Fund an expedition

Funding an expedition: getting started

Here are three steps to help you calculate how much money you will need, where the money might come from, and what information you need to prepare to ask for funding.

1. Create a budget 
Start by considering:

• How much money do you need?

• Can you pay for it yourselves?

• Ways to reduce costs without jeopardising the objectives or safety

• How might you raise the (extra) money needed and from who?

2. Sources of funding
Financial support for your venture in either cash or kind is likely to come from:

• Grant-giving organisations

• Charitable trusts

• Expedition members personal contributions

• Commercial sponsorship and media interest

• Crowd fund from the public, friends and family
  
  

3. Prepare a proposal
Whatever format(s) you use to describe why your venture deserves funding, you should include:

•    Clear description of the project’s aims and objectives
•    Relevance and timeliness. Why this project is worth supporting,
•    Geographical location and map of study area
•    Team member profiles including those from the host country
•    Institutional collaborators or support
•    Budget Summary with sources of income and expenditure,
      and any funds already raised
•    Contact details for follow-up enquiries

Listen  to the RGS Explore planning podcast on fund-raising.

Look to see if you are eligible for any RGS grants

Check out the list of other funding organisations

Read the fund-raising chapters in the RGS Expedition Handbook

Watch Craig Pollard's short talk on how to prepare a fundraising pitch

Create a budget

Your budget is the financial representation of your plan and will encourage you to look at the detailed costs of the travel, accommodation, food, and equipment. Identify grants, and possible gifts in kind that will help reduce your costs. Amend the budget as your plans develop.

Items to include in the budget:

• Maximum and minimum ‘guesstimates’ for all items of expenditure and income

• Fixed costs that are likely to remain unchanged

• Adjustable costs that may be variable depending on the scope and scale of the projects.

• Contingency costs of 10-20% of your total excepted expenditure

Financial management

Appoint a treasurer to monitor income and expenditure, record transactions before, during, and after the project, and produce the final accounts. But remember fund-raising is usually the responsibility of the whole team.

Open a bank account, preferably one that has branches in your host country.

Why should anyone give you money?

Before appealing for financial support, you will need to be clear about why they might give and tailor your approach accordingly. Reasons might include:

• Research: the acquisition of new knowledge and the training of field scientists

• Personal development: to learn from the experience of planning a project, travelling, and working with others

• Publicity/brand endorsement of a business or product

>>> Watch Craig Pollard's short talk on how to prepare for fundraising and pitch your ask: