Applications open for the final Next Challenge Grant

After a three-year hiatus, The Next Challenge Grant is open for applications (and donations) one last time.

Click here to donate

Click here to apply

It’s more than a decade since I started a grant with the measly earnings from the Google Ads on my website. That was shortly after I’d returned from cycling around the world and a few years before I had any kids (I now have three).

I paused it for a bit during Covid, ran it a couple more times afterwards, and then it petered out as life got in the way. Moving to the Lake District, building a house, starting a new career, and having those kids I mentioned.

In that time, I’ve come to the conclusion that I probably can’t keep running this forever. All good things come to an end.

But at the same time, it has always felt like unfinished business. Not least because some of you have kindly made donations which are still waiting to be used.

So, I will run the grant one last time and award every penny we’ve got. Hopefully we’ll get some more cracking trips. And then, unless someone else wants to take on the mantle, I’ll call it a day.

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As ever, the grant is open to anyone, anywhere in the world, and no experience is required.

Awards are small (typically £100 or £200) so this is for lower key adventures rather than big budget expeditions.

It’s funded by me and donations from other people.

You can read more about the grant here, donate here and apply here.

Applications close on Sunday 10th January 2027. Grants will be made in February 2027. Trips need to be starting after that.

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P.S. My website got hacked last year and in sorting that out, the formatting of the whole site has gone to pot. It looks a real mess but I don’t have the time or inclination to fix it. Sorry! If anything really doesn’t work though, please do email me.