OCC Conservation &
Adventure Grants

The Ocean Cruising Club membership has had a long tradition of adventurous ocean sailing and marine conservation activities.

For questions or more information please email: ChallengeGrant@OceanCruisingClub.Org

Whether high latitudes voyaging, non-stop solo circumnavigating, sampling ocean waters, or researching threatened species, OCC members’ adventures and conservation efforts, documented in its flagship publication Flying Fish, have helped sailors dream big and plan exciting and meaningful voyages.

Now, with decades of storied history, the OCC continues to support these endeavours and is proud to stand behind the individuals and their projects which seek the betterment of the sailing community and maritime environment.

The Challenge Grant encompasses two categories:
The Conservation or Environmental Grant and the Adventure Grant.

OCC Conservation Challenge Grant

Conservation

This Grant is for members looking to make a difference with a specific conservation or environmental project that is centred around the ocean, marine or maritime environment. Conservation Grants are intended to help with project costs and range from £250 to £3,000, depending on the size and scope of project.

  • Be related to the ocean, maritime or marine environments
  • Have measurable, high impact yet achievable goals
  • Incorporate best practices for sustainability
  • Improve the marine conservation and/or conservation practices
  • Demonstrate “Leave No Trace” practices
  • Demonstrate a plan for long-term success
  • If possible, engage members of the community to ensure the sustainability of the project
  • If possible, have local and national conservation manager endorsement and appropriate local/national licensing where necessary.
  • Have a realistic budget
  • Incorporate the best ethical practices

OCC Adventure Challenge Grant

Challenge

This Grant is for sailors in pursuit of world-class sailing and sail exploration objectives. Adventure Grants are intended to more significantly contribute towards total expedition costs. Awards will typically fall in the £250 to £3,000 range; however, award amounts will vary based on project and budget.

OCC Adventure Grant Goals:

The Adventure Grant seeks to fund individuals planning expeditions to remote areas featuring unexplored areas, difficult sailing routes, challenging multi-sport exploits, or similar world-class pursuits.

Grants are open to all blue water sailors who can satisfy OCC requirements for membership. (Click here for details ). Grant winners will be awarded OCC membership, with dues for one year covered by the Challenge Grant. Those receiving financial or in-kind support from corporate sponsors are also eligible, however the level of sponsorship must be disclosed.
Applicants should possess a resume of past sailing experiences that illustrate their ability to have a reasonable potential for success. The Review Committee recognizes that risk and uncertainty are factors in pushing frontiers and, as such, ambitious projects will not be viewed negatively. However, an Applicant(s) must demonstrate that they are a capable sailor and experience should be generally within the range of the difficulty of the stated objective while still allowing the Applicant to push boundaries and expand existing skill sets.
A Grant Recipient may be called upon to provide deliverables such as trip reports, photography/video, slideshows, articles, media, participate in OCC-led volunteer commitments and community outreach.
A Grant Recipient may be called upon to provide deliverables such as trip reports, photography/video, slideshows, articles, media, participate in OCC-led volunteer commitments and community outreach. Applications can be initially based on a simple 2 x A4 page written proposal t hat is appropriately referenced and email to ChallengeGrant@OceanCruisingClub.Org. Furthermore, Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to their objective by expressing a detailed understanding of the proposed expedition’s objective, timeline, budget, and logistics, including what permits and/or visas may be required. All third-party funding or support must be disclosed. Applications can be submitted anytime but the Grant Program has limited funds available annually, so applicants are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible.

Objectives featuring a low-impact style, conservation, and leave-no-trace mentality will be looked upon with favour. Points may be given for short-handed, remoteness, preparedness of crew and craft, having a positive impact at the destination, self-sufficiency and projects along the way. Projects may be academic research, popular science research, aid, relief, film, literary or photographic, mountaineering, diving or other exploratory sport. Applications should show the amount of research and planning that has gone into the proposal and objective difficulties along the way.

Previous Challenge Grant Winners

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Listed below are previous recipients of OCC Challenge Grants.

Year Awarded To Summary
2023 The Novara One Planet Project Aims to connect people to the impacts of climate change through science, education, art and adventure. Read more
2022 sv Danú of Galway Departed from Ireland for Scoresby Sound, East Greenland, the largest fjord in the world. Read more
2021 Thierry & Barbara Courvoisier, sv Gaia Established a program called ‘Science et Voile Avec Gaia’, (Science and Sailing with Gaia). Read more
2021 Juho Karhu & Sohvi Kangasluoma, sv Sylvia Planned an Arctic Expedition, leaving from Finland for Greenland, where they would overwinter with their sailboat frozen into the ice. Read more
2020 Greg Landreth & Keri Pashuk, sv Saoirse Undertake “adventurous” sailing expeditions to the Antarctic Peninsula. Read more
2020 Dustin Reynolds, sv Tiama Completed a six-year solo circumnavigation after overcoming incredible challenges as a double amputee. Read more
2020 Philippe Jamotte, sv Changabang Planned a west-about solo non-stop circumnavigation in a Class40 sailboat, a feat which if completed would be the first from the West Coast of the Americas. Read more
2019 Jon Sanders, #NOPLASTICWASTE Sailed from Fremantle, west-about, on his 11th circumnavigation looking to bring attention to ocean plastic and to collect data and samples of micro plastics in less trafficked areas. Read more
2019 Bert ter Hart, sv Seaburban Awarded to support a single-handed, west-about circumnavigation via the five great capes using only traditional navigation. Read more

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