About Organisation
The Explorers Club, headquartered in New York City, is a multidisciplinary society that has supported scientific expeditions and field research for over a century. With a strong global network of Chapters, the Club is dedicated to advancing knowledge, exploration, and conservation while uniting members through collaboration and shared curiosity. Its mission is to inspire and enable scientific discovery in diverse fields, from the natural sciences to cultural studies, ensuring that exploration continues to play a vital role in addressing global challenges.
Throughout its history, The Explorers Club has championed pioneering research across oceans, mountains, forests, deserts, and polar regions, supporting projects that push the boundaries of human knowledge. The Club also fosters a strong sense of fellowship, mentorship, and community, bringing together explorers, researchers, and adventurers from around the world. With a commitment to education and outreach, The Explorers Club nurtures the next generation of explorers by providing them with opportunities to develop their projects, share their work, and connect with global networks.
The Pathfinder Grant continues this legacy by empowering early-career scientists and students to undertake meaningful fieldwork and contribute to the world’s collective understanding of science, culture, and the environment.
About the Grant
The Pathfinder Grant, previously known as “The Exploration Fund Grant,” is designed to support transformative field research by graduate and post-graduate students, as well as early-career scientists. The grant helps explorers bring their innovative research ideas to life, whether in remote wildernesses, ocean depths, or cultural landscapes, by providing financial support for essential fieldwork expenses.
Grants typically range between $2,500 and $5,000 and can be used for costs such as travel, field equipment, and research expenses, ensuring that recipients are equipped to carry out impactful exploration. The Pathfinder Grant does more than fund projects—it provides a unique platform for advancing scientific knowledge and fostering curiosity about the world.
Projects funded through the Pathfinder Grant aim to expand human understanding of natural systems, cultural heritage, and conservation needs, offering insights that are both timely and transformative. By supporting this kind of research, The Explorers Club reinforces its dedication to exploration as a cornerstone of discovery and progress.
Recipients also gain access to the broader Explorers Club community, with opportunities for networking, mentorship, and collaboration. Membership fosters continued growth and impact, creating a global network of explorers advancing research across multiple disciplines.
Who can Apply?
The Pathfinder Grant is open to graduate and post-graduate students as well as early-career scientists conducting field-based research. Applicants from any scientific or academic discipline may apply, provided their projects are focused on advancing knowledge through exploration and research.
Eligible applicants should demonstrate a clear research plan, with well-defined objectives, methodologies, and expected outcomes that align with the goals of the grant: advancing scientific discovery, fostering conservation, and contributing to cultural and environmental understanding.
Key eligibility requirements include:
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Academic Stage: Applicants must be graduate or post-graduate students, or early-career scientists with demonstrable research experience.
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Research Focus: Projects must involve field-based work in any discipline, including natural sciences, environmental studies, archaeology, anthropology, marine science, or cultural exploration.
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Project Impact: Proposals should highlight how the research expands knowledge, inspires curiosity, and contributes to meaningful understanding of the world.
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Funding Scope: The requested budget (up to $5,000) must directly support fieldwork-related expenses, including travel, equipment, or research activities.
The grant is competitive, and applicants are encouraged to clearly present the significance of their research, the feasibility of their plan, and the potential for contributing valuable insights to their chosen field.
How to Apply?
Applications for the Pathfinder Grant must be submitted online by October 8, 2025. Applicants are required to provide details of their academic background, research proposal, methodology, project significance, and a detailed budget. Supporting documents, such as recommendation letters or institutional endorsements, may also be required. All proposals should demonstrate the feasibility and impact of the field research. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the Pathfinder Grant is October 8, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. All applications must be submitted online before the stated deadline for consideration.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, visit grant website here
