education of young people by the provision of grants in support of Arctic expeditions.
• Assisting Her Majesty's Constabulary with grants towards the cost of further education and training aimed at enhancing their effectiveness in the community.

Check them out here

Andy Fanshawe Memorial Trust

If you are under 26 and lack funding for a climbing expedition or other outdoor initiative, then you could qualify for a grant from the Andy Fanshawe Memorial Trust. The Trust could also help fund your place on a training course provided your primary reason for attending it is for personal development rather than professional qualifications. Maximum grant of £500. www.andyfanshawe.org

Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant

Set up by the John Muir Trust in memory of Des Rubens and Bill Wallace, the grant is designed to support expeditions that combine adventure and conservation of wild places.
Webpage: www.johnmuirtrust.org/grants-and-awards/the-bill-wallace-grant 
For more information please contact: drbwg@johnmuirtrust.org

British Mountaineering Council (BMC)

Deadlines: 1 March and 1 November each year. For more information on BMC grant support for expeditions click here

Cam and Bear Fund for Adventure

In memory of the ultimate outdoorsman, Andrew Foster, our aim is to provide disadvantaged young people more opportunities to experience the types of outdoor activities that Andrew loved. The Fund provides grants to young people from England and Wales between age 12 and 18. Grants are awarded to individuals to help them undertake courses, qualifications, go on expeditions and buy equipment needed to participate in an adventure sport. The Fund supports a range of adventure activities including (but not limited to!) climbing, mountaineering, skiing and hiking. The Fund aims to help people who may not be in a financial situation to participate in these activities otherwise. For more details and to apply visit our website: https://www.camandbearfund.com

Captain Scott Society

The Captain Scott Society Awards are granted to assist individuals or groups to undertake adventurous expeditions and endeavours. There are two awards. One is for people attempting adventurous "firsts". The other is specifically for young people age 11 to 19. Check out their webpage here

The Crux Expedition Award

An opportunity for today’s young climbers to win £1000 in cash and £2000 worth of crux equipment for use on an outstanding mountaineering objective. Deadline for applications is 31 January. Check out the Crux website here

Eagle Ski Club

A range of grants available with the focus being ski touring and ski mountaineering, often for younger people. Full information and application procedures are here: eagleskiclub.org.uk

Grit and Rock

The award funds projects of female-led expedition teams and aims to promote and encourage female participation in pioneering alpine ascents. There are several categories of awards. Find out more here

Horizon Lectures Adventure Fund

To encourage and enable people to undertake their own adventurous trips, ideas and expeditions.  Applications are welcomed from all walks of life and all sorts of ideas will be considered - from expeditions in far-flung destinations to local adventures in the UK. More details here

Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust (JWCT)

The charity helps people and projects that reflect Jeremy’s passions in life: athletics, geology, adventure and the environment. The trust also provides one or more mountaineering grants on an annual basis to those applying for expedition grants from the BMC. Website: www.jwct.org.uk

Jack Bloor Fund

The Fund was set up by the Jack Bloor Trustees in memory of Jack Bloor, who was a former Chair of the BMC Yorkshire Area, a life long member of the Gritstone Club and who made many first ascents in Yorkshire and the Lake District. He climbed extensively with Arthur Dolphin.

Grants are available to young people under 26,  who want to improve their physical and/or technical skills, eg qualifications in Mountain Leader Award, Rock Climbing Instructor or Climbing Wall Instructor or to help with training for rock climbing/bouldering competitions or planning to embark on an self guided expedition or establishing new routes.

Grants are available all year round to people who live in Yorkshire or a  member of a Yorkshire Club and belong to the BMC. Up to 50% of the total cost is available, up to a maximum of £400. Further information about the Jack Bloor Fund.

Journey of a Lifetime Award

The award offers a £5,000 grant for an original and inspiring journey anywhere in the world. The award is a collaboration between the RGS and the BBC to support informed travel and learning, through experience rather than scientific research, and to discover new radio talent. The outcome of each of journey is a BBC Radio 4 travel documentary. The recipient will receive training in radio broadcasting from the BBC and will record their experiences for a BBC Radio 4 documentary.  Deadline: 10 November.  Find out more here.

