The Finn Wardman World Explorer Fund
Changing lives,
one dream at a time.
Grants of $5,000–$10,000 for young people whose dreams are bigger than their budget.
About Finn
He went everywhere.
This is for people like him.
Finn Wardman was twenty years old. He skied freeride out of Verbier, surfed whenever he got near water, and was studying business at Durham on track for a first. He'd just been accepted to spend a year in Madrid. He said yes before he'd heard the full question.
He died on April 8, 2023, in Switzerland. His last day was spent surfing with his brother Somers, and hanging out with his best friends laughing and loving life.
We started the fund because Finn believed in going. Not planning to go. Going. It awards grants of $5,000 to $10,000 to young people with dreams that are real, specific, and currently out of reach. We can help with the out-of-reach part.
Meet the team →Featured · 2026 Promo Grant
The biggest
dream wins $10,000.
Once a year we give away our largest grant to a single applicant with a plan that stops the committee in its tracks. Adventure, sport, or vocation — we don't mind. We mind the size of the dream. Start with a four-question expression of interest. Under ten minutes.
Single grant · One winner
Three ways in.
We fund three kinds of dream. Pick the one that fits what you're trying to do.
Athletic Grant
$5,000
You're talented enough. Fees, travel, coaching, competitions — that's the gap. This grant closes it. Not capped at $5,000 either. Apply and we'll build the package around what you actually need.
Apply NowAdventure Grant
$10,000
The biggest grant we give. A real trip, properly funded, somewhere that changes you. We want applicants who can stay in the field for 4 to 12 months. Make a plan. Set a budget. Apply.
Dream big or stay home.
Apply NowVocational Grant
$5,000
A trade, an internship, a course abroad. The dream that doesn't look like adventure but shifts your whole trajectory. If you need to go somewhere to become something, this is the one.
Apply NowWorld Explorer Fund
From the Field
World Explorer Fund
WEF Podcast
Travel on the Cheap
How young people go further on less. Real trips. Real budgets. Grant recipients, adventurers, and people who said yes before they'd worked out how. Coming soon — subscribe to be first.
YouTube Shorts
Quick cuts
Grant recipient Jediah — first week in Mexico
What a $10,000 adventure grant actually buys you
Freeride skiing Verbier — in memory of Finn
How to apply — 3 things the panel actually looks for
Got questions?
We've got answers.
Who can apply?
Ages 18–26, anywhere in the world. No GPA, no institution required. Just a real dream and a concrete plan to make it happen.
How do I apply?
Fill in our online form — takes about 20 minutes. Tell us where you want to go, why, and what you'll need. The more specific, the better.
Always open
We accept applications on a rolling basis year-round. No deadline to stress about — apply when your plan is ready.
Registered charity?
We're a private fund based in Bermuda — not a registered public charity. Grants go directly to recipients, no strings attached.
How much can I get?
Grants range from $5,000 to $10,000 USD. The Adventure Grant tops out at $10,000. Final amounts are built around what you actually need.
What counts as a dream?
Any real trip, serious athletic pursuit, or vocational leap that requires you to go somewhere. Holidays don't count. Dreams do.