Explorers Connect

Adventure Mind Grant

We are excited to be able to offer the first AdventureMind Grant. 

We believe in the benefits that adventure has on our confidence, resilience, relationships, purpose and overall wellbeing so we want to make such challenges more accessible. 

Funding is available for individuals, families or small teams to undertake an adventure, at a level appropriate to their experience level, which promotes self-development and wellbeing. 

It is intended that between three to five grants will be given, of between £300 and £500 each, however the judges reserve the right to offer more, slightly smaller amounts.

In addition to these grants, a Go Ape experience will be designed for each winning team to encourage team building and kickstart their adventure.  A total fund of up to £500 will be distributed across all winning teams. 

Who can apply? 

  • Individuals of all ages, families, small teams 

  • Those who are unable to access the proposed adventure due to financial difficulty

  • Beginners or those with little recent experience of adventure (rather than highly experienced or professional adventurers)

  • Those permanently resident in the United Kingdom 

We would especially like to support individuals or families who have faced or are facing difficult challenges in their life

Funds can be used for any type of adventure. We would especially like to support carbon neutral / low carbon / human-powered adventures however this is not essential.

Funding

The funding and administration of the Grant is supported by The Helen Davis Family Foundation, Go Ape and Explorers Connect.

How to apply 

Interested individuals are asked to complete a short application form by 17th April 2024. Applications are now open

Judging

Applications will be assessed by a panel of judges, including Adventure Mind founder Belinda Kirk, broadcaster & author Louise Minchin and representatives from Go Ape and The Helen Davis Family Foundation and the recipients chosen according to the eligibility criteria. 

Successful applicants will be informed by 14th May 2024 and should complete their adventure by the end of February 2025.

Assessment criteria

1.  Extent to which the applicant is from one or more of the groups identified above and/or is able to make a clear case for why they should be considered for a grant.

2.  Significance of reasons for wanting to take on an adventure for wellbeing.

3.  Extent to which the applicant will benefit from an adventure for wellbeing.

4.  Extent to which the applicant’s attendance is likely to benefit others (such as their family).

Funders

The Helen Davis Family Foundation (HDFF)

The charity exists to fulfil the wishes of the late Helen Davis to provide educational bursaries and prizes, help relieve family poverty and aid young people by making grants to individuals and small groups. The HDFF would ideally support individuals who have faced a challenging background in life to undertake a confidence-building adventure (at a level appropriate to their circumstances) which promotes self-development and possibly offers some educational value.

Go Ape 

Since we began back in 2002, our Mission has been to 'create adventures and encourage everyone to live life more adventurously’. We believe that this should apply to everyone, from our customers to co-owners. No matter their background or circumstances. 

Throughout our 20+ year journey, our plans and decisions have been guided by three core values, to: 

- Keep the ‘adventure’ in adventure.

- Be socially and environmentally responsible without being preachy.

- Do the right thing.

It’s nothing overly complicated, adventure is at the heart of everything we do and our values are the guide/totem for every decision that we make. We're proud to partner up with Adventure Mind through their grant and are looking forward to helping facilitate some incredible adventures.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Adventure Mind Grant, all applicants must:

  • Be beginners or entry-level adventurers (rather than highly experienced adventurers)

  • Reside permanently in the United Kingdom 

We would especially like to support individuals or families:

  • who have faced or are facing difficult challenges in their life

  • and who would benefit from a financial grant to undertake the proposed adventure.

To be eligible for the Adventure Mind Grant, all adventures must:

  • Be completed by February 2025. If your adventure starts later than February 2025 then you can apply in the following year. We don’t fund trips that have already happened.

  • Be independently organised. Your trip cannot be part of an organised holiday, adventure race or event. This includes volunteering through an organisation. The trip must be organised by you and your family / teammates.

  • Be for adventure not academic research or voluntary projects. It’s OK if your adventure includes some research, but it can’t be the main focus of your trip.

  • Involve physical exertion. Trips must involve some form of physical exertion e.g. walking, cycling, climbing, swimming, running, camping.

