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INVESTMENT AND SPENDING POLICY

INVESTMENT AND SPENDING POLICY

Approved by the ASOR Board of Trustees on November 18, 2012 and amended by the ASOR Board on April 17, 2016, April 6, 2019, November 24, 2019, December 15, 2020, May 8, 2022, April 16, 2023, November 19, 2023, and May 5, 2024.

Investment Policy

General

 

It is the general policy of The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) to invest funds to achieve growth in principal value over time sufficient to preserve or increase the purchasing power of the funds, thus protecting the funds against inflation. The funds include permanently restricted funds, temporarily restricted funds, Board-designated funds, and unrestricted funds.

Notwithstanding this general policy, all restrictions placed by donors on the interest and investment earnings on donated funds will be honored.

 

Fund Categories, Objectives and Authority

Unrestricted Funds

  • Description. These funds are not restricted in their use and are sometimes referred to as short-term funds or operating funds. They include cash, surplus from current operations, unexpended portions of unrestricted grants, and other unrestricted funds received.
  • Investment Objective. Preservation of principal. These funds will be invested in a manner that minimizes the risk of loss of principal while seeking to maximize earnings in a way that allows for immediate liquidity to meet ongoing operational requirements.
  • Authority. The Executive Director and Treasurer have authority to invest the funds, and to spend principal and interest to meet the operational needs of ASOR.

Board-Designated Funds

  • Description. These funds are designated by the Board to be held in reserve to support future years’ operations or specific programs. They may include accumulations from past years’ annual results of operations, investment income, and other funds designated by the Board.
  • Investment Objective. The objective for funds held in reserve to support future years’ operations is the same as the objective for Unrestricted Funds. For funds held in reserve to support specific programs, which may be similar to endowment funds, the objective is the preservation of real purchasing power of principal, while seeking to maximize earnings in a way that allows for sufficient liquidity to meet ongoing program requirements.
  • Authority. The Executive Director and Treasurer have authority to invest the funds, and to spend principal and interest to meet the operational needs of ASOR. With regard to funds that are similar to endowment funds, the Finance Committee will establish the appropriate asset allocation targets or ranges for investment of these funds.[1]

Temporarily Restricted Funds

  • Description. These funds are restricted in time or purpose. They include donated funds that are restricted to program use or, over time, expected to be used for operating expenses. They also include accumulated earnings on endowments that have not yet been distributed in accordance with the purpose of the particular endowment.
  • Investment Objective. The objective for donated funds that are expected to be used for operating expenses within five years or less is the same as the objective for Unrestricted Funds. The objective for accumulated earnings on endowments, except for funds that are expected to be used for the intended purposes within the next twelve months or less, is the same as the objective for Permanently Restricted Funds.
  • Authority. The Executive Director and Treasurer have authority to invest the funds, and to spend principal and interest to meet the operational needs of ASOR in accordance with donor restrictions. With regard to the accumulated earnings on endowments, the authority will follow the authority for investment of the underlying endowment funds.

Permanently Restricted Funds

  • Description. Permanently Restricted Funds are endowments that have been given in perpetuity, through which the principal of the fund remains intact and the income used by the organization.
  • Investment Objective. Preservation of real purchasing power of principal, while seeking to maximize earnings in a way that allows for sufficient liquidity to meet ongoing distribution requirements.
  • Authority. The Finance Committee will establish the appropriate asset allocation targets or ranges for investment of these funds.

 

Authorized and Unauthorized Investments

Authorized Investment Types

  • Cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments and certificates of deposit.
  • Fixed income obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies, or corporations.
  • Mutual funds or exchange traded funds that own fixed income or equity securities.
  • A collection of equities and / or fixed income securities managed by investment professionals. Such managed securities will conform to ASOR’s allocation targets and ranges, and trading decisions for individual securities will not be made by ASOR management.

Unauthorized Investment Types

  • Individual equity securities.
  • Hedge funds.
  • Private equity funds.
  • Commodities.
  • Real estate.

Exceptions

The Finance Committee may authorize additional investment types on an exception basis to cover unusual situations, provided such authorization is obtained in advance and the Finance Committee concludes that permitting the additional investment type does not cause undue risk to ASOR.

