Archaeological and Anthropological Grant Opportunities in Bulgaria

This grant competition has been suspended.

The America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF)Archaeological & Anthropological Grant Opportunities in Bulgaria (AAGOB) program is a collaborative effort between the Department of Anthropology at the Field Museum in Chicago, IL, and the American Research Center in Sofia (ARCS), Bulgaria. It was initiated in the spring of 2009 with individual grants to the Field Museum and ARCS. The program develops collaborative research opportunities to preserve and restore archaeological and cultural heritage sites, to enhance archaeological and historical museums in Bulgaria, and to promote local and international tourism in Bulgaria. The program relates directly to the America for Bulgaria Foundation mission to advance archaeological and anthropological research in southeastern Europe by strengthening US-Bulgarian relations and by developing museums, archaeological sites, and cultural heritage sites for tourism.

Goals

The main goals of this program are to have a positive impact on the Western understanding of Bulgarian and Balkan prehistory, history, and cultural heritage, and to stimulate economic development of the region. It does so by developing world-class archaeological sites that will make Bulgaria a center for tourism. The program also cultivates long-standing ties between American and Bulgarian scholars, scientists, and students, and encourages the exchange of ideas in years to come. An additional goal of the program is to work with the Bulgarian community in Chicago (the largest community abroad) to help its members learn more about Bulgarian culture, history, and archaeology. By engaging the community in program activities, our long-term goal is to help the Bulgarian community in Chicago preserve, develop, and strengthen its national identity and community ties. This approach provides a forum for the Bulgarian community to understand itself, and also to integrate and thrive in the wider context of American society.

Committee

The ABF-ARCS Anthropological Advisory Committee was established in the fall of 2009.  The committee consists of American scholars with various anthropological and archaeological specialties and research foci. The primary goal of the Advisory Committee is to establish a formalized process for soliciting, reviewing, and recommending anthropological and museum enhancement proposals to the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) and the American Research Center in Sofia. The committee's secondary purpose is to select a postdoctoral fellow for a one-year residence in the Anthropology Department at the Field Museum.