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INA Foundation

Our Purpose

The INA Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1985 and separate from INA. The purpose of the INA Foundation is the advancement of nautical archaeology conducted by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Donations to the INA Foundation are tax-deductible. Donors can view the INA Foundation’s Guidestar profile here.

The INA Foundation Board manages endowments that support the work of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. These endowments help fund different aspects of INA’s work, including student scholarships, archaeology and fieldwork grants, INA’s research vessel Virazon II, and INA’s research center in Bodrum, Turkey. Donors who may be interested in enhancing the work of INA through a gift to the INA Foundation may want to consider the following funding opportunities:

The INA Discovery Fund

INA is pleased to announce a brand new funding opportunity made possible by a recent donation from a very generous family of INA supporters. The INA Discovery Fund was established to provide annual monetary awards to worthy research and fieldwork projects, including surveys. The application is open to all scholars, but preference will be given to projects involving INA-excavated artifacts or shipwrecks. The successful candidate must demonstrate how the proposed project adds to our knowledge of history; the element of discovery should be central to the project proposal. Suitable topics might include the discovery of a shipwreck during survey, the discovery of an artifact/assemblage during excavation, or the discovery of compelling data during the course of research and analysis. Funding requests should not exceed $25,000. INA may choose to make a single award of $25,000 or several smaller awards totaling up to $25,000. The minimum award will be $5,000.

The George & Ann Bass Endowment For Nautical Archaeology Publications

Since 2010, INA has increased significantly the funding available for surveys, excavation, and conservation. The George and Ann Bass Endowment for Nautical Archaeology Publications is a major milestone because it provides dedicated funding for one of the most important but protracted aspects of our work. The Bass Publication Grant will be awarded for the first time in 2019; we anticipate one award of $25,000 or two awards of $12,500 every year. Preference will be given to INA-affiliated excavation publications. As an incentive, award recipients who intend to submit the completed manuscript for publication in the TAMU Press Nautical Archaeology Series will be eligible for TAMU Press subvention funding.

Virazon II Endowment

In 2016 INA constructed and launched Virazon II – a custom-built, state-of-the-art ship and the first ever to be classed as an archaeological research vessel. More recently, INA conducted a $1 million matching challenge, which successfully reached $2 million in June 2018. The result of that challenge grant is the Virazon II Endowment for Maintenance and Operations. This endowment ensures that Virazon II is always project-ready and that conducting surveys and excavations aboard Virazon II is as affordable as possible for directors of INA projects.

Van Doorninck Byzantine Research Grant

INA has a long history of excavating and researching shipwrecks from the Byzantine era (AD 330-1453), contributing to a growing realization that Byzantium had a much greater maritime, economic, and technological impact on our modern world than was earlier imagined. The Fred and BJ van Doorninck Byzantine Shipwreck Endowment was established to ensure INA’s continued, long-lasting impact on this undervalued era of ancient history. When allocating funds, the INA Archaeological Committee will give preference to projects contributing to the final publication of shipwrecks already excavated, shipwrecks located in Turkey or in Turkish waters, and artifact conservation during and after excavation.

Claude Duthuit Archaeology Grant

INA annually awards the $25,000 Claude Duthuit Archaeology Grant to a single underwater archaeological project that captures the innovative, bold, and dedicated spirit of Claude – a pioneer in the field of nautical archaeology. In 1960, Claude Duthuit accompanied Dr. George Bass on his first dive to survey the 13th-century shipwreck at Cape Gelidonya, the project that would both introduce and define the field of nautical archaeology to the world. Claude remained an invaluable sponsor and active participant for INA, serving for 30 years as an INA Director and epitomizing the values of commitment, innovation, and willingness to take risks. Click here to read about past recipients of the Claude Duthuit Archaeology Grant.

J. Richard Steffy Scholarship

In honor of Texas A&M University Professor Emeritus and MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” recipient, J. Richard “Dick” Steffy (1924-2007), a scholarship was established for graduate students enrolled in the Nautical Archaeology Program (NAP). Dick helped found NAP in 1976 and retired in 1990 after a distinguished career of ship reconstruction from hull remains. He was best known for his extensive and pioneering work with the interpretation and reconstruction of the Kyrenia merchant ship remains, but also contributed significantly to the Sea of Galilee boat, the Athlit ram, and the Herculaneum boat. Former students, friends of INA, and colleagues contributed to the endowment to fund a scholarship for up-and-coming students, in homage to a pioneer of ancient ship construction.