 

Spending Policy

ASOR adopts spending policies for its endowments in compliance with the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA), which has been adopted by both Virginia and the District of Columbia.The spending policies set forth in Appendix II for each of ASOR’s existing endowments can be applied consistently over time regardless of short-term fluctuations in the market value of the funds. Each policy sets spending rates allowing for long-term growth in the corpus of its corresponding endowment, while also providing funds for ASOR to spend fulfilling its mission.

This Spending Policy and amendments (if any) supersede any previous spending policies adopted by ASOR.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Finance Committee Responsibilities

  • The Finance Committee is responsible for the oversight of all of ASOR’s funds.
  • The Finance Committee is responsible for reviewing the Investment and Spending Policies on a periodic basis, and recommending any necessary changes to the ASOR Board of Trustees.
  • The Finance Committee will review investment performance and portfolio allocations for Permanently Restricted Funds and the related accumulated earnings, as well as any appropriate Board-Designated Funds, on at least a semi-annual basis, and will direct the Executive Director and Treasurer to make any changes as appropriate.
  • The Finance Committee will also oversee investment performance for Unrestricted Funds, Board-Designated Funds, and Temporarily Restricted Funds, where the investment objective is preservation of principal, to ensure that the Executive Director and Treasurer are using appropriate investment vehicles consistent with the investment objectives.

 

Executive Director and Treasurer Responsibilities

  • The Executive Director and Treasurer are 1) responsible for monitoring the investment performance and portfolio allocations between periodic reviews by the Finance Committee, and 2) delegated the authority to take action to rebalance funds in between such reviews.
  • The Executive Director and Treasurer are responsible for the appropriate investment of Unrestricted Funds, Board-Designated Funds, and Temporarily Restricted Funds where the investment objective is preservation of principal.
  • At least semi-annually, the Executive Director and Treasurer will provide the Finance Committee information about 1) asset allocation, 2) investment performance, 3) future investment strategies, and 4) any other matters of interest to the Committee.
  • At least annually, the Executive Director and Treasurer will report on overall investment performance to the ASOR Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, including a comparison of investment results to appropriate indices.
  • Subject to Finance Committee approval, the Executive Director and Treasurer may agree that one or the other is primarily responsible for the duties above, and will consult with the other party as necessary.
  • The Executive Director and Treasurer will make reasonable efforts to rebalance new gifts according to the schedule below.
    • Under $3,000: Will normally rebalance during the next periodic rebalancing.
    • $3,001 – $10,000: Will normally rebalance as soon as practical.
    • $10,001 – $24,999: Will normally rebalance over three months.
    • $25,000 – $100,000: Will normally rebalance or invest over three months.
    • $100,000 – $250,000: Will normally rebalance or invest over six to twelve (6-12) months.
    •  > $250,000: Will normally rebalance or invest the account over twelve (12) months.
  • For gifts > $25,000, the President and Board Chair will be consulted.
  • If a donor recommends a schedule different from above, ASOR will strongly consider such a recommendation.
  • With consultation of the President and Board Chair, the Executive Director and Treasurer may, at their sole discretion, rebalance or invest according to an accelerated or extended schedule. They will consult the Finance Committee as appropriate.

 

Other Policies

Fees for Administrative Oversight of Endowed Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Educational Programming

  • Description. ASOR has existing endowment funds whose earnings are used to support fellowships, grants, or scholarships for archaeological fieldwork or support for educational programming. Additional funds may be created in the future for similar purposes. The principal of endowment funds will be kept intact, and the income distributed to support the purpose of the funds.
  • Fees. The process for reviewing grant applications and selecting recipients of fellowships, grants and scholarships can require significant support from ASOR staff. Similarly, supporting educational programming also can require assistance from ASOR staff. Accordingly, unless prohibited by the endowment fund guidelines, the Executive Director is authorized to charge a fee against fund assets of an appropriate amount, not to exceed one percent (1%) of the average fair market value of the fund at the end of the last twelve (12) quarters, in order to recoup ASOR staff costs. For purposes of computing the average fair market value of a fund, quarters where a new fund has not reached a minimum market value of $50,000 will not be used. No fees will be charged for endowment funds that have not reached a minimum threshold principal amount of $50,000.

