Archaeology Research Excavation Grant

RIA Standing Committee for Archaeology

Archaeology Research Excavation Grants for the year 2025

Submission deadline: 17.00 (GMT), 17 March 2025.
Please read the 'Guidelines for Applicants' with care as failure to follow guidelines may result in your application being rejected.

Previous knowledge of the site/research/individuals involved should not be assumed as the application will be assessed purely on the basis of the information submitted within this form.

Please ensure that you do not repeat answers across different sections of the application form as each question requires different information.

Please direct all queries to: grants@ria.ie with the subject line RIA Research Excavation Grants

Please note: the form cannot be saved and returned to later - it must be completed in one sitting.

It is advised to draft the application in a word document and copy/paste the information before submitting.
1. Project Overview
a) Title of Proposed Project:*
b) Type of Application*

New Excavation (not previously received RIA funding)Continuing Excavation (previously received RIA funding)Post-excavation (previously received RIA funding - only available in exceptional circumstances)Preparatory surveysReportingPublicationArchiving and accessing
c) This question applies to previously funded projects only

Please tick this box if you are still in possession of objects/archives from previously funded RIA projects.
If you have ticked 'yes' above please provide a detailed assessment on the status of the post-excavation work.
d) Please provide a brief abstract (for publicising funded projects etc.) *

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2. Details of Applicant
a) First name:*
Surname:*
b) Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityCounty

Postcode/Eircode
c) Phone:*
d) Email:*
e) What is your gender?*

Male (including trans-male)Female (including trans-female)Non-binaryOtherPrefer not to say
3. Project Rationale

Criterion: The relevance of the proposal to the aims and priorities of this archaeological research grant (30%)
a) Site Name:*
b)Townland:
c) County:
d) Grid Reference:
e) Provide the name and addresses of landowner(s): (Refer to Guidelines for applicants)
f) Please provide evidence in writing of permission in principle for the excavation from landowner, or from relevant NMS staff: *

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g) Please provide the name of the senior supervisor for the project, and list their qualifications
h) Location map: upload a photocopy of the relevant section of the Ordnance Survey map with the site or sites marked.(Refer to Guidelines for applicants)*

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i) Upload an adequate site plan with the site or sites marked (Refer to Guidelines for applicants)*

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j) Duration of work carried out to date at site:
k) Expected further duration of work at site (including season applied for):
l) a brief description of the site (Max 250 words)*

0/250
m) a list of associated published references (Max 250 words).

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n) Please outline your central research questions (Max 500 words): *

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o) Outline what is the estimated contribution to archaeological knowledge (Max 500 words)*

0/500
4. Employment and Experience

Criterion: Ability of applicant and team to carry out the proposed research, demonstrated through a track record of relevant competencies (weighting 30%, maximum 1,500 words, plus referee letter)
a) Are you presently employed?

YesNo
Employer:
b) Have you previously directed an archaeological excavation?

YesNo
c) Please outline when you became eligible to hold an excavation license (if applicable):
d) Please outline details of qualifications, employment or experience which demonstrate your ability to carry out the proposed research. (Max 1000 words):

0/1000
e) Please outline details of qualifications, employment or experience of any specialists/team members which demonstrate their ability to carry out the proposed research. (Max 1000 words):

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f) Please give the names and addresses of two referees who are competent to judge your ability to undertake the research, have agreed to confirm this in writing and who are independent of the project. The exception is where an application is made by a PhD student, in which case that reference must be from their supervisor. Please upload a letter of verification from one named referee confirming the applicant’s competence to undertake the research.
Referee One*

First NameLast Name
Address of Referee One

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityCounty

Postcode/Eircode
Referee Two*

First NameLast Name
Address of Referee Two

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityCounty

Postcode/Eircode
Please upload a letter of verification from one named referee.*

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g) Please outline publication details of the last two excavations you directed, or geophysical surveys carried out (if applicable):

Publication is taken not just to include reports submitted in respect of archaeological excavation licence requirements, but also open access reports, peer reviewed papers as well as general readership articles e.g. Archaeology Ireland and local journals
One
Two
h) Please outline the names of any other unpublished excavations you directed, or for which you were project co-investigator, with reasons for non-publication. The Grants subcommittee is obliged to disqualify an applicant with one or more excavation reports outstanding to the Licensing Authority unless they have agreed a submission date for outstanding licenses and have an official Compliance Letter from NMS agreeing to this. "Publication" here includes the submission of a full final excavation report to The National Monuments Section (DCHG), or to the Committee.
i) I confirm that I am not ineligible in terms of this application in that I do not have any outstanding statutory reports required under statutory consent/licence either as a site director or as project co-investigator.*

I confirm
j) I consent to the Academy liaising with the National Monuments Service to verify my status in terms of submission of reports deriving from statutory consent/licence.*

I confirm
k) If you have not previously directed excavations, please list the last four you have particpated in, indicating (i) duration of excavation and (ii) position of responsibility held:
Excavation One:
Excavation Two:
Excavation Three:
Excavation Four:
Name and qualifications of senior supervisor
5. Project Design

Criterion: The design,resources and methodologies that are being brought to this project to enable its success, including personnel, skills, equipment, facilities, technologies and materials. Highlight those that are innovative or State of the Art (20%,maximum 1,000 words)
a) Describe how the project will be achieved, to best practice. The answer should include but not be limited to the following: the investigative and research methods; a detailed achievable timeframe (ideally in Gantt chart or similar format); the facilities available to the project; the names and qualifications of key members of the project team, the research partners and/or specialists involved and what they will be contributing; the aspects of the project that are State of the Art in particular the use of cutting edge developments in archaeology, including new scientific techniques (max 500 words).*

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b)Please upload any images (jpg, PDF format etc) or documents supporting this answer, including programme, CVs for key staff, confirmation of proposed contribution from research partners/specialists/conservator, confirmation of facilities provided by a host organisation.

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I confirm that all experts listed above have been contacted and confirm their willingness to be involved in this project, if required*

Yes
c) Outline the expected outputs from the proposed season of work (Max 500 words)*

0/500
6. Dissemination

Criterion: Evidence of plan for impactful and relevant dissemination (20%, maximum 750 words). A strategic goal of the RIA is to ‘represent Ireland by engaging and leading in activities that strengthen international recognition of the Academy’s scholarship’. The Grants subcommittee will wish to see an ambitious plan for dissemination, appropriate to the scale of the research project. As this scheme is publicly funded, please ensure that your plans include making the results of proposed research publicly available. We encourage open access publication.
a) What are your plans for dissemination including but not limited to community engagement, conference papers and publications? Highlight innovative formats and platforms. *

0/750
7. Estimated Expenses
Cost of work (Previously and in the future):
a) Please outline the cost of the work carried out to date:
b) Please outline the expected completion costs (including season applied for):
c) Please state details of other funding applied for:
d) Estimated costs requested for season of current application*
Please download and fill in this template that will help provide a detailed breakdown of estimated expenses. Where possible, please indicate the likely duration of the excavation and number of participants. Once you've completed this template please save and attach updated version below.
Estimated Costings template*

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Where specialist expertise is anticipated as part of your project, please ensure that a quote from the intended specialist(s) are uploaded

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Declarations
I agree to abide by all the grant conditions specified in the Guidelines for applicants:*

I Agree
Click to read the RIA Grants scheme privacy notice
Data Protection: To enable us to process your application please indicate that you have read and consent to the RIA Grants Scheme Privacy notice.*

I Agree
Should be Empty:

1. Project Overview

2. Details of Applicant

3. Project Rationale

4. Employment and Experience

5. Project Design

6. Dissemination

7. Estimated Expenses