  • Not be on a big budget. This is a small grant for small to medium sized adventures. Adventures over £5,000 are unlikely to get funding. Adventures under £500 per individual / £1000 per team are much more likely to get funding.

We would especially like to support adventures that are:

  • carbon neutral / low carbon / human-powered however this is not essential

The full terms and conditions for applying and receiving funding are available below

Adventure Mind Grant Terms & Conditions

Please also read the eligibility guidelines carefully to ensure your adventure meets the grant criteria, before completing the grant application form online

You must agree to the following terms and conditions in order to be eligible for a grant award:

STANDARD TERMS

1.1 Information on how to enter forms part of the terms of entry.

WHO CAN APPLY

2.1 Subject to clause 2.2, entry is open to anyone permanently resident in the UK. 

2.2. Employees of Go Ape, The Helen Davis Family Foundation and Explorers Connect are not eligible to enter.

HOW TO APPLY

3.1 The grant application window commences on 14th February 2024 and concludes on the 17th April 2024 (“the Application Period”). Selected shortlisted entries will be contacted by email, possibly for an application interview before final decision. The recipients will then be selected by the panel of judges and notified by email by 14th May 2024.

3.2 In order to enter, the entrants must complete the entry by completing all fields of the application form and fit the criteria of the grant.

3.3 Recipients of the grant must complete their adventure by the end of February 2025 and return blog post/film content to Explorers Connect within one month of the return date from their adventure.

GRANT RECIPIENTS

4.1 The grant amounts and number of recipients will be decided by the judges. Their decisions are final.

SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS

5.1 Each entrant who has applied for the grant over the Application Period and registered all details in accordance with clause 3 will be considered for the grant..

5.2 Shortlisted entrants may be required to participate in a second-round interview to be considered a recipient of the Grant. 

5.3 The grant recipients will be notified by email. The recipients may also be announced on our webpages and associated social media sites.

5.4 The decision made by judges on grant recipients is final and they will not enter into correspondence regarding the result.

NO LIABILITY

6.1 In the case of the intervention of any outside act, agent or event which prevents or significantly hinders Explorers Connect (The Promoter)’s ability to proceed with the grant awards on the dates and in the manner described in these terms and conditions, including but not limited to vandalism, power failures, tempests, natural disasters, acts of God, civil unrest, strike, war, act of terrorism, the Promoter may in its absolute discretion cancel the grant and recommence it from the start in the same conditions, subject to legislation.

6.2 The Promoters and their associated agencies and companies will take no responsibility for late, lost or misdirected mail/email.

6.3 The Promoters and their associated agencies and companies will not be liable for any misadventure, accident, injury, loss (including but not limited to consequential loss) or claim that may occur:

6.3.1 during the selection of grant recipients;

6.3.2 Whilst undertaking any adventure connected with their application for the grant; or

6.3.3 in the participation in any adventure;

6.3.4 as a consequence of late, lost or misdirected mail/email;

6.3.5 due to the broadcast of any program relating to the grant or the publication of any material, including any statements made by any compere, staff member, journalist, other applicants or any other person;

6.3.6 due to circumstances outside the Promoter’s reasonable control.

6.4 The Promoters and its affiliates assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, theft or destruction or unauthorised access to, or alteration of, applications, and reserve the right to take any action that may be available.

6.5 If, for any reason, this grant award is not capable of being conducted as planned, including, but not limited, due to tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this competition, the Promoter reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the application process, take any action that may be available, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the grant applications, subject to legislation.

UNCLAIMED GRANT AWARDS

Grant recipients will be notified by email and will be given one calendar month to respond to this notification and to agree to participate in their adventure. If no response is received from the recipient within this time, the grant award will default and will not be awarded.

PRIVACY

The details contained in your entry are protected by security safeguards as detailed in the Promoter’s Privacy Policy. The personal information collected as part of the entry is collected to enable identification of the grant recipient and for future marketing and promotional purposes. Your personal information will only be disclosed to the Promoter and its related bodies and supporters for these purposes.

GRANT PROMOTER DETAILS

Explorers Connect - enquiries@explorersconnect.com