 

Fees for Administrative Oversight of Current Gifts of Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Educational Programming

  • Description. In addition to endowment funds whose earnings are used to support fellowships, grants, or scholarships for archaeological fieldwork or support for educational programming, ASOR also receives current gifts that are designated to support similar programs, such as the Heritage fellowships. These designated funds normally are given with the intent that they be spent within the fiscal year of donation for the designated purposes.
  • Fees. The process for reviewing grant applications and selecting recipients of fellowships and scholarships and providing support for educational programming can require significant assistance from ASOR staff. Accordingly, unless specifically prohibited by the donor, the Executive Director is authorized to charge a fee against current designated gifts of an appropriate amount, not to exceed twenty percent (20%) of the designated gift amount (e.g., $500 for a designated gift of $2,500, consistent with the existing Heritage fellowship program).

 

APPENDIX I – INVESTMENT TARGETS AND RANGES

Approved by the ASOR Board of Trustees on November 18, 2012.
Amendments approved on November 24, 2013, April 17, 2016, November 24, 2019, December 16, 2020, May 8, 2022, November 19, 2023, and May 5, 2024.

ASOR General Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Board-Designated Building Fund (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Board-Designated Kershaw Fund (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Board-Designated Publications Opportunity Fund (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities        45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities  20%
• Fixed Income                 15%
• Cash                                  5%

Lawrence T. Geraty Community Archaeology Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities        45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities  20%
• Fixed Income                 15%
• Cash                                  5%

Harris Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

MacAllister Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Herbert Warren Mason Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Eric and Carol Meyers Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Shirlee Meyers / G. E. Wright Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Platt Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Joe D. Seger Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Stevan B. Dana Endowment #1 for Scholarships to Support Fieldwork Participation in Israel (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Stevan B. Dana Endowment #2 for Grants to ASOR-Affiliated Excavation Projects (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Stevan B. Dana Endowment #3 for Grants to ASOR-Affiliated Excavation Projects in the State of Israel (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Strange/Midkiff Fellowship Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Thomas/Bishop Annual Meeting Endowment (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Wayne Shepard Endowment for Urgent Action Grants (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

Mary Elizabeth Strange Endowment for Diaspora Heritage Educational Programming (including accumulated earnings)
• Large Cap Equities         45%
• Small Cap Equities         15%
• International Equities    20%
• Fixed Income                   15%
• Cash                                    5%

 

APPENDIX II – SPENDING POLICIES

Approved by the ASOR Board of Trustees on November 18, 2012
Amended by ASOR Board on November 24, 2013, April 17, 2016, November 24, 2019, December 16, 2020, May 8, 2022, November 19, 2023, and May 5, 2024.

Endowment and Investment Fund Distributions

Unless otherwise specified, endowment and investment fund distributions will be made quarterly in an amount equal to one fourth (1/4) of a fund’s Annual Spending Percentage multiplied by the Calculated Distribution Value of the fund.

The Calculated Distribution Value of a fund is the average of its closing market values at the end of the preceding twelve (12) calendar quarters (the “Quarterly Closing Market Value”). A fund’s Quarterly Closing Market Value will comprise all assets in the fund including, without limitation, principal and retained income, adjusted for all gains and losses, whether realized or unrealized, and determined as of the last business day of the quarter.

Endowment and investment fund distributions will be made promptly following the close of each quarter.

To prevent erosion of the principal of a fund, if the Quarterly Closing Market Value is less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the fund’s historic dollar value, the distribution calculated above will be reduced by fifty percent (50%).[2]

