Tag: grants

International Nautical Archaeology Foundation Funding

https://www.nauticalarchaeologysociety.org/inaf

The International Nautical Archaeology Foundation (INAF) was created in 2024 to advance the education of the public in the subject of nautical archaeology and to promote research for the public benefit in all aspects of the subject and to publish the useful results.

INAF has been created to facilitate the development of a grant giving programme with funds generated from an amazing $1million donation from the Edward & Saryl Von der Porten Trust, in the USA. 

INAF has been registered as a charity with the Charity Commission (No.1210349) and is being administered by the NAS, acting as a Corporate Trustee, with representatives of the donor family in the USA acting as Members of INAF.

The inaugural INAF grant programme opens on the 1st January 2026 and closes on 28th February 2026.

INAF Grant Board

The grant decision-making for the International Nautical Archaeology Foundation is to be done by a Grant Board consisting of five representatives from key nautical archaeology organisations around the world (“Board Members”).  Currently these five organisations are:

  • East Carolina University, Department of History, Program in Maritime Studies, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
  • Institute of Nautical Archaeology, College Station, Texas, USA
  • Nautical Archaeology Society, Portsmouth, UK
  • Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  • Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden

A member of the Von der Porten family also sits on the Grant Board. Board Members will individually recuse themselves from evaluating projects with which their individual organisations have a material connection. The Trustee will not be eligible to apply to the Fund.

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Grant Purposes and Guidelines

INAF will support nautical archaeological endeavours, broadly defined to include underwater, intertidal, and terrestrial archaeological work on nautical subjects, including, but not limited to, shipwrecks, cargos, fishing, harbours, & shipbuilding sites.

Projects should have reasonable prospects for making significant contributions to knowledge of nautical archaeological matters, broadly defined.  The applicability of the knowledge that is likely to be gained to wide audiences should be a major consideration in the selection process.  Narrow projects with only small specialised audiences do not fit within the purview of the Fund.

In addition to archaeology fieldwork, laboratory work, creating illustrations, work on publications, printing costs, etc., which are follow-ups to fieldwork investigations, are included in this definition.  The Fund encourages means of bringing knowledge of the results of nautical archaeology to a wide public in the form of publications in various media.

Carefully planned small projects with potential for development will be considered for funding.  Proven success will not be a requirement for funding.

Projects that are primarily educational, such as fieldschools, lecture series, and public events, do not fit within the purview of the International Nautical Archaeology Fund. Funds shall not be granted for creating, managing or attending conferences, travel outside specific needs of a project, and similar non-research purposes.

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Our Approach to PublicationUndertaking research by itself is not a charitable purpose and confers little or no benefit to the public. To achieve such benefits the results of the research must be disseminated in a publicly accessible format, thus adding to the collective knowledge and understanding of humanity’s past in a nautical context.

Dissemination of the results of research in a publicly accessible format is therefore an integral component of any nautical archaeology project, as recognised by Rules 30 -36 of the Annex to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural heritage 2001. As such, the INAF regards such dissemination to be an essential component of any proposal for award of a grant from the INAF.

The INAF will require as a condition of any grant awarded, the publication of the results of any research undertaken from funding provided. Such publication may be proportional to the funded research undertaken and may make take the form of, but not necessarily be limited to:

  • Publication on the INAF’s website or other Internet media outlet
  • Publication in popular literature, such as magazines and news periodicals
  • Publication in peer reviewed academic journals
  • Publication in monographs or books
  • Publication as documentary film or television program

It may be the case that two or more forms of publication may be intended to be undertaken in respect of research funded by the INAF. If so, applicants should expressly identify this in the application. Wherever possible, applicants may wish to identify the intention to provide a readily comprehensible form of publication for the general public as well as a more technical format for a specialised audience.

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Application Eligibility

Applications will only be considered from:

• Not for Profits, Registered Charities (including CIOs), Non-Government Organisations, Archaeological Groups or Societies

• Individual researchers affiliated with a University

• Individual researchers and members of a Non-Government Organisation or Archaeological Group or Society

• University students studying nautical archaeology or related subjects at undergraduate level or above.

Applications will not be considered from:

• Not for Profits and Charities that do not have one year of registered accounts

• Political parties

• Persons or organisations engaged, or proposing to engage in the commercial exploitation of cultural heritage contrary to the provisions Article 2 of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001, and Rule 2 of the Annex thereto.

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Application Timetable and Financials

The minimum grant size is £500. Awards of more than £20,000 will be rare.

2026 applications to the International Nautical Archaeology Foundation open on the 1st January 2026 and close on the 28th February 2026.

