GRANTS FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECTS
In the summer of 2007, ASOR renewed its emphasis on providing funding grants and fellowships that allow individuals to participate in excavations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Since 2007, ASOR has awarded more than $986,000 to 740 researchers and students through scholarships for fieldwork participants, grants for archaeological projects, research fellowships for members, and membership and annual meeting scholarships. The grants below support archaeological projects and project directors (see Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation for funding opportunities for those wishing to participate in an archaeological fieldwork).
Apply for a Project Grant Using the Universal Grant Application
Application Deadline: February 24, 2025
Grants to Support Archaeologcial Projects
- Stevan B. Dana Project Grant: This grant is made possible by an endowment established in 2021. Three grants of $5,000 are available for 2025. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects. Please see the Dana Grant web-page for more information. The application deadline is February 24, 2025.
- Stevan B. Dana Project Grant for Israel: One grant of $5,000 is available for 2025. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects in Israel. Please see the Dana Grant for Israel web-page for more information. The application deadline is February 24, 2025.
- Lawrence T. Geraty Community Archaeology Grant: One grant of $4,500 is available for 2025. These grants are designed to support projects that will incentivize local engagement with protection, preservation, and presentation of archaeological sites in Jordan. Please see the Geraty Community Archaeology Grant web-page for more information.
- Denise L. Gold Project Grant: Pending the receipt of funds, one grant of $2,500 will be available for 2025. This grant was made possible by annual gifts beginning in 2017. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects. Please see the Gold Grant web-page for more information. The application deadline is February 24, 2025.
- Charles Harris Project Grant: At least one grant of $5,000 each will be awarded for 2025. This grant is made possible by a generous endowment given by the late Rev. Charles Harris. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects. Please see the Harris Grant web-page for more information. There will be three awards of $5,000 each for the summer of 2025, and the application deadline is February 24, 2025.
- Joe D. Seger Project Grant: Two grants of $2,500 (match required) is available for the summer of 2025. This grant is made possible in 2016 through generous gifts made by an anonymous donor and by friends and students of Joe D. Seger. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects. Please see the Seger Grant web-page for more information. The application deadline is February 24, 2025.
- Shepard Urgent Action Grants: Begun in 2020, Shepard Urgent Action Grants are intended for emergency documentation, stabilization or excavation at an archaeological site in the greater Mediterranean region. Grant amounts range from $2,500-$10,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and successful applicants can expect a response within four to six weeks of application submission.
- Donor-designated Grants for Cultural Heritage Projects: Thanks to funding from the U.S. Embassy to Libya and the U.S. Department of State, ASOR will administer mini-grants for cultural heritage projects in Libya to address cultural heritage needs created by the flooding crisis. Thanks to generous private donors, ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives will also carry out donor-designated education and stewardship programs in North Africa and the Middle East. We anticipate more than $65,000 of total funding for these projects in 2025.
Apply for ASOR Affiliation for a Project
General Project Grant Guidelines
1. Applications should be submitted by directors of ASOR-affiliated projects or senior staff members of affiliated projects. Applications by staff members other than the director must be accompanied by a letter of endorsement from the project director.
2. Only one application from a project or site will be funded in any given year. In addition, the Committee will give preference to projects that have not received an ASOR Project Grant (Dana, Gold, Harris, or Seger) in the past three years.
3. Project Grants are not designed to fund travel for student volunteers or junior staff members (see Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation).
4. Funds will be made available from the ASOR office, and recipients may receive a Form 1099 for the funds received. In order for ASOR to distribute funds to an institution, certain restrictions may apply. Only direct expenses are permitted, and no indirect or overhead may be charged.
COVID disclaimer: If the ongoing COVID pandemic, or any other reason, does not allow for many archaeological excavations to take place during 2025, ASOR may at its sole discretion decide not to offer project grants. If ASOR deems such a decision as necessary, applicants may reapply for non-fieldwork funds if ASOR can offer them for 2025. Regrettably, applicants and successful applicants may not postpone project grants to another year if the applicant or ASOR decides that grants will not be awarded in 2025. If the pandemic or any other reason causes a cancellation of fieldwork in 2025, applicants must reapply for funding in 2026 (or for stipends if they can be made available in 2025).
