Applications
Images from The Trans-Greenland Expedition 1933-34
Copyright Andrew Croft Memorial Fund
Apply for a Grant
The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund grants funds to expeditions or projects that fit within the Fund’s Objectives, i.e.:
- The advancement of education of young people below the age of thirty in such subjects which can be advanced by research and field work particularly in the Arctic by the provision of grants to such persons to enable them to participate in scientific expeditions.
- Such exclusively charitable purposes or purposes as the Trustees shall at their absolute discretion decide for the benefit of the inhabitants of Arctic communities.
- For the benefit of the public by assisting members of Her Majesty’s Constabulary with the cost of further education and training which will enhance their effectiveness within the community.
Alongside the Objectives above, and in the spirit of Colonel Andrew Croft’s life, the broad aim of the Memorial Fund is to support the personal development of young people aged 16 to 30, primarily through field study (with a modicum of physical exertion and adventure) in the Arctic regions. The Trustees tend to support applications with a practical element where individuals or groups are involved and which promote, through a combination of challenge and adventure in unfamiliar places, co-operation, team spirit, scientific understanding and the development of leadership qualities and skills.
Alongside grants to individuals and teams, two special awards are conferred by the ACMF from time-to-time in memory of two individuals who were close to the Fund and its Trustees:
The Jamie Gardiner Award
The award is conferred for the most compelling individual application of Arctic endeavour received by the Trustees, in memory of Jamie Gardiner, a young explorer of remarkable talent, who died in a mountaineering accident in Norway in January 2017 in his early 20s. He was the deputy leader of the challenging and successful Oxford University 2016 Expedition ‘Spitsbergen Retraced’, of which the Memorial Fund was a sponsor, as well as the recipient of an earlier grant for a sailing and mountaineering expedition in Greenland. The award celebrates his sadly short life and his unfulfilled promise.
The Charles Swithinbank Award
The award is conferred for the most compelling team application of Arctic endeavour received by the Trustees, in memory of the Memorial Fund’s first Patron who died in 2014. Charles Swithinbank was renowned as the foremost glaciologist of his generation and carried out work in both polar regions, particularly in Antarctica which he visited more than a score of times and where no fewer than six places carry his name. He held the Polar Medal, the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society, its highest award, as well as the Vega Medal of the Royal Swedish Geographical Society. He was, as a long-standing friend and admirer of Andrew Croft, an early and enthusiastic supporter of the aims and objectives of the charity.
Before applying, please note:
All applications should be submitted by 8th March each year. Successful applicants will be advised by email no later than 15th May.
Applicants should be aware that the ACMF does not normally provide grants to students undertaking university-directed fieldwork when it forms part of their degree course.
If you have any questions to check that your expedition or project would be considered suitable for an application, please get in touch.
Please follow this link to download an application form:
For details of previous beneficiaries, please see the tabs below.
Previous Beneficiaries
2022
| Team | Cambridge University Narsarsuaq Expedition |
| Individual | Svalbard Research and Trek |
| Team | The Charles Swithinbank Award: ‘Inspire 22’ – Expedition to the South Pole |
| Team | Greenland ‘Sea and Stone’ Expedition |
| Individual | Alaska Flora Research |
| Individual | Ice Cap study, Bergen University |
| British Exploring Society | Andrew Croft Professional Skills Development Award |
2021
| Individual | Iceland Seismology Field Research |
| Individual | Jamie Gardiner Award: In the Wake of Watkins Sailing Expedition |
| Individual | Igaliku, South Greenland Mapping Expedition |
| British Exploring Society | Andrew Croft Professional Skills Development Award |
2020
| Individual | Iceland Seismology Field Research |
2019
| Individuals | The Jamie Gardiner Award. Finnmark: ‘Arctic Connections’ |
| Individual | Research into present-day reactions to Danish ‘Imperial’ relations with Greenland |
| Team | West Greenland: Mountaineering in the sub-Arctic Nuuk region |
2018
| Team | The Charles Swithinbank Award. Vatnajoekull Ice Cap |
| Essex Boys & Girls Club | Nepal Adventure |
| Team | Newfoundland Expedition |
| Team | Finnmark Expedition |
| Team | South Greenland Geological Mapping Expedition |
| Individual (Police Officer) | MSc in Police Leadership, Strategy and Organisation from Derby University |
2017
| Excelsior Academy, Newcastle | Geographical study in Iceland |
| University of Glasgow | Flora Research |
| Individual | Lichenometrically dating Little Ice Age glacial fluctuations around the Kebnekaise Massif |
| Team | Tasermiut Fjord Climbing |
| Individual | Sea Ice Research |
| Individual (Police Officer) | MSc in Police Leadership, Strategy and Organisation from Derby University |
2016
| Team | The Charles Swithinbank Award. ‘Spitsbergen Retraced’ Oxford University Svalbard Expedition 2016 |
| Team | Svalbard: Evaluating effects of climate change on Svalbard |
| Individual | Barrow, North Alaska: study of the impact of climate change on Inupiat populations |
| Individual | MSc in Police Leadership, Strategy and Organisation, University of Derby |
| Individual | MSc in Police Leadership, Strategy and Organisation, University of Derby |
