Archaeology grants are nonrefundable gifts that are earmarked for the pursuit of archaeological activities. Such grants may be issued by public or private entities and are often intended to help fund a specific initiative. Common archaeology grants include teaching types, which might fund a teaching position or departmental chair at a university, and facilities types, which might help construct a building or lab in any number of places. Equipment grants often pay for needed tools, while excavation grants help pay for the expenses associated with excavating a specific archaeological site.
Common sources of archaeology grants include public institutions such as colleges and governmental departments or commissions. Private grants may come from individuals, foundations, or companies. All of these entities may present grants for any of several purposes. Applications may require extensive paperwork, including budgets, staff details, and information on how the work will benefit the field of archaeology.
There are many purposes for which archaeology grants are awarded. Teaching grants are most often used by colleges and universities to help pay for professor or research assistant salaries. Universities might also use such grants to establish new degree or community education programs about archaeology. While higher education facilities receive the most teaching grants, museums or historic sites seeking to perform public education might also win funding in this category.
Facilities grants are generally used to build, expand, or maintain facilities. This could be classroom, lab, or exhibit space and might be at a college, university, or museum. Archaeological foundations or sites might also apply for these types of archaeological grants so that they can expand their buildings or acquire new property.
Excavation grants might be the most commonly funded types of archaeology grants. Such monies can be used for a wide range of site needs, including stipends and salaries for workers, security, and temporary structures used for storage, sorting, and meetings. Funds might also be used to pay the owner of the site property, purchase permits, and house and feed the excavation crew. Incidental site excavation costs include shipping fees and supplies such as cleaners and adhesives.
Other types include equipment grants, which allow an archaeology group or department to buy excavation or research tools. Acquisitions grants provide money for acquiring new artifacts, either for study or exhibit. Educational grants are usually used by students for tuition or by doctoral candidates for research.