The ROC Adventure Fund (ROC AF) is an initiative used to support ROC members to make those epic, dream trips come to life!
This fund carries on the spirit of the Nicola Andrews Adventure Fund (NAAF) which was initially created in memory of Nicola Andrews who pioneered advanced trips in the club including ridge hikes in Tasmania and New Zealand. Though NAAF has officially wrapped up as of 2022, we hope ROC AF can continue to encourage and allow people to enjoy the outdoors as Nicola did.
Applications can be submitted individually or as a group. First-round applications involve a short, 500 word overview of the trip and what ROC AF money would be used for; shortlisted applications from this round will be asked to submit a more detailed second-round application including a budget, risk assessment and itinerary.
There are 2 different grants that are offered in alternating years.
Student Grant – Open to ROC members who are also current local students, for a grant of $500-750 to use in the next 12 months to explore Australia and its outdoors.
Open Grant – Open for all ROC members for a grant of $500-$2500 to use in the next 18 months on a larger-scale adventure anywhere in the world.
For more details and information on how to apply, please see the attached documents below.
Round 1 applications for the 2024 Student Grant are now OPEN! Applications can be submitted through the google form below anytime before April 15th 2024. Shortlisted applicants will be informed by the 22nd April via email of the next steps.
Round 1 Applications: https://forms.gle/7fUFLGULV89XYuVL9
We look forward to seeing all your exciting trip plans!! Any further questions, please reach out to us via. adventurefund@roc.org.au
Previous Nicola Andrews Adventure Fund Recipients:
Tim Billington – Ismoil Somoni Peak – Communism Peak – 7495m, Tajikistan
The highest peak ever to be reached by a ROC member
Lewis Clarey and Alex Williams – New Zealand Expedition to Explore Alpine Caves
Hope of discovering caves never before found by man
We are very happy to announce this years winners of the Nicola Andrews Adventure Fund!
In first place, with possibly the best Adventure Fund application we have seen yet, is Estelle Fleming with her plan for a solo horse trekking trip in Mongolia, set to take place later in the year.
I’ll let Estelle’s own words sum up the reason for her trip:
“…Mongolia is said to be one of the last countries in the world that still has a true nomadic culture. I want to experience this before it changes and I don’t want to do it in a tour group where things are commercialised. I want this to be a true adventure, something that I will remember forever, for both its ups and downs. I want to be on my own in the wilderness for 3 weeks and just to live and experience this. Away from cities, technology and distractions. To challenge myself both mentally, emotionally and physically. That is the dream.”
We are SUPER excited to be supporting this adventurous trip and hope it inspires others as much as it did for us reading her application. NAAF has been able to contribute $4000 to Estelle to bring her dream to reality.