Annual Spending Percentages




        • ASOR General Endowment:                           5.0%
        • Board-Designated Building Fund:                5.0%
        • Board-Designated Kershaw Fund:               5.0%
        • Board-Designated Publications Fund:         5.0%
        • Geraty Community Archaeology Fund:       5.0%
        • Harris Endowment:                                         5.0%
        • MacAllister Fellowship Endowment:           5.0%
        • Mason Fellowship Endowment:                    5.0%
        • Meyers Fellowship Endowment:                   5.0%
        • Meyers/Wright Fellowship Endowment:    5.0%
        • Platt Fellowship Endowment:                        6.0%
        • Seger Endowment:                                           5.0%
        • Stevan B. Dana Endowment #1:                    5.0%
        • Stevan B. Dana Endowment #2:                   5.0%
        • Stevan B. Dana Endowment #3:                   5.0%
        • Strange/Midkiff Fellowship Endowment:   5.0%
        • Thomas/Bishop Annual Meeting Endowment: 5.0%
        • Wayne Shepard Endowment for Urgent Action Grants: 5.0%
        • Mary Elizabeth Strange Endowment for Diaspora Heritage Educational Programming: 5.0%
 

 

(1) See Appendix I for specific asset allocation targets or ranges for existing ASOR funds overseen by the Finance Committee.

(2) Notwithstanding the above, the Harris Endowment governing instrument precludes distributions when the fund’s Quarterly Closing Market Value is at any amount below its historic dollar value.

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICIES

CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICIES

I. Reason for Statement

American Society of Overseas Research (hereafter, ASOR), as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, depends on charitable contributions from the public. Maintenance of its tax-exempt status is important both for its continued financial stability and for the receipt of contributions and public support. Therefore, the operations of ASOR first must fulfill all legal requirements. They also depend on the public trust and thus are subject to scrutiny by and accountability to both governmental authorities and members of the public.

Consequently, there exists between ASOR and its board, officers, and management employees a fiduciary duty that carries with it a broad and unbending duty of loyalty and fidelity. The board, officers, and management employees have the responsibility of administering the affairs of ASOR honestly and prudently, and of exercising their best care, skill, and judgment for the sole benefit of ASOR. Those persons shall exercise the utmost good faith in all transactions involved in their duties, and they shall not use their positions with ASOR or knowledge gained there from for their personal benefit. The interests of the organization must have the first priority in all decisions and actions.

II. Persons Concerned

This statement is directed not only to board members and officers, but to all employees who can influence the actions of ASOR. For example, this includes all who make purchasing decisions, all other persons who might be described as “management personnel,” and all who have proprietary information concerning ASOR.

III. Key Areas in Which Conflict May Arise

Conflicts of interest may arise in the relations of directors, officers, and management employees with any of the following third parties:

  • Persons and firms supplying goods and services to ASOR
  • Persons and firms from whom ASOR leases property and equipment
  • Persons and firms with whom ASOR is dealing or planning to deal in connection with the gift, purchase or sale of real estate, securities, or other property
  • Competing or affinity organizations
  • Donors and others supporting ASOR
  • Recipients of grants from ASOR
  • Agencies, organizations, and associations that affect the operations of ASOR
  • Family members, friends, and other employees

IV. Nature of Conflicting Interest

A material conflicting interest may be defined as an interest, direct or indirect, with any persons and firms mentioned in Section 2. Such an interest might arise, for example, through

  • Owning stock or holding debt or other proprietary interests in any third party dealing with ASOR.
  • Holding office, serving on the board, participating in management, or being otherwise employed (or formerly employed) by any third party dealing with ASOR
  • Receiving remuneration for services with respect to individual transactions involving ASOR.
  • Using ASOR’s time, personnel, equipment, supplies, or good will other than for approved ASOR activities, programs, and purposes.
  • Receiving personal gifts or loans from third parties dealing with ASOR. Receipt of any gift is disapproved except gifts of nominal value that could not be refused without discourtesy. No personal gift of money should ever be accepted.

V. Interpretation of This Statement of Policy

The areas of conflicting interest listed in Section 3, and the relations in those areas that may give rise to conflict, as listed in Section 4, are not exhaustive. Conceivably, conflicts might arise in other areas or through other relations. It is assumed that the trustees, officers, and management employees will recognize such areas and relation by analogy.

The fact that one of the interests described in Section 4 exists does not mean necessarily that a conflict exists, or that the conflict, if it exists, is material enough to be of practical importance, or if material that upon full disclosure of all relevant facts and circumstances that it is necessarily adverse to the interests of ASOR.

