Knowing what it costs to put an anthology together, The Narrative Press seems to have the right idea for making the most of a small budget — A contest.
The Best True Adventure & Exploration Stories of 2003 Contest
30 winners will be selected to be included in “a collection of over 30 adventures, from jungle treks to mountain climbing, desert crossings to south seas sailings, from treasure hunts to espionage, from archeological digs to river running.”
Stories must be true, first person accounts, maximum word count is 5,000 words, and the entry fee is $15. Top three winners will receive large gift certificates. Check out the contest details for more info.
Here is an excerpt of their definitions of Adventure and Exploration:
Adventure is when someone sets out to have one, and the narrative is basically just a good story. Sometimes we describe it as travel writing in which the itinerary is out of control. These stories tend to be more recent.
Exploration is when someone goes somewhere or does something and is among the first to write about it, and for that reason the narrative is historically important. With the world having shrunk in the last century, these stories tend to be vintage.