Apply now for Honor Frost Foundation’s Medium Grants

The Honor Frost Foundation Medium Grants support high-quality projects that advance maritime archaeology and marine cultural heritage in the Eastern Mediterranean. Grants of £10,000 to £70,000 are available for research, conservation, skills development, regional partnerships, and initiatives that increase recognition of underwater and marine cultural heritage.

About the Honor Frost Foundation Medium Grants

The Honor Frost Foundation supports the study, preservation, and promotion of maritime archaeology and marine cultural heritage, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Medium Grants programme provides financial support for projects that make a meaningful contribution to the region’s archaeological research, conservation capacity, professional development, partnerships, or public understanding of marine heritage.

The programme is intended for projects with strong academic, professional, cultural, or conservation value and encourages initiatives that can generate benefits beyond a single activity or location.

What the Grant Supports

Projects should contribute to at least one of the Foundation’s priority areas.

Eligible areas may include:

• Regional maritime archaeology research: Generating high-quality research that improves understanding of maritime and underwater heritage in the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Skills and capacity development: Building regional expertise in areas such as marine conservation, diving, underwater archaeology, marine geophysics, and heritage databases.
• Regional partnerships: Creating or strengthening collaboration between researchers, institutions, heritage professionals, and organizations in the region.
• Connected activities: Developing projects where multiple activities reinforce each other and generate wider benefits.
• Marine cultural heritage awareness: Increasing understanding of the importance, value, and visibility of maritime cultural heritage.

Projects should demonstrate a clear connection between their activities and the Foundation’s objectives.

Why Maritime Archaeology and Marine Cultural Heritage Matter

Maritime archaeological sites provide important evidence about the historical relationship between people, communities, trade networks, ships, ports, and the sea.

The Eastern Mediterranean has a particularly rich maritime heritage, including:

• Shipwrecks and submerged archaeological sites
• Ancient ports and coastal settlements
• Maritime trade routes
• Underwater archaeological remains
• Traditional relationships with marine environments
• Historic navigation and seafaring practices
• Marine archaeological collections and documentation

Supporting research and conservation helps ensure that this heritage is documented, understood, protected, and made accessible to future generations.

Grant Amount

The Honor Frost Foundation Medium Grants provide awards ranging from:

• Minimum grant: £10,000
• Maximum grant: £70,000

Only a limited number of applications are supported during each funding cycle.

The trustees assess applications and make awards to projects considered to be of the highest standard.

Receiving a grant is therefore competitive, and applicants should demonstrate strong project quality, relevance, feasibility, and potential impact.

Who Is Eligible?

The Foundation allows applications from individuals and organisations, depending on the applicable payment arrangements and requirements stated in the award documentation.

Potential applicants should ensure that their proposed project:

• Relates to maritime archaeology or marine cultural heritage.
• Has clear relevance to the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Addresses one or more of the Foundation’s priority areas.
• Has clearly defined objectives and activities.
• Demonstrates meaningful potential impact.
• Presents a realistic and achievable project approach.
• Provides a clear explanation of how the requested funding will be used.

Applicants should also consider whether their project would benefit from regional collaboration, capacity building, or knowledge sharing.

Key Project Areas

Maritime Archaeological Research

Research projects should contribute meaningful new knowledge about maritime archaeology or related marine cultural heritage.

Strong proposals may focus on:

• Archaeological investigation
• Documentation and interpretation
• Regional studies
• Maritime history
• Underwater cultural heritage
• Archaeological data development

Conservation and Technical Capacity

The programme can support initiatives that strengthen regional expertise and infrastructure.

Possible areas include:

• Underwater conservation
• Marine geophysics
• Dive training
• Archaeological documentation
• Heritage databases
• Conservation techniques
• Professional training

Regional Collaboration

Projects that connect researchers, heritage institutions, archaeologists, conservation specialists, and other relevant stakeholders can help build a stronger regional maritime heritage network.

Collaborative projects may also improve knowledge exchange and create longer-term professional relationships.

Public Awareness and Heritage Visibility

Projects can also help demonstrate the cultural and historical importance of marine heritage.

Activities may include initiatives that:

• Improve public understanding of maritime archaeology.
• Increase the visibility of underwater cultural heritage.
• Communicate research findings.
• Promote the value of marine heritage conservation.
• Connect specialist research with wider audiences.