However, it is the policy of the board that the existence of any of the interests described in Section 4 shall be disclosed on a timely basis and always before any transaction is consummated. It shall be the continuing responsibility of board, officers, and management employees to scrutinize their transactions and outside business interests and relationships for potential conflicts and to immediately make such disclosures.

VI. Disclosure Policy and Procedure

Disclosure should be made according to ASOR standards. Transactions with related parties may be undertaken only if all of the following are observed:

  1. A material transaction is fully disclosed in the audited financial statements of the organization;
  2. The related party is excluded from the discussion and approval of such transaction;
  3. A competitive bid or comparable valuation exists; and
  4. The organization’s board has acted upon and demonstrated that the transaction is in the best interest of the organization.
  5. Staff disclosures should be made to the chief executive (or if he or she is the one with the conflict, then to the designated committee), who shall determine whether a conflict exists and is material, and if the matters are material, bring them to the attention of the designated committee.

VII. Disclosure involving directors should be made to the designated committee

The board shall determine whether a conflict exists and is material, and in the presence of an existing material conflict, whether the contemplated transaction may be authorized as just, fair, and reasonable to ASOR. The decision of the board on these matters will rest in their sole discretion, and their concern must be the welfare of ASOR and the advancement of its purpose.

For the purposes of making such determinations, the ASOR board designates this responsibility to the Finance and Audit Committee. The chair of said committee (the Treasurer) will make reports as necessary to the board chair and the ASOR board.

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FACTS & FIGURES—ASOR

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FACTS & FIGURES

Name: American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR); formerly named “American Schools of Oriental Research”

Mission: ASOR’s mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the cultures and history of the Near East and the wider Mediterranean, from the earliest times.

Founded: 1900; incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1921

Members: approximately 2,200 individual members, 53 institutional members, 40,000 Friends, and 2 affiliated overseas research institutes

Publications: Four journals (Bulletin of ASOR, Journal of Cuneiform Studies, Near Eastern Archaeology, and Maarav), two e-newsletters (News@ASOR and The Ancient Near East Today), and four book series (ASOR Annual, Archaeological Report Series, Journal of Cuneiform Studies Supplement Series, and LCP Handbooks Series).

Annual Meeting: The conference has in-person and virtual components with approximately 1,200 attendees. The hybrid, in-person and virtual conference begins eight days (on a Wednesday) before American Thanksgiving. The in-person location varies annually.

Professional Personnel: ASOR has 9 full-time team and 3 part-time team members and 8 continuing contractors.

Donors: ASOR is supported by over 1,200 individuals who make annual charitable contributions to ASOR. Click here for our Fiscal Year 2025 Honor Roll of Donors. Click here for our Lifetime Honor Roll of Donors.

Volunteers: ASOR’s work is supported by more than 280 volunteers, some serving in multiple roles.

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants: ASOR plans to award $250,000 in scholarships, fellowships, and grants in 2026.

President: Jane DeRose Evans, Temple University

Chief Administrative Officer: Andrew G. Vaughn (Executive Director)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1493004298079{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1493004356224{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”ca-sidebar-99363″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

POLICIES

PUBLIC POLICIES

ASOR has several policies that pertain to the management of the organization: for example, policies regarding employment and policies regarding financial stewardship and record keeping. Other policies – for example, the Policy on Professional Conduct and the Website and Social Media Policy – address the rights and responsibilities of our members.

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September’s Fundraising Success!

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DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

One Month After Annual Appeal Letter Was Mailed

At the beginning of September, all ASOR members and donors received an Annual Fund Appeal Letter from ASOR President Susan Ackerman and Chair of the ASOR Development Committee Ed Wright. The following is an opening paragraphs from the letter:

“ASOR’s success in recent years has been remarkable. Who would have imagined that the United States Secretary of State would publicly declare that ASOR’s cultural heritage work was setting ‘the gold standard,’ that the UNESCO Secretary General would highlight that same work in several plenary addresses, or that the Chairman of the NEH would acknowledge ASOR’s work as one of the innovative ways that the humanities is impacting our society? We of course knew all about the great work our members were doing, but ASOR is now moving in more rarified air. Moreover, our scholarly, semi-popular, and online publications and our outreach efforts have continued to excel. Our Annual Meeting is likewise thriving as a place to discuss scholarship and renew friendships. Frankly, we think that ASOR’s brand is, in many respects, at an all-time high.” (click here for the entire letter)