Julie Tullis Memorial Award

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.

Applications for the Julie Tullis Memorial Award can be made via the BMC Expedition Grant form, and should include a short covering note explaining how the project fits the award criteria. The BMC will consider applications from individual British females, or a female expedition, with an interesting mountaineering goal. Also welcomed are applications from male or female disabled climbers with a specific climbing or mountaineering goal for the year in question. Further information about the Julie Tullis Memorial Award

Female First Ascent Award

An award set up by GRIT&ROCK to promote female first ascents. The award will fund a female-led expedition team up to the amount of GBP5,000. The aims of the annually awarded FIRST ASCENT EXPEDITION GRANT is to promote and encourage female participation in pioneering alpine ascents. The Award is open to individuals and climbing teams with majority female participation and is meant to provide funding for those who need it most. Further information about the First Ascent Award

Martin Moran Foundation

Supporting young people aged 16 - 18, from across the UK​​ from varied and diverse backgrounds. The foundation provides fully funded - including travel, food and accommodation - 7-day programmes of instruction in climbing, mountain adventure and skill building in the Highlands of Scotland.

​Further information about the Martin Moran Foundation

Now On Earth: Youth Adventure Grant

Grants of between £100-£500 for young adults aged 18-24 based in the UK undertaking an adventurous, physically challenging, self organised expedition and to help develop self-confidence, resilience and mental wellbeing. More details here.

Roger Chorley Memorial Grant for young mountaineers and University Mountaineering Clubs

Following the death of Roger Chorley in 2016 a fund was established offering grants to university mountaineering expeditions. The fund is administered by the Mount Everest Foundation, and these grants will be in addition to the normal MEF grant. Applicants should use the standard MEF grant application form, and their eligibility will be considered automatically during the MEF screening process. Further information on the MEF website

Mount Everest Foundation

The MEF has supported to some of the most significant mountaineering and scientific expeditions of the last century. The foundation provides financial and mentoring support for expeditions that endeavour to reach previously unclimbed peaks, unexplored regions and gather new knowledge - whether geographic or scientific.  Grants range from £1500 to £5500 depending on the degree of exploration and innovation proposed.  The overall grant may also be increased by supplemental grants such as the Alison Chadwick Award for women, either individually or as an all-female team; the Nick Estcourt Award for exceptional mountaineering objectives and/or the Roger Chorley Award for young or first expeditions to the greater ranges, especially university clubs. Find out more here or email: secretary@mef.org.uk Website www.mef.org.uk

Next Challenge Expedition Grant

Small grants for independent trips. Website: thenextchallenge.org/grant

Nick Estcourt Award for exceptional mountaineering activities

The Mount Everest Foundation support this award and you can find our more about this award on their website.

Find out more

Parkinsons UK

In 2024, Parkinsons UK are providing grants of up to £3,000 to support physical activity projects for people with Parkinson's all over the UK. Before applying, make sure you carefully read the essential guide for applicants and contact your local Parkinson's UK staff member. We also highly recommend using the complete checklist for applicants to help you complete your application.

It is encouraged to complete the Parkinson's UK: physical activity and exercise awareness course ahead of submitting your application. Find out more

Plas y Brenin awards

There are a wide range of award and bursaries available through Plas y Brenin. You will need to read each one to see whether you meet the criteria or not. Check them out here

The RDC Foundation

The RDC Foundation was set up in 2019 in the memory of Richard D Crabtree who passed way after an illness in 2018. Richard was heavily involved in the development of young people through activities notably (but not exclusively) over 30 years as a geography teacher, Scout Leader and Expedition leader for British Schools Exploring Society. The purpose of the foundation is to advance young people under the age of 21 in life for the public benefit. through recreational and leisure time activities so as to develop their mental, physical and moral capabilities.

