CalTopo Adventure Grant is open!

THE 2022 ADVENTURE GRANT IS CLOSED. Looking for the 2023 Adventure Grant? You can apply here.

Whether it begins with a spot on a map that piques your curiosity or a photograph that you can’t get off your mind, exploration is all about pursuing what inspires you. Through our interactions with users, we’ve seen that you all use CalTopo for some pretty imaginative and memorable endeavors and we’d like to help support your next adventure.

We are excited to offer a number of small grants to motivated individuals and teams undertaking unique and personally challenging outdoor adventures. These grants are aimed at trips involving creative objectives, significant trip planning, and at least some off-trail travel.

About the Grant

The CalTopo Adventure Grant aims to support trips with an emphasis on adventure and exploration rather than technical difficulty (although technical objectives are still encouraged) . Multiple grants totaling up to $5,000 will be awarded to individuals or teams with trip proposals that best meet the grant criteria. 

Grants vary by project and can be used to help cover travel, gear, and other expenses related to the trip. Grant recipients will also receive a 1-year CalTopo pro account plus a virtual training on how to get the most out of the CalTopo platform with the CalTopo training team.

Application Period

The grant application period opens on February 1, 2022 and runs until March 11, 2022. Applications must be submitted via the online application no later than 11:59 p.m. MST on March 11th.

Grant recipients will be announced in March after the selection committee has reviewed all applications and made their final decisions.

Criteria & Guidelines

Trip proposals will be considered based on exploratory and adventurous nature, complexity of trip planning required, and uniqueness and creativity of the objective. Trips may last one or multiple days. Types of travel may include but are not limited to: backpacking, hiking, mountaineering, long distance trail running, AT skiing/splitboarding, biking, canoeing/kayaking/rafting or alpine climbing. Trip proposals that incorporate more than one mode of travel (such as road biking to a traverse of multiple peaks) are encouraged. Commercial or guided trips are ineligible.

All trips must be conducted in an environmentally conscious manner, with care and respect for local communities and wildlife. All trips must be legal and obtain all necessary permits required by local authorities.

Trip must be completed by March 31, 2023.

Grant applicant and their partners must be at least 18 years of age and complete all liability releases. The applicant and their partners’ overall outdoor experience level must match the proposed objective. Trip proposals can involve amateur or professional athletes who are supported either financially or in-kind, but the support level must be disclosed. 

Recipient Responsibilities

Recipients should do their best to practice environmentally low impact and leave no trace ethics, acting as strong mountain stewards. 

Within two months of completing the trip, recipients are expected to produce a written trip report that includes photos and video for posting on CalTopo’s website and social media. Written reports will ideally be at least 1,000 words in length and summarize the trip from start to finish, including but not limited to: what inspired you to pursue this objective in the first place, trip planning involved (including logistics, route planning and your CalTopo map), a description of the trip itself, and any lessons learned that could help future parties. Documentation should also highlight how CalTopo was used throughout the trip, including during the trip planning process and in the field. A virtual training on how to get the most out of the CalTopo platform will be provided to all participants prior to their trip. 

Recipients are encouraged to make their trip report come alive with photos, videos and drawings. The more informative, reflective and creative your trip report, the more widely we will be able to share it on CalTopo’s website and social media.

Additional information

If your trip is cancelled, rescheduled after March 31, 2023, or significantly altered in some way, all funds must be returned to CalTopo. Please contact the grant manager at info@caltopo.com if your proposal changes.

Grant money will only be released once the recipient has obtained all necessary permits and/or visas.

Any photos of the team or individuals submitted with a trip report may be reproduced in any manner that CalTopo desires. CalTopo will have the right to use photos and video submitted with an expedition report on the CalTopo website or marketing materials.

Any questions regarding this grant should be directed to the grants manager at info@caltopo.com.

THE 2022 ADVENTURE GRANT IS CLOSED. Looking for the 2023 Adventure Grant? You can apply here.