The Fiscal Year 2017 (July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017) Annual Fund Drive follows yet another successful year of financial support from our loyal and generous membership. Last year (ended June 30, 2016), we received almost $300,000 from individuals, more than $400,000 including foundations and organizations, and more than $555,000 including in-kind gifts. In addition, we received $900,000 in federal funding. We should also stress that all gifts are meaningful and help us have a high participation rate. Small and medium gifts not only add up, but they help us attract major donors and gifts from foundations. Click here for a listing of all donors from Fiscal Year 2016.

Update for Fiscal Year 2017: We are thrilled to report that in the first month after the Annual Appeal Letter was mailed, the response from our membership has been overwhelming and record-setting. We have already had 75 individual donors make gifts and pledges in excess of $85,000. Many of our gifts come at the end of the calendar year, so we are very appreciative of the support shown so early in the year. Membership and subscription income only accounts for 25% of our budget, so we rely on your financial support.

If you have not yet made a gift or pledge this fiscal year (July 1, 2106 – June 30, 2017), pledge consider doing so today. You can make a gift by clicking here or the “Donate Now” icon below.

 

 

Other ways you can donate:

Donate by Phone

Call ASOR at 617-437-6570

Donate by Mail

Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729
650 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Make a Pledge (Donate Later)

Send an e-mail to ASOR[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

A Message from ASOR’s Executive Director Regarding Donor Participation

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ASOR ANNUAL MEETING

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A MESSAGE FROM ASOR’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REGARDING DONOR PARTICIPATION

[/vc_column_text][mk_image src=”http://www.asor.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/donor-participation-june6.png” image_width=”648″ image_height=”337″ crop=”false” hover=”false”][vc_column_text responsive_align=”left”]Dear fellow ASOR members and friends:

As the graph above illustrates, one of the reasons that ASOR has thrived over the past few years is the amazing support that we receive from our members. We are unique among learned societies in having almost 1 in 4 members who make a charitable gift over and above their membership dues. We also have an extremely high percentage of members who donate their time to help make us great.

As we move near the end of our fiscal year (June 30), please consider joining 400 of your fellow members and friends in making a gift to ASOR. Our goal is to have 410 discrete donors for Fiscal Year 2016. As you consider joining us as a donor, I wanted to share some of the things that your membership dues and charitable donations have enabled us to accomplish over the past year:

  • We held an extremely successful Annual Meeting in 2015, and we have more paper proposals than ever before for the 2016 meeting.
  • We continued to publish three journals that carry out our mission to disseminate knowledge about the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds.
  • We published three volumes in the Archaeological Reports and ASOR Annual series.
  • We provided two Harris Grants of $5,000 each to support field projects. We provided a Mesopotamian Fellowship of $7,000 research in cuneiform studies. We also awarded a Dever Fellowship of $7,000 so that a non-tenured biblical scholar could have extensive experience in archaeology.
  • We announced the establishment of the Joe D. Seger Endowment for support of archaeological projects. We also saw the endowments for the Strange/Midkiff, Meyers, and MacAllister Funds continue to grow with new gifts.
  • We continued to award scholarships that enable students and junior scholars to participate in archaeological fieldwork.
  • We established two new, named awards at the Annual Meeting: The Joy Ungerleider Poster Award and the Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award.
  • We created an Undergraduate Membership category and now offer a discounted membership rate for new non-North American student members to make membership more accessible and affordable for students.
  • We provided 16 scholarships for students and junior scholars to attend the Annual Meeting.

