Outside Funding Opportunities

The grants outlined here are mostly aimed towards developing nations.

Ambassadors Fund For Cultural Preservation
Organization: U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation provides direct grant support to cultural heritage preservation projects in over 100 developing countries.  In 2016, 39 grants were given.
* only for eligible developing countries
Contact: afcp@state.gov
Range: 2013 (latest data available): $20,000-$700,000.

Earthwatch Institute
Earthwatch’s  overarching goal is to support research projects that produce rigorous, relevant, and impactful science, address global change, and actively involve citizen-scientist participants. We distribute requests for proposals (RFPs) annually. We evaluate proposals based on scientific merit, appropriateness of citizen-scientist activities, expected project outcomes and impacts, safety, and logistics. We provide funding for 3 years, subject to passing an annual performance review. Funding is renewable, upon submitting a research renewal proposal.  
Contact: research@earthwatch.org
Range: $20,000-$80,000

World Monuments Watch
Organization: World Monuments Fund
Every two years since 1996, the World Monuments Watch calls international attention to cultural heritage sites around the world that are at risk from the forces of nature or the impact of social, political, and economic change. The 2018 World Monuments Watch continues this tradition of identifying places with compelling opportunities for positive change. As the flagship advocacy program of World Monuments Fund, the World Monuments Watch is emblematic of our commitment to inspiring heritage stewardship, forging partnerships, and advancing conservation. Since its inception, the program has included 790 sites in 135 countries and territories around the world.
* WMF is not currently taking nominations, but will in the fall of 2018.
Contact: wmf@wmf.org

World Heritage Fund – International Assistance – Emergency Assistance
Organization: UNESCO
Available for sites inscribed, or with the potential to be inscribed, on the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Fund provides about US$4 million annually to support activities requested by States Parties in need of international assistance. Assistance granted by the World Heritage Committee may take the following forms: studies concerning the artistic, scientific and technical problems raised by the protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage; provisions of experts, technicians and skilled labor to ensure that the approved work is correctly carried out; training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage; supply of equipment which the State concerned does not possess or is not in a position to acquire; low-interest or interest-free loans which might be repayable on a long-term basis; the granting, in exceptional cases and for special reasons, of non-repayable subsidies.
Contact: wh-info@unesco.org
Range: Up to $75,000+

Worldwide Grant Program
Organization: Tourism Cares
Since 2004, Globus—a worldwide leader in escorted travel— has supported grants for the preservation and restoration of exceptional North and South American sites. Most recently they targeted “American Icons” for their preservation and restoration funding. The growing collection of sites represents the diverse geography and beauty of the world. With more than $250,000 contributed to date, Globus continues to utilize both customer and travel agent communication to spread the word about Tourism Cares’ work. Also available is the Bob Whitley Memorial Fund. Bob was instrumental in USTOA’s creation of the Travelers Conservation Foundation (TCF) in 1999 to preserve the travel experience for future generations. Five years later, he also applauded the expansion of TCF, working with other industry associations to create Tourism Cares, and support the education of the travel industry’s future workforce and expand its outreach through volunteerism and giving back by people who make their living in the travel and tourism industry.Thanks to Bob’s friends in USTOA and beyond, the memorial fund has raised nearly $55,000. The fund continues to grow thanks to support from Tauck, and the ongoing support of Travel Weekly’s annual Golf Shootout.

Contact: info@tourismcares.org

American Express Corporate Responsibility 
Those looking to apply must complete an eligibity quiz, and upon successful completion of the eligibility quiz, you will be sent an invitation to submit your funding proposal.
Contact:
American Express Philanthropy
Funding Priority 
(Select One: Historic Preservation, Leadership and Community Service)
3 World Financial Center
Mail code 01-48-04
New York, NY 10285-4804 

The World Bank
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. They are not a bank in the common sense. They have contributed in the past to important heritage projects.
Contact: The World Bank
1818 H Street, NW 
USA
Washington, DC 20433

Italian Trust Fund for Culture and Sustainable Development
The purpose of the ITFCSD is to assist the World Bank in the implementation of initiatives that advance the preservation, promotion and management of cultural assets and enhance cultural heritage related activities in developing countries, particularly those located in the Mediterranean Region. The ITFCSD resources have been financed 20 projects between February 2002 and January 2004, for a total amount of about US$ 4.5 million. Investments have been made in 14 countries, both within the Mediterranean basin and worldwide, namely in Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Jordan, India, Iran, Macedonia, Morocco, Pakistan, Tunisia, Yemen.
Contact: urban_chst@worldbank.org
Range: $70,000-$423,842.41

Heinz Family Philanthropies
The Grants for Archeological Research program fills critical needs. It works to both counteract the rapid destruction of archaeological sites resulting from looting and industrial impact and supplant diminished (or nonexistent) Latin-American institutional or governmental funding for cultural heritage preservation and investigation . The program provides seed grants to conduct the preliminary research necessary in order to qualify for and request funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), or the National Geographic Society (NGS). It tends to select self-contained projects that can be completed in a single field season. And it focuses funding dollars on projects that 1) are linked to larger research programs, and 2) have strong logistical support. Generally, four to five projects are funded annually.
Contact: The Heinz Endowments
Howard Heinz Endowment
Vira I. Heinz Endowment
30 EQT Plaza
625 Liberty Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3115
info@heinz.org 

Industrial Heritage Preservation Grants
The Society for Industrial Archeology offers Industrial Heritage Preservation Grants for the study, documentation, recordation, and/or preservation of significant historic industrial sites, structures, and objects. Awards are made to nonprofit organizations and qualified individuals. Contributions of in-kind services, as well as cash resources from the sponsoring and cosponsoring agencies may qualify for matching purposes. Funds may be used for a range of projects including, but not limited to: increasing public awareness of preservation efforts, photography, videography, preparing inventories and developing measured drawings of extant significant industrial sites, structures, maritime facilities and industrial artifacts. Grant recipients must agree to prepare a written summary of their project suitable for publication in either the SIA Newsletter and/or for Industrial Archeology, the Society’s scholarly journal.
Contact: sia@siahq.org
Range: $1,000-$3,000

Environmental & Cultural Preservation Grant Program
Organization: The Tiffany & Co. Foundation
The Foundation recognizes the important role that environmental and cultural sites play in local communities worldwide. To this end, the Foundation supports the enhancement of urban environments and culturally significant landmarks through two goals: improving the urban parks experience by supporting infrastructure improvements and beautification efforts in existing parks and by supporting the creation of additional green spaces; and promoting and preserving culturally significant places and spaces internationally.
Contact: FOUDATION@TIFFANY.COM
Range: $2,000-$3 million

The Cultural Emergency Response Programme
Organization: Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development
The Cultural Emergency Response (CER) programme provides quick action towards stabilizing or rescuing cultural heritage damaged or under imminent threat by natural disasters or conflict. The programme implements its cultural emergency relief actions in direct cooperation with local partners in the affected communities. Contributions from CER range from supporting immediate damage assessment missions to support for basic repairs or other quick interventions required to rescue cultural heritage from a man-made or natural disaster that has occurred no longer than six months ago.
Contact: Herengracht 603
1017 CE Amsterdam
info@princeclausfund.nl