Applicants will be informed of the award decision by the 6th April 2026. Grant recipients will be required to report on their supported work by the 31st March 2027, and the 31st March 2028 (if a two year funded project).

Any unused funds shall be returned within two years of the award. If a grant is being used for a project lasting longer than two years, applicants will be advised on returning any unused funds. 

The financial and administrative overhead rates for grants shall not exceed 10% of the grant applied for. For example, a £1,000 grant may not have more than £100 allocated to overhead. Any overhead amounts must be disclosed in the grant application and in any financial reports.

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Download the 2026 INAF Application Form here

Please direct any enquiries and send applications to inaf@nauticalarchaeologysociety.org 

2026 applications close at 23.59 (GMT) on the 28th February 2026.

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Donate to International Nautical Archaeology Foundation

The International Nautical Archaeology Foundation is an open fund, happy to accept further donations to help support nautical archaeology research and fieldwork. If you would like to talk to someone about donating a legacy to the field of nautical archaeology please feel free to contact the NAS CEO, Mark Beattie-Edwards by email on mark@nauticalarchaeologysociety.org

The PADI FOUNDATION encourages and supports research and education related to aquatic environments.

http://www.padifoundation.org/index.html

The PADI FOUNDATION encourages and supports research and education related to aquatic environments. The Foundation will fund and assist worthwhile projects that either:

Enrich mankind’s understanding of aquatic environments and encourage sensitivity to and protection of ecosystems.

Increase understanding of sport diving physics and physiology that will benefit the general diving public and add to the scientific understanding of man’s relationship   and ability to survive in the underwater environment.

Improve understanding of, and response to, hazards to humans and ecosystems       related to climate change in coastal and ocean environments.

The PADI Foundation is an IRC Section 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax exempt organization. It is a separate and distinct organization, corporately unrelated to PADI, Inc. and its affiliates, but funded through International PADI, Inc .

Since 1992, the Foundation has awarded almost $5.93 million to almost 1,389 projects. In 2025, there were over 400 grant applications of which 40 received grants aggregating $167,516.  Each year, the Foundation will consider proposals with budgets up to $12,000 although the average for proposals will be on the order $5,000 to $10,000 (diving physiology proposals related to diver safety with budgets larger than $12,000 will be considered).  The Foundation will generally not fund overhead and other indirect expenses, salaries, dive training, and standard diving equipment.

All applications must be submitted beginning November 1, 2025 and no later than January 15, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by May 1, 2026 and funds will be disbursed shortly thereafter.

We are now using Common Grant Application, a web-based management program, to receive and administer your grant proposals. Carefully review the PADI Foundation 2026 Electronic Grant Submissions below.

The following instructions were specifically prepared to walk you through the online application process:

PADI Foundation 2026 Electronic Grant Submissions:

Read these instructions before starting to fill out the forms on line

The following is a list of new instructions on how to submit an application:

1.  If you are new, please register on the Common Grant Application website or if you already have an account      go to the login.

2. You will be given the option to go to Continue to Dashboard or Continue to Application.

3.  If you have any questions about using the Common Grant Application site, please contact the Common Grant Application directly. The contact information can be found by going to www.commongrantapplication.com and the Contact tab. They may also be reached by phone at: +1 (310) 490-1277.

The British Academy Small Research Grant

British Academy Small Research Grant

A collaboration between the British Academy and the Honor Frost Foundation to support small research grants in the fields of maritime archaeology and maritime cultural heritage began in 2014. Appropriate awards made under the British Academy’s small grants scheme, awarded by the Research Awards Committee are supported from this grant (normally around three awards per year).

Eligibility

These grants do not have any regional focus, but require that there is a UK-based scholar as lead applicant. Awards are offered to support any aspect of research, including travel and publication. Grants are not available to fund attendance at conferences or seminars.

Level of award

Awards do not normally exceed £10,000.

Length of award

Grants are tenable for 24 months at a time.

Click on the links below to view previous awards or download the reports on 2019-20 awarded here, May 2023 award here, and May 2024 here.

Grants Manager

The Honor Frost Foundation is a grant-giving UK charity founded in 2011. Its mission is to promote the advancement of marine and maritime archaeology with a focus on the eastern Mediterranean, particularly Lebanon, Cyprus, Syria and Egypt.

Job Advertisement (New Role)- Grants Manager (PT)- Closing Date June 10th, 2024

GRANTS MANAGER

Contract:  Initially 12 months, part-time (2 days per week)

Salary:  £50,000-£56,420 (pro rata, depending on experience)

Location:  Remote, UK or international with occasional travel to our London office

As the Grants Manager your role will include:

  • oversight of the grant-making process from conception through to completion.
  • management of grantee relationships, acting as the main point of contact within the Foundation
  • evaluation of grants in line with the Foundation’s regional aims and priorities
  • quarterly presentation of grants to the Board of Trustees
  • working with colleagues to select and develop HFF scholars and early career researchers.
  • Ensuring ongoing improvement in the context of grant management.