2015
| British Exploring Society | Arctic Leadership Training |
| Team | Sailing expedition to Svalbard |
| Individual | ‘Vertical Sailing’ Expedition, Greenland |
| Individual | Expedition to Nuuk Fjord and Mountains |
| Team | Falkland Islands Circumnavigation by Kayak |
| Individual | Post-doctoral research, part II, on microbiology of the Greenland ice-sheet |
| Individual | Iceland Explorer Belt |
| Individual | Northern Circumpolar Star analysis |
| Individual | Study at University Centre, Svalbard |
| Individual | Study at University Centre, Svalbard |
| Individual | MSc in Police Leadership, Strategy and Organisation, University of Derby |
2014
| British Exploring Society | Finnmark Expedition 2014 Bursary Fund |
| Scott Polar Institute | Ponting negatives rescue appeal |
| John Lyon School | Green Lyon expedition 11 to East Greenland |
| University of Glasgow Exploration Society | Iceland Expedition |
| Salcombe Yacht Club | Expedition to Greenland |
| Wallasey School | Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme equipment purchase |
| Individual | Arctic Canada and Greenland 2014 Expedition |
| Individual | Greenland 360, 2014 Expedition |
| Individual | Post-doctoral research on microbiology of the Greenland ice-sheet |
| Individual | 2014 Alaska Expedition |
| Individual | Research work on the Solheimajoekull glacier, Iceland |
2013
| British Exploring Society | Finnmark Expedition 2013 |
| Individual | Wales Patagonia Expedition 2013 |
| Individual | West Greenland Marine Fieldwork |
| Individual | Glacier Movement Study, Abisko, Sweden |
| Individual | Oceanographic monitoring in Semilik Fjord |
| Individual | Oxford West Greenland Expedition |
| Individual | The Dark Ice Project |
| Individual | ‘Northern Exposure’: Arctic skills training |
| Individual | University of St Andrews East Greenland Expedition |
2012
| BSES Expedition | Finnmark: Bursary Fund |
| Imperial College | Expedition |
| Aberystwyth University | Greenland Overwintering Expedition |
| John Lyon School | Liverpool Land, East Greenland Expedition |
| West Lancashire Scouts | East Greenland Expedition |
2011
| BSES | Young Explorers’ Bursary Fund |
| Imperial College | Svalbard Expedition |
| Individual | Grant towards MSc in Forensic Investigation |
2010
| BSES | Next Generation Programme; Young Explorers Bursary Fund; Young Leaders Bursary Fund |
| Team | Field study, Icelandic Jokuljlaup Project |
| Individual | MSc geological and hydrothermal study of gold mineralisation, Sermiligaarsuk Fjord, Greenland |
| Individual | Dorset Expedition Society – expedition to Alaska |
| Individual | Young Explorers Trust: Greenland Expedition |
2009
| BSES Expeditions | ‘Next Generation’ Programme |
| Oxford University | Tien Shan Expedition |
| Imperial College, London | Greenland 2009 Expedition |
| Individual | Greenland journey |
2008
| BSES Expeditions | Southern Endurance Expedition |
| BSES Expeditions | Outreach Programme |
| BSES Expeditions | Support to members of the Svalbard expedition |
| Oxford University | Greenland Expedition |
| University of Nottingham | Kamchatka Expedition |
| University of Swansea | Glaciology Group’s participation in the Royal Society Summer Exhibition |
2007
| BSES Expeditions | Young Leaders Training Programme |
| BSES Expeditions | Funding support to young explorers |
| BSES Expeditions | 75th Anniversary Appeal |
| West Lancashire County Scouts Mountaneering Group | East Greenland 2007 Expedition |
| Fuchs Foundation | Ellsworth Mountains Expedition |
| St Jude’s Cathedral, Iqaluit | Restoration Appeal |
| Individual | East Greenland 2007 Expedition |
2006
| BSES Expeditions | Young Leaders Training Programme |
| Scott Polar Research Institute | W Mills Library Appeal |
| Oxford University | Greenland Expedition |
| Cambridge University | East Greenland Expedition |
| Team | Expedition to Greenland |
| Queen Elizabeth High School, Isle of Man | Expedition to South Greenland |
| Individual | Research into global warming in Arctic Sweden |
2005
| Metropolitan Police | Leadership training for Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme undertaken by Volunteer Police Cadets units |
| Maritime Rescue Insitute, Stonehaven | To enable disadvantaged youth participants in training of safety at sea near the Arctic Circle |
| BSES Expeditions | To support needy participants in BSES Arctic Expeditions |
| Durham University | Alaska Expedition |
| Cambridge Univesity Mountaineering Club | Centenary Expedition to Kangerdlussuaq, Greenland |
| Project Rangifer | Study of reindeer displacement |
2004
| BSES Expeditions | Support for Young Leaders, 2004 Iceland Expedition |
| Imperial College, London | (Trans-) Greenland Expedition 2004 |
| Royal Geographical Society, London | Donation to Polar Archives |
2002
| BSES Expeditions | To support needy participants in BSES Arctic Expeditions |
| Individual | Sarek Ski Mountaneering Expedition: Ascent of eight peaks above 2,000m in (remote) Sarek region of Arctic Sweden |
| Individual | Research into the impact of climate change on indigenous reindeer herding communities in Arctic Sweden |
| Individual | Durham University West Greenland Expedition |
2001
| Metropolitan Police | Publication of “Policing Diversity” handbook |
| BSES Expeditions | Arctic Expedition – Development of leadership, observational and co-operative skills in harsh environments |
| Cambridge Bay Library Fund, Nunavut | Restoration of library following fire |
| Individual | Study of sediment transfer in High Arctic systems (Svalbard) |
2000
| Individual | Nottingham Trent University – British Schweizerland Expedition |
| Individual | Greenland 2000 Expedition: Crossing the Ice Cap from Ammassalik to Kangerdlussuaq |
1999
| Individual | Teaching trekking in Nepal |
| Individual | Study of biodiversity in Chinese National Park |