Newcastle University

External Funding

Royal Geographical Society

Expedition teams should apply for approval and funding from the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers: RGS-IBG). Note that solo expeditions are not eligible and that plans need to have a significant geographical (ie spatial) component to gain their approval or support.

The RGS-IBG screening process provides a rigorous gold standard for UK expeditioning activity and success can yield substantial grants. There are two deadlines each year: towards the end of January and end of June. Check for exact dates as late applications will not be considered.

Geography Outdoors within the RGS-IBG exists solely to give advice and support to prospective expeditioners and holds a number of training events each year. Details of these and the guidelines and application forms for Geographical Fieldwork Grants and other awards can be viewed at the Royal Geographical Society website. A set of RGS-IBG publications relating to expeditioning is held in the Robinson Library.

Funds from professional societies and charities

The precise topic to be addressed during an expedition, especially if its aims are scientific, socio-economic or medical, may make it eligible for funds from professional societies or specific charitable trusts.

It will be useful to consult your Degree Programme Director and other members of staff in your school about such sources of funds. There are also useful details of other funding sources on the Royal Geographical Society website.

Letters offering approval or financial support from the Expeditions Committee and the Royal Geographical Society are known to have a positive influence on the likelihood of other funds being awarded. In general, the more organisations that you have behind you the more likely it is that yet more support will be forthcoming. For this reason it is important that you keep all potential sponsors fully and continuously informed of your progress eg on finding counterparts, gaining permission, loaning equipment, receiving funds.