We also continued our increasingly important work in protecting and preserving the cultural heritage of the Near East and wider Mediterranean:

  • We were recognized internationally as a leader in advocating for the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage. Our programs have been acknowleged by both UNESCO General Secretary Irina Bokova and U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
  • We played an instrumental role in advocating for the passage of H.R. 1493—a bill that gives the same protection to looted antiquities from Syria as is given to items from Iraq.
  • We co-sponsored a World Heritage Day event at the Smithsonian Institution and held a special symposium the prior evening at The George Washington University Elliott School, where we launched the Cultural Heritage Monitor—a crowd-sourcing web app to aid anonymous reporting of heritage damage and looting.
  • We played a significant leadership role in bringing cultural heritage groups together work collaboratively, and this work was publically recognized by NEH Chairman William Adams.
  • We signed a cooperative agreement with the German Archaeological Institute for the sharing of our heritage inventories and research in Syria. We also signed a cooperative agreement with the Getty Conservation Institute to work collaboratively on the development of Arches—an open source geospatial tool that is available online.
  • We were proud to have ASOR Cultural Heritages Initiatives Academic Director Michael Danti testify before Congress about the looting and trafficking of antiquities.

Also:

  • We completed a strategic planning process that will help us become even more effective in carrying out our mission.
  • We were recognized by the NEH and ACLS as one of the organizations that most effectively demonstrates the relevancy of the humanities in the 21st century.
  • We received a legacy gift of almost $75,000 from the Wendell W. Weir estate that provided crucial support for ASOR’s general endowment.
  • Most important, we continued to support our members in their research and professional endeavors.

Your contribution, regardless of whether it is $10, $50, $1,000, or $5,000, is significant and meaningful. The aggregate contributions will help ASOR achieve our goals. Your individual gifts will also help us maintain a high donor participation, which is crucial for attracting large donations from foundations and individual donors.

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,
Andy Vaughn
ASOR Executive Director

 

Other ways you can donate:

Donate by Phone

Call ASOR (number temporarily unavailable until June 29th)

Donate by Mail

Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729
Boston, MA 02215

Make a Pledge (Donate Later)

Send an e-mail to ASOR[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684098866{margin-right: 5px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_wp_posts title=”BROWSE THE NEWS ARCHIVE” number=”4″][/vc_column][vc_column border_color=”rgba(170,170,170,0.01)” width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1496684008271{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-right-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;border-right-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;border-bottom-color: rgba(227,228,228,0.75) !important;}”][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

March Fellowship Madness – 2016!

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MARCH FELLOWSHIP MADNESS

2016

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It’s that time of year again—join the madness!

ASOR is lucky to have very generous donors who have helped endow excavation fellowships. But student interest and need is rapidly growing — we received a whopping 204 applications (64 more than last year). Right now, we have funding to support 29 of these worthy candidates. Enter March Fellowship Madness: your opportunity to help even more students get into the field.

Due to rising travel and accommodation costs, ASOR has increased the dollar amount of excavation fellowships for 2016 to $2,000 each. Thus, we need your help more than ever.

Indeed, you support archaeology in a very direct way by giving any amount to March Fellowship Madness. Every gift matters, and we hope that you will consider a gift of $10, $100, $1000, or more. ASOR does not charge any administrative fee for gifts made during March Fellowship Madness, so 100% of your contribution supports students who have a demonstrated need.

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Other ways you can donate:

Donate by Phone

Call ASOR at 617-437-6570

Donate by Mail

Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729
650 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Make a Pledge (Donate Later)

Send an e-mail to ASOR

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March Fellowship Madness – 2015!

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ASOR BLOG

NEWS@ASOR E-NEWSLETTER

ANCIENT NEAR EAST TODAY E-NEWSLETTER

PAST ASOR NEWS, MONTH BY MONTH

FY16 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

ASOR ANNUAL MEETING

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MARCH FELLOWSHIP MADNESS

2015

March Fellowship Madness a Success!

It’s that time of year again—join the madness!

Every year, ASOR awards excavation fellowships to deserving students who want to go on a dig. We are fortunate to have a number of endowed funds as well as donors who had already funded 37 fellowships before March Fellowship Madness began. Each March we ask our ASOR members and friends to join the madness and help us send more students into the field.

We hope that you will join the madness and help transform a student’s career by sending him or her into the field. You can support archaeology in a very direct way by giving any amount to March Fellowship Madness. Every gift matters, and donor participation helps encourage some of ASOR’s major donors to give $1,000 or more to support extra scholarships. Please consider a gift of $10 or more. ASOR does not charge any administrative fee for gifts made during March Fellowship Madness, so 100% of your contribution supports students who have a demonstrated need.

