Funding

American Philosophical Society Phillips Fund for Native American Research: The Phillips Fund of the American Philosophical Society provides grants for research in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. The grants are intended for such costs as travel, audio and video recordings, and consultants’ fees. Grants are not made for projects in archaeology, ethnography, or psycholinguistics; for the purchase of permanent equipment; or for the preparation of pedagogical materials. The committee distinguishes ethnohistory from contemporary ethnography as the study of cultures and cultural change through time.

Fulbright Fellowships: Fulbright Fellowships provides opportunities for U.S. citizens to serve in professional placements in a foreign government ministry or institution in partner governments. Fulbright Fellows build mutual understanding and contribute to strengthening the public sector while gaining hands-on public sector experience. The Fulbright Fellowship also includes an independent academic study/research component. Fulbright Fellows function in a “special assistant” role for a senior level official. The goal of the professional placements is to build the Fellows’ knowledge and skills, provide support to partner country institutions, and promote long-term ties between the U.S. and the partner country. The U.S. Embassy, with the Fulbright Commission (where applicable), will identify host ministries and provide administrative support and oversight during the Fellow’s program.

Graham Foundation Carter Manny Award
:Two grants of up to $20,000 to support research or writing for a dissertation directed towards architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, engineering, architectural technologies, architectural research, architectural history and theory, urban design and planning and in some circumstances the fine arts in relation to architectural topics. Award requires admission to candidacy and the student must have completed all other degree requirements, except the dissertation, at the time of application. A student may not apply more than once for the Award. Students must be nominated through their departments to be eligible.

Herb Society of America Research Grant: The purpose of the Research Grant Program is to further the knowledge and use of herbs. This grant supports the research of the horticultural, scientific, and/or medicinal use of herbs throughout history. Research must define an herb as historically useful for flavoring, medicine, economic, industrial, or cosmetic purposes and have the potential to significantly increase the knowledge of the field. The total amount for this grant is $10,000 annually. This grant is intended to support small, self-contained research projects over a short period of time. 

International Primatological Society: Research Grants:The Research Committee of IPS awards grants of up to $1500 to support outstanding primate research proposals. We invite proposals for primate-oriented research projects with a strong theoretical component. These projects can be conducted in the field and/or in captivity. Scientific excellence will be the primary selection criterion.

Jacobs Research Fund, Whatcom Museum Society
:Grants of up to $3000 supporting anthropological research (socio-cultural or linguistic in content) on the indigenous peoples of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, including Alaska, with a preference for the Pacific Northwest. Grants are given for work on problems in: language, social organization, political organization, religion, mythology, music, other arts, psychology, and folk science. No citizenship restrictions.  Open to students at all levels of a degree program so long as the project is relevant.

Lois Roth Endowment: Offers travelling research grants for fieldwork in Australia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Turkey.  See the website for more information about the funding opportunities available for each country.

National Endowment for the Humanities Grants: Provides research funding for a range of projects in the humanities. 

National Geographic Society Grants and Investments:Funds individuals working on projects in science, conservation, storytelling, education, and technology that align with one or more of our focus areas (Ocean, Wildlife, Land, Human Histories & Cultures, Human Ingenuity). The initiative actively seeks to help individuals network, connect, and learn with National Geographic and each other, empower them with cutting-edge tools, technology, and training, and further their impact and recognition through our storytelling.

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program: GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated the potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers, early in their careers. Applicants must be pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education at accredited US institutions.

National Science Foundation Archaeology Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Awards:Supports doctoral laboratory and field research on archaeologically relevant topics, with the goal of increasing anthropologically focused understanding of the past. The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. The program sets no priorities by either geographic region or time period.

National Science Foundation Archaeology Program Senior Research Awards (Arch-SR):Supports archaeological laboratory and field research with the goal of understanding the processes that have shaped past behavior in humans and their fossil relatives. The Archaeology Program supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research to increase understanding of past behaviors. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. It is the responsibility of the investigator to explain convincingly why the focus of their research is significant and has the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge.

National Science Foundation Dynamics of Integrated Socio-Environmental Systems (DISES): The DISES Program supports research projects that advance basic scientific understanding of integrated socio-environmental systems and the complex interactions (dynamics, processes, and feedbacks) within and among the environmental (biological, physical and chemical) and human (“socio”) (economic, social, political, or behavioral) components of such a system.  The program seeks proposals that emphasize the truly integrated nature of a socio-environmental system versus two discrete systems (a natural one and a human one) that are coupled.  DISES projects must explore a connected and integrated socio-environmental system that includes explicit analysis of the processes and dynamics between the environmental and human components of the system.

Rust Family Foundation Archaeology Grants Program: Funds archaeological fieldwork, labwork, conservation, and anything else that the foundation considers to constitute “the development of primary archaeological evidence.”

Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Native American Scholarships Fund: The Native American Scholarships endowment fund was established in 1988 to foster a sense of shared purpose and positive interaction between archaeologists and Native Americans. Scholarships are open to all Native peoples from anywhere in the Americas, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Islanders. See scholarship descriptions above for any other eligibility requirements. 

Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Historically Underrepresented Groups Scholarship (HUGS): The Student Excellence in Archaeology Scholarship (SEAS) (formerly the Historically Underrepresented Groups Scholarship) endowment fund was established in 2010 to increase recruitment and retention of under represented minorities obtaining degrees in archaeology. Embracing diversity in heritage and narratives is key to understanding the past. To apply for a SEAS, you must be a member of historically underrepresented minorities in archaeology, including but not restricted to African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, and other non European minorities, and you must be a resident of either the United States or Canada. 

Social Sciences Research CouncilInternational Dissertation Research Fellowships [IDRF]: Support for social scientists and humanists to conduct 9-12 months of dissertation field research on all areas or regions of the world outside of the US. The IDRF program is committed to scholarship that advances knowledge about non-US cultures and societies grounded in empirical and site-specific research (involving fieldwork, research in archival or manuscript collections, or quantitative data collection). The program promotes research that is situated in a specific discipline and geographical region and is engaged with interdisciplinary and cross-regional perspectives. Winners must have completed all doctoral requirements except on-site research by the time the fellowship begins in December.  Approximately 75 fellowships of approximately $22,000 each will be awarded; there is no citizenship requirement. 

The Explorers Club:The Explorers Club offers grants to students conducting individual scientific or exploration research projects through their respective schools with a supervising instructor.  Our awards typically range from $500-1500. A few awards may be granted up to a $5000 award level. Exploration Fund, for graduate, post-graduate, doctorate and early career post-doctoral students, provides grants in support of exploration and field research for those who are just beginning their research careers. Our awards typically range from $500-1500 US for both funds. A few awards may be granted up to a $5000 award level.

The Leakey Foundation: The Leakey Foundation was formed to foster research into human origins. The Foundation exclusively funds research related specifically to human origins, including paleoanthropology, genetics, primate behavior, and studies of modern hunter-gatherer groups. Other areas of study are generally not funded. Research Grants are awarded twice annually and constitute the majority of the Foundation’s grant program. The Foundation funds research related specifically to human origins.

Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Inc.:Dissertation Fieldwork Grants of up to $20,000 to support basic research in all branches of anthropology. No citizenship requirement. Application is on-line, but must be filed out and submitted both electronically and in hard copy.  Applicants are also encouraged to apply for the Osmudsen Initiative supplement for an additional $5,000 award.

ASOR (American Society of Overseas Research) Scholarships for Fieldwork Participation: ASOR offers grants/fellowships for fieldwork participation, and lists some other potentially relevant fellowship sources.