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Fourteen projects receive funding from the Hurtigruten Foundation

With support from our dedicated guests, Hurtigruten Foundation has granted more funding than ever before to a record number of worthy projects across the world.

Hurtigruten Foundation’s board selected 14 projects among 82 worthy applications received this spring. Thanks to the support of Hurtigruten Group’s dedicated guests, the total funds granted reached a record total sum for one single grant cycle, with the board donating over 1 million NOK.

“We are incredibly grateful that the strong support from our guests allow us to give out more funds than ever before”, says Managing Director, Henrik A. Lund. “We have received applications from all over the world, and we have been able to grant continued support to projects with demonstrated impact, as well as support new projects in the areas we explore together with our guests”.

The grant recipients span the geographical areas in which Hurtigruten Group operates and address all three focus areas of the Foundation: preserving endangered wildlife, battling plastic waste and marine litter, and supporting local communities in the areas which Hurtigruten Group explores.

“We are excited about projects that focus on the next generation in the beautiful places that we visit, such as the work by Mariuxi Prieto Pino, Falklands Conservation and the Association of Greenlandic Children. Ensuring that children and youth can prosper in the areas where we sail is an important way to create impact for both us and our guests”says Lund.

In its quest to revolutionize the travel industry’s approach to sustainability, Hurtigruten Group established its Foundation in 2015. Since then, the Foundation has supported more than 80 projects in 18 countries, granting over half a million dollars to various initiatives that protect and preserve unique natural environments and cultural heritage.

Rope competition organized during summer camp for children and youth in a remote village in Greenland.
Rope competition organized during summer camp for children and youth in a remote village in Greenland. Photo credit: Association of Greenlandic Children

The recipients are:

  • Association of Greenlandic Children for their project to strengthen local communities through summer camps and activities for children and youth in remote villages in Greenland

  • Cordova Chamber of Commerce for their project on regenerative tourism destination development and stewardship

  • Falklands Conservation for their educational program and award scheme engaging children and youth in conservation related tasks

  • Happywhale for their project to develop an application of AI for whale science interpretation

  • The Kon Tiki Museum/Thor Heyerdahl’s Research Foundation for their project to return archeological material from the Kon-Tiki Museum to Rapa Nui

  • Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq for their project to refurbish the Ittoqqortoormiit Museum in connection with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the community’s founding

  • Mariuxi Prieto Pino (individual) for her project to provide school supplies and uniforms to two local schools on the Continental Coast of Ecuador

  • Oxen Expedition Engagement Network for their community engagement projects in Nunavut, Canada and Greenland this summer

  • Skálanes Nature and Heritage Centre for their project to identify sources and mitigation strategies related to marine macro-litter in Seyðisfjörður

  • Tarevoktere (Guardians of Kelp) for their continued efforts to restore sea kelp forests and underwater biodiversity and in northern Norway

  • The University Centre in Svalbard for their research project on mercury update, distribution and excretion in Svalbard reindeer

  • Universidad de Los Andes for presenting results from their citizen science projects onboard Fridtjof Nansen and Fram at the XIII SCAR (Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research) Biology Symposium 2023

  • Universidad Nacional de Córdoba for their citizen science project to develop a cost-effective, scientifically rigorous and tourist engaging underwater survey of the West Antarctic Peninsula

  • Wild Lab Project for their citizen science projects on the endangered kittiwake in Tromsø, Norway


The next deadline to apply for a grant from Hurtigruten Foundation is November 1st, 2023.