Apply Online

* A revised application system will be due in September 2013

Deadlines for submission of applications

The closing dates for submission of the completed application forms are 31 January and 31 August. Trips which are expecting to be in the field in the first quarter of the year are encouraged to apply the previous year if at all possible.

Criteria for Judging Expeditions

It is a regrettable fact that the committee only has limited resources at its disposal. In order to make the best and fairest use of funds, we have, over the years, developed a set of criteria which allow us to judge the merits of one expedition against another. Further details of these may be found in the application form and notes; in brief they may be summarised as:

• potential for the discovery of new cave
• the development of the sport as a whole
• benefits to the individual team members
• preparatory work and research
• contacts with local groups
• team size
• effective use of funds
• track record
• other sources of income

A team which has relatively little experience but has shown a good deal of personal financial commitment allied to considerable preparatory homework will fare much better at the hands of the committee than an experienced group which is not attempting to reach a particularly new or exciting area.

The overall budget and cost to the individual is also taken into account, so that a small trip to Europe will probably receive a lower grant than a large scale trip to the tropics.

Online form

Applications to the current round of the GPF fund should be made using the online webform (click right).