Other ways you can donate:

Donate by Phone

Call ASOR at 617-437-6570

Donate by Mail

Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729
650 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Make a Pledge (Donate Later)

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ASOR Board Chair, B.W. Ruffner Urges Members to Support March Fellowship Madness

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ASOR BOARD CHAIR, B. W. RUFFNER URGES MEMBERS TO SUPPORT MARCH FELLOWSHIP MADNESS

Dear fellow ASOR member,

Something I enjoy most about my job as Chair of the ASOR Board of Trustees is observing the important archaeological work that ASOR conducts each year in the field. I am writing this letter to encourage you to join me in supporting ASOR’s summer scholarship and grant program. Simply put, we can fund 55 scholarships and grants, and our goal is to raise another $5,000 with the March Fellowship Madness drive in order to award a total of 60 scholarships and grants. Donate Now!

This year, ASOR received 169 applications for our summer excavation fellowships and grants! Last summer I had the opportunity to visit many ASOR-affiliated projects with ASOR Executive Director Andy Vaughn. I got to hear first-hand how important these scholarships are for students who want to experience archaeology and help preserve culture in the eastern Mediterranean. Without this funding from ASOR, they would not have been able to participate in these projects. They also shared that the number of organizations providing scholarships has shrunk in the last few years, so the scholarships from ASOR are more important than ever. I am therefore not surprised at all that we have even more scholarship and grant applications this year than in 2013.

Last year, ASOR was able to fund a record number of 55 scholarships and grants, and I am very pleased to report that thanks to our newly endowed scholarship funds and generous annual gifts from ASOR donors, we have enough funds to award 55 scholarships and grants this year. Our goal is to surpass this number and fund 60 awards for the summer of 2014. Although the 60 awards will not meet the need of all 168 applicants, we can still go a long way towards addressing the need. In addition, funding 60 awards will push ASOR over 300 scholarships and grants awarded since 2007 (see article from 2013 about ASOR’s scholarship programs!

Here is what some of the past recipients have to say:

“This hopefully-not-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity has definitely been one of the turning points in my life. It has proven to me that archaeology is really what I want to do for the rest of my life. And I owe it all to ASOR.” –Mariana Garcia de la Noceda, 2012 Platt Fellow

“The Platt Fellowship that I received helped me to be able to attend my second season in Huqoq. Experience is essential for everyone pursuing to continue on in the field of archaeology. Sometimes we need a little help to get there.” -Caroline Carter, 2012 Platt Fellow

Click here for more information on March Fellowship Madness. If you have already made a gift to ASOR and the student scholarship program, thank you! If you have not yet participated this year, please consider joining the March Fellowship Madness and help us send five more students into the field this summer.

Warm regards,
B. W. Ruffner, M. D.
Chair, ASOR Board of Trustees

Other ways you can donate:

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Call ASOR at 617-437-6570  703-789-9229

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Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729 James F. Strange Center
650 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor 209 Commerce Street
Boston, MA 02215 Alexandria, VA 22314

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March Fellowship Madness – 2014!

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MARCH FELLOWSHIP MADNESS

2014

It’s that time of year again—join the madness!

Every year, ASOR awards excavation fellowships to deserving students who want to go on a dig. We are fortunate to have a number of endowed funds as well as donors who have already funded 55 fellowships. Each March we ask our ASOR members and friends to join the madness and help us send more students into the field.

We hope that you will join the madness and help transform a student’s career by sending him or her into the field. You can support archaeology in a very direct way by giving any amount to March Fellowship Madness. Every gift matters, and donor participation helps encourage some of ASOR’s major donors to give $1,000 or more to support extra scholarships. Please consider a gift of $10 or more. ASOR does not charge any administrative fee for gifts made during March Fellowship Madness, so 100% of your contribution supports students who have a demonstrated need.

Other ways you can donate:

Donate by Phone

Call ASOR at 617-437-6570

Donate by Mail

Send a check to:

ASOR
P. O. Box 15729
650 Beacon Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02215

Make a Pledge (Donate Later)

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