About
The AWA Microgrant program offers up to (U.S.) $200 grants to archaeology students, emerging professionals, and tribal heritage-related employees in the Pacific Northwestern United States (PNW). These are "no-questions-asked" grants which can be used to support any number of things, including (but definitely not limited to) childcare, rent, equipment, tuition, fees, car repair, or general assistance with any cash-flow problem. They're inspired by similar grants offered by Sportula and the Black Trowel Collective [1].
Grants are handed out once per month, with priority currently going to applicants from excluded, marginalized, or working class/low-income communities or identities, or from those that have experienced colonialism or imperialism. That being said, all individuals are welcome to apply, and the AWA will make efforts to fund all applicants in time.
Grants are primarily awarded through PayPal. However, if you absolutely cannot do PayPal, just let us know (via the email address or form below) and we'll see what we can do. Grants are primarily supported through donations from AWA members and others.
For more information, see our FAQs below! If you have further questions, feel free to contact the AWA Grants and Scholarships Committee at [email protected].
Grants are handed out once per month, with priority currently going to applicants from excluded, marginalized, or working class/low-income communities or identities, or from those that have experienced colonialism or imperialism. That being said, all individuals are welcome to apply, and the AWA will make efforts to fund all applicants in time.
Grants are primarily awarded through PayPal. However, if you absolutely cannot do PayPal, just let us know (via the email address or form below) and we'll see what we can do. Grants are primarily supported through donations from AWA members and others.
For more information, see our FAQs below! If you have further questions, feel free to contact the AWA Grants and Scholarships Committee at [email protected].
[1] Elements of this grant, including some text, are borrowed with permission from Black Trowel Collective. Conceptually, we draw on both BTC and Sportula for inspiration.
Apply for a Microgrant
Interested in applying? Please fill out the form here.
Support the Microgrant Program
Interested in supporting?? Click on the green Donate button below to contribute to the General Fund to support this Microgrant Program. Select one of the pre-set donation amounts, or select Other to type in your own amount. Fees will automatically calculate and you will have an option to cover the processing fees. Please also consider using the monthly donation option to provide ongoing support for future Microgrants if you are able. Monthly subscriptions can be canceled any time.
Please Add the Note "For Microgrant" after the + while donating so we can track your contribution. Thanks!
For questions about making a one-time donation to AWA or monthly contributions via Paypal please contact the Treasurer.
If you cannot donate to the AWA Microgrant Program, or want to do more than make a monetary contribution, please consider joining the AWA Grants and Scholarships Committee that administers all the AWA grants!
Annual and Six-Month Reports
Below you'll find PDF copies of our annual and six-month reports. These are published here for transparency.
| 2022.11.12 - AWA Microgrant Initial Six Month Evaluation |
| 2023.10.07 - AWA Microgrant 6 Month Report.pdf |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the AWA Microgrant?
- Who do you help?
- Do I have to be an AWA member to get a grant?
- "Emerging professional"? "Tribal heritage-related employee"? What does all that mean?
- What do I need to bring with me to apply?
- Wait, you said "no-questions-asked." What's with the comment box?
- Can you fund people outside of the United States? Can you fund International Students?
- How does it work?
- How long does it take to get the money?
- Where does the money come from?
- Do I have to pay the money back?
- How often can I apply?
- What if I need more money?
- What about my privacy?
- How can I help?
- Who do I contact if I have more questions, or want to get involved?
What is the AWA Microgrant?
The AWA Microgrant provides money to archaeology students, emerging professionals, and Tribal heritage-related employees in the Pacific Northwestern United States in a manner that minimizes the amount of hoops they need to jump through to get said money. These microgrants are "no-questions-asked" awards. AWA will not ask people to "prove" to us that they need the money (such as by asking for invasive details like income level) or that they somehow deserve it (such as by asking for essays or transcripts, like a scholarship might). Too often, workers in archaeology and heritage-related fields, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, are expected to do extra labor to demonstrate their need and get access to resources that, in a more equitable society, they would already have (or not need). This poses a major hurdle to helping said individuals, as it discourages people from applying for monies they might otherwise need.
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Who do you help?
The grant is for students or emerging professionals living in or working in the US PNW who are:
- Enrolled archaeology/anthropology/museology/other heritage students (university, community college, tribal college, etc.) in need of financial assistance or support while in school (e.g. tuition, books, fees, rent, gas, child care, etc.);
- In need of financial assistance for archaeological field schools, workshops, and other professional development opportunities (fees, tuition, child care costs, gas, rent, etc.), and/or;
- Emerging professionals (such as archaeological technicians) and/or Tribal heritage-related employees in need of cash for personal field gear (i.e. trowels, boots, pants, safety gear, Munsell books, measuring tapes, etc.), for addressing cash flow problems (e.g. a period of low employment, illness, rent or utilities, food, childcare issues, etc.), or for other general financial assistance.
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Do I have to be a member of the AWA to get a grant?
Absolutely not! We do encourage anyone interested to join the AWA, and a number of free memberships are available for those cannot afford membership. But AWA membership is not a requirement for getting a microgrant.
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"Emerging professional"? "Tribal heritage-related employee"? What does all that mean?
"Emerging professional" simply means people who are just emerging into the field, professionally speaking. It would typically include new field technicians, but could also include others.
