UNEARTHING THE PAST SINCE 1900

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).

Application Deadline:
February 23, 2026

Universal Grant Application (for all grants)

Sample blank grant application (PDF)

Members of the Menorca Archaeological Project during their "Open Doors Day" for the public.
Members of the Menorca Archaeological Project during their “Open Doors Day” for the public. Photo credit: A. Smith.

Grants to Support Archaeological 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 2026.
  • Stevan B. Dana Project Grant for Israel: Three grants of $5,000 is available for 2026. These funds support ASOR-affiliated projects in Israel.
    Figure 1 The project team in front of al-Khazneh (the Treasury) in Petra (from left to right, Dr. Björn Anderson, Dr. Jennifer Ramsay, Dr. Craig Harvey, Dr. Amanda Harman, Josh Feland and Abdullah al-Saket).

    The “Exploring Continuity and Transition in Southern Jordan”project team in front of al-Khazneh (the Treasury) in Petra (from left to right, Dr. Björn Anderson, Dr. Jennifer Ramsay, Dr. Craig Harvey, Dr. Amanda Harman, Josh Feland and Abdullah al-Saket).

  • Lawrence T. Geraty Community Archaeology Grant: One grant of $4,500 is available for 2026. These grants are designed to support projects that will incentivize local engagement with protection, preservation, and presentation of archaeological sites in Jordan.
  • Denise L. Gold Project Grant: Pending the receipt of funds, one grant of $2,500 will be available for 2026. This grant was made possible by annual gifts beginning in 2017.
  • Charles Harris Project Grant: Two  grants of $5,000 each will be awarded for 2026. This grant is made possible by a generous endowment given by the late Rev. Charles Harris.
  • Joe D. Seger Project Grant: One grant of $2,500 (match required) is available for the summer of 2026. This grant is made possible in 2016 through generous gifts made by an anonymous donor and by friends and students of Joe D. Seger.
  • 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.


Apply for ASOR Affiliation for a Project

List of Previous Recipients

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, which should be emailed to programs@asor.org.

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.

Disclaimer: If for any reason many archaeological excavations cannot take place during 2026, 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 2026. 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 2026. If the pandemic or any other reason causes a cancellation of fieldwork in 2026, applicants must reapply for funding in 2027 (or for stipends if they can be made available in 2026).

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