• The furtherance of archaeological knowledge in the context of the finite nature of the archaeological resource
  • Standalone questions into which research excavation might provide an original/innovative contribution to archaeological knowledge.
  • This scheme is open to archaeological researchers/archaeologists, including PhD students, for work in Ireland (including Northern Ireland). It is not open to undergraduate or other postgraduate students.
  • The Committee does not normally consider projects where the applicant will not be the excavation licence holder (unless there are exceptional circumstances which will be examined on a case-by-case basis).

• Research excavation costs including excavation staff*, excavation running costs, post-excavation staff and running costs, specialists’ fees and services, travel and subsistence expenses, scientific analyses.

• In cases of continuing excavation the obligation remains for reasonably anticipated post-excavation analysis to be included – this should be explicitly costed and programmed.

• In cases of continuing projects each subsequent application should consider a specific research question or questions, which should be capable of being addressed in that season (this is in case no further funding is forthcoming for further seasons).

• Grant funding a project in one year does not commit the RIA to funding further years of excavation nor to funding additional post-excavation costs.

• Applicants must list any current sources of research funding and justify why additional funds are sought from the RIA.

*Salary costs of grant recipients and research team members are considered an eligible cost if, in order to participate in the project they must have their time ‘bought out’, or they must take time out from their usual employment, or would not be financially supported do this work without the grant funding and are not simultaneously in receipt of another income. As the Academy can only reimburse costs which are supported by evidence of payment, any request to reimburse salary costs must be supported by evidence that the salary has been paid (in the form of payslips, paid invoices etc.) from the employing body.

• Applications for the funding of developer-led or commercial excavations.

• Applications for projects directly connected to undergraduate or Masters-level studies in a third level institution.

• The grant does not fund institutional overheads, and the grant cannot be used to cover any element that should be properly ascribed to institutional overheads (e.g. computer hardware including laptops, electronic notebooks, digital cameras, etc; lab / bench fees, books and other permanent resources).

• Applications from any applicant with one or more excavation reports outstanding to the Licensing Authority unless they have agreed a submission date for outstanding licences and have an official Compliance Letter from NMS agreeing to this.

• Applications from any applicant who has been previously funded by the Academy for projects which have not completed post-excavation analysis to the standard required by licence criteria, including projects where the applicant was a co-investigator.

• Applicants are reminded that research excavations offer an opportunity for students of archaeology to gain practical experience. Applicants should note however that activities peripheral to the research excavation, e.g. offsite training, fieldtrips etc, are ineligible.

• The purchase of items of equipment (e.g. cameras or survey equipment) that researchers would normally be expected to have are ineligible.