"Take a Chance" Grant

The Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) offers support of up to $1,000 to help defray costs for innovative conservation research or projects that may not otherwise be funded.

Submission Deadline: February 1

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• An important component of this grant is dissemination of the project results, regardless of the project outcome.
• By definition, not all risks will be successful. However, even negative results may be helpful for future projects and research.
• Applicants must be current members of AIC.
• The grant is intended to encourage imaginative and innovative projects; therefore, funds may be used for any purposes that are relevant to the project.
• Since other FAIC scholarships and grants are available for attending courses, workshops, and seminars, applications for these types of projects are unlikely to be considered for funding.

Grant History

The “Take a Chance” fund was established in honor of Carolyn Rose, Chairman of the Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History and internationally recognized leader and educator in conservation, who died August 29, 2002 at the age of 53.
 
Throughout her career, Carolyn Rose often remarked that she was able to investigate ideas and pursue unconventional lines of research because she had the backing and support of a major research institution. As a teacher and mentor for many conservators working today, she encouraged creativity and broad thinking in her students. She also recognized that few people have the opportunity she had to follow an idea either to a successful outcome or perhaps a dead end, and wanted to be able to give others the opportunity to “take a chance” (her words) on an idea, even if it came to nothing. In honor of Carolyn’s spirit of encouragement and of her career, the “Take a Chance” Grant has been established to support unorthodox projects.

Criteria for Review·       

• Applicant must be current member of AIC.
• Imaginative or innovative project.
• Clearly articulated goals and timeline for the project
• Usefulness of project to the applicant and/or the conservation field.
• Qualifications of applicant to conduct project.
• Plan to disseminate outcomes of project (whether project is successful or not).
• Appropriateness of budget; financial need may be considered.
• Preference may be given to applicants who have considered how their project could benefit an underserved community or little known/worked on factor of cultural heritage.

Application Process

 Applications are submitted through our online application portal. When you enter the portal, you will be prompted to login to the system using a login ID and password. If you already have an account (this should be the case if you are an AIC member or have participated in an AIC or FAIC program), use the same login information you use to access that account. If you do not have an account in the system, you can quickly set one up before you begin your application.

The online form will take you through the four sections of the application:

1. Applicant information (name and contact information, resume/CV, etc.)
2. Project information (description of the project and how it will help you advance professionally)
3. Reference information (name and email of reference)
4. Budget information (project costs and FAIC funding request)

An optional reference may be submitted electronically. Once an applicant submits their reference information, the reference will receive an email with a link directly to the application portal where they will complete a brief form regarding their support for the application. Recommendations submitted will not be visible to the applicant.

You can save and return to your application later to complete it. When you are satisfied with your responses, “save and finalize” to submit your application. Once the application has been submitted, you cannot return to edit the form.

Applications will be reviewed by a committee and a recommendation will be made to the FAIC board for final approval. Reviewers will follow the Reviewer Guidelines and an established evaluation rubric based on the criteria for review to evaluate all applications. Notification of awards will be six - eight weeks after each deadline. Projects should take place six weeks to twelve months after the application deadline.

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Final Report

A final report consisting of a 500 - 1,000 word narrative, at least two images, and a final budget summarizing the expenses and sources of revenue is due within 30 days of completion of the project. Final reports should be sent to funding@culturalheritage.org and are required to be eligible for future funding. Reports may be published in part or in full by FAIC, including posting on our website.