The SPI is happy to announce that the call for proposal for the SPI Exploratory Grants is now open for the first time. This new funding instrument has been designed to support established Swiss scientists (at least 3 years after PhD graduation) active in Polar regions (including remote high-altitude regions) by allowing them to launch short-term new ideas, fund additional field work or launch new collaborations with financial support for logistics, scientific work and more. The call for proposals will be open to all disciplines interested in working in Polar Regions. Deadline for this year’s call is set for the 22 October. This call will be repeated annually from 2018. For more information on eligibility and guidelines on the application process, visit: www.swisspolar.ch/spi-exploratory-grants.