"Tribal heritage-related employee" means an employee of a Tribe engaged in heritage-related work. We have deliberately left that definition vague, as we recognize that what archaeology traditionally considers heritage is often much more restrictive than what many Tribes consider to be heritage, and we want to be as supportive as possible.
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What do I need to bring with me to apply?
The Google Form will ask the following questions:
- A contact email. If you are a student, use your student email. If you are not a student, use an email that you feel comfortable being contacted on!
- Your name and which of the three categories above you fall into (you can pick more than one!)
- Some verifying information. For students, we ask about your school, department, and major. For non-students, we ask for a job description or description of a recent job you did. This is to help with quality-control.
- We ask you to affirm that you are residing or living in the U.S. and are working or living in the PNW.
- Payment details (amount requested, PayPal ID)
- When you need the money
- Comments on your background or situation (entirely optional!)
- A request to use comments you provide us on social media or reports (anonymously, of course!)
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Wait, you said "no-questions-asked." What's with the comment box?
This is a totally non-mandatory field and you are free to skip it. It will have no impact on your request. It is there to give us an idea of the most pressing needs of students and help us evolve this initiative accordingly. But again, and we can’t stress this enough, you don’t have to explain yourself.
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Can you fund people outside of the United States? Can you fund International Students?
At the moment, we are unable to fund anyone who is not living in or residing in the United States. We realize that a large chunk of the Pacific Northwest is in Canada, and that people living internationally may be working in the PNW. Unfortunately, we are unable to fund such people at this time.
We can fund international students, so long as they're residing in or living in the United States and meet all other criteria.
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How does it work?
Applicants should apply using the Google Form linked above. Grants are dispersed once per month. Those running the microgrant program will organize the list of applicants. If there isn't enough money to fund everyone that month, we'll prioritize them (see below!). Within the first seven days or so of each month, the Grants and Scholarships Committee will review and approve the list of previous month's applicants. After that, on the first or second Saturday of the month, the AWA Treasurer will disperse the grants through PayPal.
In general, we seek to fund everyone who applies. However, there may be times in which we have more applicants than funds in a given month. In those cases, we typically award on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a few caveats.
Applicants who applied but were not funded in previous months are a higher priority, in order to ensure they get money in a timely fashion. Furthermore, due to limited funds, as of November 1, 2022, applicants who have received funds in previous months are ranked lower relative to how much money they have received.
The AWA will prioritize applicants from historically excluded or marginalized communities, or those that have experienced colonialism or imperialism. ALL individuals are welcome and encouraged to apply for microgrants, and the Committee will make every effort to fund everyone in a timely manner. At the same time, AWA recognizes that archaeology, in its current form, is ethnicity, class, ability, and gender-biased and discourages or even forbids minoritized folk and those from low income or working-class backgrounds from participation. Extremely high tuition, fees, and field school costs are what awaits those in school, and even after graduating, archaeologists face the possibility of low pay, entry-level jobs with excessive requirements, costly field gear, and inconsistent and unreliable work schedules.
Finally, we may prioritize in other ways in the future.
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How long does it take to get the money?
You should expect to receive money within the first two weeks of the following month. If you apply in January, and are awarded a grant, you should receive money by mid-February.
If PayPal doesn't work for you, and we find another way to get you money, you may experience a delay in receiving your award.
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Where does the money come from?
The grant is funded by donations from AWA members and members of the public. The Grants and Scholarships Committee is also working on finding other sources of funding.
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Do I have to pay the money back?
Absolutely not! However, at some point in the future, if you do find yourself in a more financially stable position, consider "giving back" by donating to the microgrant fund.
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How often can I apply?
There are no limits to the number of times a person can apply. However, the grant is not intended to be a source of monthly income for people, and the AWA will generally prioritize those who haven't received grants over those who have.
That being said, we trust you! If you say you need the money, then we'll work to get you the money.
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What if I need more money?
As noted above, you can apply to grant again in the future. But if you need more money more quickly, consider these options:
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As noted above, you can apply to grant again in the future. But if you need more money more quickly, consider these options:
- If you are an archaeology student from a working class or historically looted community, consider also applying through Black Trowel Collective.
- If you are a Classics student, consider applying through The Sportula.
- If you are Native American, consider the SAA's Native American Scholarships Fund.
- If you are from a historically underrepresented group in archaeology, consider the SAA's Historically Underrepresented Groups Scholarship.
- If you are a student from an underpresented background in archaeology, consider the SHA's Harriet Tubman Student Travel Awards.
- If you are an AWA member and a student, and in need of funds for research or to give a conference presentation, try our AWA Student Research Grant and Student Research Presentation Grant!
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What about my privacy?
Your privacy is important to us! The Grants and Scholarships Committee will maintain anonymity of all who apply. Responses to application questions will only be seen by members of the Committee and the AWA Treasurer, and will not be shared beyond this group unless given permission.
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I want to help! How can I do so?
That's great to hear! If you have the money, consider donating to the fund.
If you don't have the money, or if you want to do more, consider sharing the fund through your personal and online networks, friends, colleagues, and whatnot.
Consider too volunteering to help out on the Grants and Scholarships Committee. We could always use the help, and the more people we have, the more we can do to support students and professionals in the Pacific Northwest.
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Who do I contact if I have more questions, or want to get involved?
You can contact the AWA Grants and Scholarships Commitee at [email protected].
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