How to Apply

Applicants should develop a clear proposal that demonstrates why the project is important and how it will contribute to the Foundation’s objectives.

A practical application process is:

1. Identify the project need.
   Clearly define the maritime archaeology or marine cultural heritage issue the project will address.
2. Establish regional relevance.
   Explain how the project contributes to the understanding, conservation, capacity, or visibility of marine heritage in the Eastern Mediterranean.
3. Define the objectives.
   State what the project intends to achieve and what measurable or tangible outcomes are expected.
4. Develop the methodology.
   Explain the activities, research methods, training approach, partnerships, or conservation work that will be undertaken.
5. Build the project budget.
   Prepare a realistic budget that explains how the requested grant will support project activities.
6. Demonstrate expertise and capacity.
   Explain the experience and skills of the applicant, project team, partners, or participating institutions.
7. Highlight wider benefits.
   Show how the project could strengthen regional skills, partnerships, research, conservation, or public engagement.
8. Submit early.
   The Foundation encourages applicants to submit applications early enough to allow time for feedback before final submission.

What Makes a Strong Application?

A competitive proposal should clearly connect need → activities → outputs → wider impact.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong research or project quality.
• Clear relevance to maritime archaeology or marine cultural heritage.
• Specific Eastern Mediterranean relevance.
• Appropriate expertise.
• Realistic objectives and timelines.
• A well-justified budget.
• Potential for regional capacity building or collaboration.
• Sustainable or longer-term benefits where relevant.

Projects that combine several complementary activities may be particularly valuable when they demonstrate how those activities generate broader benefits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Providing a vague description of the project.
• Failing to explain the Eastern Mediterranean connection.
• Listing activities without explaining their expected impact.
• Submitting an unrealistic or poorly justified budget.
• Underestimating the importance of specialist expertise.
• Failing to demonstrate partnerships where collaboration is central to the project.
• Waiting until the last minute to seek feedback or submit the application.
• Focusing only on short-term activities without explaining wider benefits.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

Consider these practical strategies:

• Make the regional connection explicit: Explain exactly why the project matters to the Eastern Mediterranean.
• Use measurable outcomes: Identify what will be produced, documented, researched, conserved, trained, or established.
• Demonstrate expertise: Clearly describe the qualifications and experience of the project team.
• Build meaningful partnerships: Where appropriate, involve regional institutions, researchers, conservation specialists, or heritage organizations.
• Connect activities: Explain how research, training, conservation, and outreach activities complement one another.
• Justify every major cost: The budget should directly support the proposed work.
• Submit early: Take advantage of the Foundation’s encouragement to seek feedback before finalizing an application.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Honor Frost Foundation Medium Grants programme?

It is a funding programme supporting projects that advance maritime archaeology and marine cultural heritage, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean.

How much funding is available?

Medium Grants range from £10,000 to £70,000. A limited number of projects are funded during each cycle.

What types of projects can receive funding?

Projects can focus on regional research, conservation, skills and capacity development, marine geophysics, dive training, database development, regional partnerships, interconnected activities, and raising awareness of marine cultural heritage.

Who can apply?

Applications may be submitted by individuals or organisations, subject to the Foundation’s applicable payment and award requirements.

Does the project have to focus on the Eastern Mediterranean?

The Medium Grants programme has a particular focus on the Eastern Mediterranean, so applicants should clearly demonstrate the project’s relevance to the region.

Can a project include training and capacity building?

Yes. Regional capacity development is one of the programme’s areas of interest and can include activities such as conservation training, diving, marine geophysics, and database development.

When should applicants submit their applications?

The Foundation encourages early submission so applicants have sufficient time to seek feedback and improve their applications before submission.

Conclusion

The Honor Frost Foundation Medium Grants provide an opportunity to strengthen maritime archaeology and marine cultural heritage across the Eastern Mediterranean. With grants of £10,000 to £70,000, the programme can support high-quality research, conservation, professional skills, regional partnerships, and initiatives that increase recognition of the region’s marine heritage.

Applicants should focus on a clearly defined need, strong project methodology, regional relevance, realistic budgeting, and measurable benefits. A well-structured proposal that demonstrates lasting value for maritime archaeology and marine cultural heritage will be better positioned for consideration by the Foundation’s trustees.