The ideal candidate will have:

  • MA degree (minimum) in relevant discipline, preferably Archaeology
  • Excellent knowledge of maritime archaeology
  • Archaeological field experience
  • Grant-writing and delivery experience
  • Fluent spoken and written English
  • Regional knowledge of the eastern Mediterranean and experience of grant evaluation is preferred, but not essential.

To apply, please send us a cover letter (no more than two sides of A4) explaining your experience and how you meet the requirements of the role, along with a copy of your CV (no more than two sides of A4) including details of two referees (who will not be approached without your permission), using ‘Grants Manager’ in the subject line to Gail Caddy, Head of Operations at gailcaddy@honorfrostfoundation.org

Closing date for applications: 10 June 2024

Interviews are expected to take place on 20 June 2024

FY2024 ABPP – Battlefield Interpretation Grant

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/352942

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/2287/index.htm

Historic battlefields and sites of armed conflict are powerful reminders of the shared heritage of all Americans. As an ongoing effort to engage all Americans in the preservation of cultural resources beyond our park boundaries, the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS ABPP) promotes the preservation and interpretation of these important places. NPS ABPP awards financial assistance to support community-driven stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict through four grant opportunities Preservation Planning, Battlefield Restoration, Battlefield Interpretation, and Battlefield Land Acquisition.

NPS ABPP administers Battlefield Interpretation Grants to provide assistance for projects that deploy technology to modernize and enhance battlefield interpretation and education at Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield sites eligible for assistance under the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program established under 54 U.S.C. §308103(b). These grants are funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve history and protect the national endowment of lands and waters. Funding will support scoping and implementation activities for historic preservation projects at eligible sites and will be awarded competitively. Grants require a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match. State, local, and tribal governments, as well as nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.

Successful applicants typically provide straightforward answers to the Merit Review Criteria, backed by clear and concise supporting documentation, including but not limited to GIS maps, resumes/CVs, charts, graphs, spreadsheets, summary tables, and other relevant information. These applicants also tend to have a plan for making contact, or have already established contact, with landowners or organizations with an economic or legal interest in the proposed project sites. NPS ABPP encourages all applicants to consider forming inclusive preservation partnerships with these landowners/organizations as well as descendant communities, Native American Tribes, state and/or tribal historic preservation offices, and other nonprofit organizations that may help guide, or want to actively participate in, the proposed project.

Two categories of grants are available for battlefield interpretation projects in different stages: Scoping Grants: These are available to fund the early stages of project development, such as research and content creation, consultation with stakeholders, exploration of available technologies, audience research, and development of technical proposals. The federal share for these grants should range from $20,000-$50,000 and have a period of performance of 1-2 years.

Implementation Grants: These are available to applicants who have completed interdisciplinary scoping prior to the application and can provide draft content and design plans. The federal share for these grants should range from $50,000-$200,000 and have a period of performance of 2-3 years.

HFF Grants Supporting Maritime Archaeology in the Eastern Mediterranean

Expression of Interest for Grants over £10,000

Since inception, the Foundation primarily supports regional projects which focus on maritime archaeology or underwater cultural heritage undertaken in the countries where Honor Frost worked. Broadly, this is the eastern Mediterranean, specifically Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria and also Egypt including the Red Sea. The Foundation is keen to support projects which will foster strong collaborations with regional partners, particularly those with local training opportunities. Our full aims and objectives are available here.

The Foundation also offers broader support for activities in this field, including education, training and workshops, conferences with a regional involvement, conservation work, museum exhibitions and public engagement.

We have recently introduced an expression of interest form for grants over £10,000. If accepted for development, potential grantees would be expected to work with HFF staff to develop the projects to reflect the aims of both parties.

Projects under £10,000- Full application.

April 1st, 2024. Final decisions will be made June 2024.

October 1st, 2024. Final decisions will be made December 2024.

Form and guidance are available by following this link.

 

Projects under £70,000- Expression of Interest

April 1st, 2024: If accepted, a full project proposal to be submitted in May 2024. Final decisions will be made June 2024.

September 1st, 2024: If accepted, a full project proposal to be submitted in October 2024. Final decisions will be made December 2024.

Projects over £70,000- Expression of Interest

April 1st, 2024: If accepted, a full project proposal to be submitted in June 2024. Final decisions will be made September 2024.

Expression of interest form are available by following this link.