The AIA promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster appreciation of diverse cultures; it supports archaeological research, the ethical practice of archaeology, education, and the preservation of the world’s archaeological heritage.
The Archaeological Institute of America channels most of its recent grantmaking into preservation and excavation work, with grants reaching universities, museums, and preservation groups rather than individuals. One of the largest recent awards went to the University of North Florida for a preservation/excavation grant, and another sizable grant supported the University of Chicago-v for the same purpose. That pattern fits the institute’s stated emphasis on archaeological inquiry, ethical practice, education, and the preservation of the world’s archaeological heritage. Recent awards show a mix of fieldwork, research, and site preservation support across institutions. Friends of Oberlin Village received a preservation/excavation grant, indicating attention to historically significant places as well as academic archaeology. California State University San Marcos Corporation also received a grant in this category, showing that the funder works with public universities as well as nonprofit preservation groups. The organization also uses its grantmaking to support archaeological scholarship and dissemination. Cambridge University Press appears among recent recipients, alongside the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and Penn Museum, pointing to a funding approach that includes publication and research infrastructure as well as excavation. Across the recent awards, the AIA’s support is project-based and tied to archaeology-focused purposes.
Archaeological fieldwork is a central theme in the foundation’s giving. The University of North Florida received $20,000 for preservation and excavation, while Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees received $13,721 for the same category of work. Publication and research dissemination also appear in the recent grants list. Cambridge University Press received $7,500 in 2024 and $7,000 in 2023, both listed as preservation/excavation grants, showing support for the production and circulation of archaeological scholarship. The institute also backs heritage-focused institutions. Smithsonian Institution received $8,750 for preservation and excavation, and Penn Museum received $7,000 in 2023. These awards align with the organization’s focus on archaeology, cultural heritage preservation, site conservation, and artifact-related work.
$72K
$17.5M
$7.2M
$6.6M
Most grants fall between $7K and $14K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$14K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in FL.
KEVIN QUINLAN
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Typical grants cluster in the mid-thousands: the 25th percentile is $7,000, the median is $8,750, and the 75th percentile is $14,000. Recent awards include both larger project grants and smaller support grants, all within a restricted, purpose-specific model. The listed programs also show that the AIA accepts unsolicited applications for several grant and fellowship lines, including research grants, field school scholarships, and society outreach grants. The recent grants list includes Cambridge University Press in both 2023 and 2024, suggesting some repeat support rather than purely one-off giving.
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States in the recent grants shown: 13 grants, or 100%, went to U.S.-based recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, and New York City appears through Cambridge University Press in New York, NY. Other recipient cities include Jacksonville, Chicago, Raleigh, San Marcos, Orlando, Carbondale, Washington, Philadelphia, Williamsport, and Ann Arbor. No grants in the recent list went to Massachusetts recipients, despite the foundation’s Boston headquarters.
Its recent awards center on preservation/excavation work, with support also tied to research, publication, site preservation, and archaeological training. The active grant programs include research grants, field school scholarships, fellowships, society outreach grants, and awards for fieldwork reports and volunteer service.
Yes for several programs. The AIA Research Grants, Jane C. Waldbaum Field School Scholarship, Anna C. & Oliver C. Colburn Fellowships, AIA Fellowships, Anna Marguerite McCann Award for Fieldwork Reports, AIA Society Outreach Grant Program, International Archaeology Day Society Grants, and Golden Trowel Award are all marked as accepting unsolicited applications.
Among recent grants, the 25th percentile is $7,000, the median is $8,750, and the 75th percentile is $14,000. Recent awards also include a $20,000 grant and several grants in the $7,000 to $7,500 range.
Recent grants went to universities, museums, preservation organizations, and related institutions. Examples in the recipient list include University of North Florida, Friends of Oberlin Village, Smithsonian Institution, Penn Museum, Cambridge University Press, and the Regents of the University of Michigan.
Recent grantmaking is national, with all 13 recent grants going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, while Massachusetts received 0% of the grants in the recent list.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CURATORS OF THE UNIV OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $8,500 | 2025 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO-V | CHICAGO, IL | $15,000 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS CORPORATION | SAN MARCOS, CA | $14,000 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| U OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUND | ORLANDO, FL | $13,975 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $8,750 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS | NEW YORK, NY | $7,500 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| LYCOMING COLLEGE | WILLIAMSPORT, PA | $7,000 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $5,969 | 2024 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $20,000 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| FRIENDS OF OBERLIN VILLAGE | RALEIGH, NC | $15,000 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES | CARBONDALE, IL | $13,721 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| AMERICAN SCH OF CLASS STUDIES AT ATHENS | PRINCETON, NJ | $7,500 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| PENN MUSEUM | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $7,000 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
| CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000 | 2023 | PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT |
CURATORS OF THE UNIV OF MISSOURI
$8,500PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO-V
$15,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS CORPORATION
$14,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
U OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUND
$13,975PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$8,750PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
$7,500PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
LYCOMING COLLEGE
$7,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$5,969PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
$20,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
FRIENDS OF OBERLIN VILLAGE
$15,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
$13,721PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
AMERICAN SCH OF CLASS STUDIES AT ATHENS
$7,500PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
PENN MUSEUM
$7,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
$7,000PRESERVATION/EXCAVATION GRANT
Current and upcoming funding from Archaeological Institute of America that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Dedicated to exploratory archaeological field surveys, especially for early-stage work.
Deadline: Deadline: November 1, 2025
Who can apply: Open to AIA Local Societies (affiliated local AIA societies). Specific eligibility details are on the Society Grants & Awards pages.
Who can apply: Rapid, flexible funding in response to urgent threats facing archaeological sites.
Who can apply: AIA Local Societies; awarded based on proportional membership increase during the fiscal year.
Who can apply: Open to AIA Local Societies; societies produce and submit materials (flyers, websites, media) for consideration. See program page for rules.
Who can apply: AIA local societies.
Deadline: Deadline: September 30, 2026
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