The RDC Foundation will consider applications from individuals under 21 years of age, for up to £1,000, so they can contribute to life-changing adventurous activities for which they have been heavily involved in planning. Grants of up to £1,000 are also available to charitable organisations for the provision of relevant equipment to support adventurous activities of young people. For example (not exhaustive) the purchase of tents for camping, climbing equipment and backwoods equipment. Apply on their website:  https://www.rdc.foundation/

Ron Pickering Memorial Fund

Grant are available to both able and disability athletes between the ages of 15 and 23.  Grants to athletes over 23 may be made in exceptional circumstances. Details and how to apply are here rpmf.org.uk.

Royal Geographical Society

Funding has been allocated to support research and school fieldwork projects. Topics range from investigating the socio-spatial impact of mining waste deposits on urban areas in Chile to reconstructing monsoon dynamics in the Eastern Himalayas from glacial and ecological change.

Grants are available for desk-based research, fieldwork and expeditions, research into teaching and learning, developing teaching resources, and for international conference attendance. Website here

The Rob George Foundation

• To provide practical and/or financial support to young people with life threatening or terminal illnesses
• To provide financial support to young people who demonstrate exceptional commitment and/or ability in the worlds of sport or the performing arts but may be held back by their financial situation from pursuing their goals

Website: therobgeorgefoundation.co.uk

Timmissartok Foundation

The Foundation will partially support projects that involve “travel with a purpose” in which a particular passion is to be explored. Open to individuals seeking adventure in foreign lands.  Open to all nationalities and all ages. Website: timmissartok.com

The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund

Gives grants towards expeditions, including mountaineering expeditions, that meet its objectives of guiding and inspiring enterprising young people towards scientific research and exploration in the polar regions. Website here

Arctic Club Awards

The Arctic Club seeks to promote and support interesting, innovative and adventurous expeditions in the Arctic, particularly for young people. Grants are awarded annually from the Arctic Club Award Fund, held within the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund (see above).

Applications for an Arctic Club award must be made to the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund by 31 January each year. Each year, one or more expeditions are given an Arctic Club Award and receive a combined grant from both the Gino Watkins Memorial Fund and the Arctic Club Award Fund.  Website here

Scottish Arctic Club Expedition Fund

The Scottish Arctic Club has an Expedition Fund from which it makes financial awards to encourage young people to explore the Arctic. The fund is maintained through donations by Club members. The size and number of awards made is determined by the relevance of the application and the funds currently held. In recent years awards have ranged from £200 to £1000.

We support independently organised and self-led expeditions to the Arctic by Scots (by birth or residence) who are under 30 years of age. Expeditions should have adventurous, scientific, educational or artistic objectives. Consideration will also be given to applicants with strong Scottish connections and younger applicants undertaking their first Arctic expedition organised by others, for instance, by a school, youth group or charity. There will be a presumption against low-arctic trips in summer, and those relying on fixed accommodation. Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received Scottish Arctic Club funding. More info here

The Ulysses Trust

The trust provides financial support to members of the Volunteer Military Reserve, Cadet Forces, or University Officer Training of the UK, and to units organising an expedition or adventurous training activity. Website here

Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowships

Every year the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust awards some 100 Travelling Fellowships to British Citizens from all walks of life and from all over the United Kingdom. The Fellowships are open to men and women from all walks of life and one category that may be of particular interest is Adventure and Leaders of Expeditions. Website: www.wcmt.org.uk

Young Explorers Trust

Expeditions with most members below 20 years old (not usually undergraduate expeditions) involved in discovery and exploration in remote areas. Aims can include community projects, fieldwork and/or physical adventure (climbing/sailing etc.). New groups and ones with disadvantaged members are encouraged to apply.  Average grant: £100 - £500 or equipment bursaries. Website: www.theyet.org

Wilderness Award

The Wilderness Award is a cash award made to a UK resident over the age of 18 who intends to travel overseas, returning before 31st January of the following year, to undertake an unusual and adventurous objective in a geographically remote wilderness area. More info here

Amending this page

If you are aware of any other sources of funding for trips and expeditions that could be added to this page, or if you know any of the links above no longer work, please email Nick Colton at nick@thebmc.co.uk.