National Geographic Society Announces $1.3 Million in Funding for Collaborative Exploration Projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 18, 2026) — The National Geographic Society has awarded $1.3 million in funding to nine teams of National Geographic Explorers through its Meridian grant program. These grants support collaborative, solutions-based projects across the globe, emphasizing teamwork and the combination of expertise across various fields.

Meridian Grants: Fostering Collaboration for Global Impact

The Meridian grant program, established in 2021, has now distributed over $7.2 million to more than 60 projects, involving over 275 Explorers. This year’s selection was made from a highly competitive pool of over 100 applications, ultimately supporting projects with fieldwork in 12 countries. According to Alex Moen, the Society’s chief explorer engagement officer, “Positive change does not occur in isolation; it requires a global community of solution-seekers to work together. The Meridian program fosters connection and helps Explorers magnify their collective impact through innovative projects that fulfill the Society’s mission to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.”

2026 Meridian Grant Recipients and Their Projects

• Daughters of the Earth: Fighting for a Food Secure Future (Indonesia): Irene Barlian and Lulu Middleton will document the efforts of women in Indonesia to preserve local food culture in the face of the climate crisis.
• Voices from the Volcano: Education, Science and Storytelling in the Volcanic Area of Campi Flegrei (Italy): Giulia Barfucci, Chiara Goia and Michele Raggio will empower students and teachers in Italy to share their experiences living near the Campi Flegrei volcano, fostering a deeper understanding of the area beyond its “supervolcano” label.
• Rerooting Water Resilience of Wae Telang’s Indigenous Community Through Participatory Learning and Storytelling (Indonesia): Cindy Rianti Priadi, Michael Eko, Yingshan Lau, and Nick Okafor will combine oral histories, community mapping, and a socio-hydrology study to highlight the cultural and ecological importance of Wae Telang, a sacred spring in West Manggarai.
• From the Ground Up: Building the Community-Led Conservation Framework (Kenya): Shivani Bhalla, Jeneria Lekilelei, Toby Otieno, and Surshti Patel will collaborate with communities in Kenya and internationally to develop a community-led conservation approach based on local knowledge, and priorities.
• Bridging Depths: Effectively Advancing Marine Science Through “Capacity Building and Transfer of Marine Technology” (Seychelles): Sheena Claudia Aisa Lydie Talma, Diva Amon, Titus Cañete, Katy Croff Bell, and Asha de Vos will convene experts from Small Island Developing Nations to discuss the implementation of marine technology transfer, a key component of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. This project is part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions.
• Eco-Mosaic: A Global Mosaic of Underrepresented Communities for Collective Conservation (England, Scotland and Sri Lanka): Poppy Lakeman Fraser, Eshadi Mendis, and Natalie Sinclair will bring together communities whose voices are often excluded in environmental decision-making to engage in storytelling, environmental action, and the creation of a cross-continental mosaic artwork promoting conservation.
• Mapping Iceland’s Extreme Life: ROV Mapping and eDNA Sampling of Iceland’s Newly Discovered Hydrothermal Vents (Iceland): Skylar Tibbits, Jeffrey Marlow, and Jessica Todd will return to a recently discovered hydrothermal vent field off Iceland’s coast to map the underwater ecosystem and document its microbial diversity.
• DEEP TIME — Fossils, Stars and Storytelling: A Traveling Science Program Connecting Youth Across Mongolia (Mongolia): Bolortsetseg Minjin, Julia DeMarines, and Sophie Dia Pegrum will collaborate with local communities and museums to create an immersive learning program linking dinosaurs, deep time, and cosmic wonder, inspiring youth to engage in conservation and cultural advocacy.

National Geographic Society’s Commitment to Exploration

Since its founding in 1888, the National Geographic Society has awarded over 15,000 grants to National Geographic Explorers, individuals dedicated to illuminating and protecting the world. The Society supports bold, innovative work in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology, focusing on areas such as the ocean, land, wildlife, and human histories and cultures [National Geographic Society Grants and Investments]. Previous Meridian grant recipients have contributed to discoveries regarding Latin American bats, Arctic climate change visualization through virtual reality, and the preservation of Black heritage trees.