The Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) established the Christa Gaehde Fund to promote study and research in the conservation of art on paper by members of AIC.
Submission Deadline: February 1
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- Its scope is broad; projects may involve individual study, attendance at workshops, conferences, or other events, purchase of materials for research projects, or other activities in keeping with this goal.
- Earnings from the fund are used to offer awards annually.
- Individual grants are made up to $1,500, depending on the earnings on the endowment and the number of applicants.
About Christa Gaehde
The Fund honors Christa Gaehde (1922-2002), a pioneer in paper conservation. Christa trained and worked in Germany before leaving in 1949 to become one of the first paper conservators in the United States. She was a founding member and Fellow of AIC, Fellow of IIC, and the first conservator to be elected to the Print Council of America. She co-authored one of the first books on paper conservation, A Guide to the Collecting and Care of Original Prints, in 1965. Christa served on the Board of Examiners for Certification from 1980 – 1983 and was a strong supporter of setting standards of practice for the profession.
During the sixty years of her career, Christa was renowned for the subtle finish of her work, which included sophisticated bleaching and repair techniques. She was keenly interested in the impact of conservation on the appearance of artwork and concerned about the long-term effects of treatment long before this topic acquired general interest in the field. The quality of her work was recognized by curators, collectors, dealers, and auction houses both in the United States and Europe. To many colleagues, students, and interns with whom she generously and unassumingly shared her knowledge, she was a true mentor and role model. In 2000 she received the Sheldon and Caroline Keck Award in recognition of her contribution to the education and training of conservators.
Criteria for Review
- Applicant must be current member of AIC
- Usefulness of project to the applicant and/or the conservation field.
- Qualifications of applicant to conduct project.
- Plan to disseminate outcomes of project (publication, teaching, presentations, etc.).
- Appropriateness of budget; financial need may be considered.
- Completeness of application.
Application Process
Applications are submitted through our online application portal. When you enter the portal, you will be prompted to login to the system using a login ID and password
. If you already have an account (this should be the case if you are an AIC member or have participated in an AIC or FAIC program), use the same login information you use to access that account. If you do not have an account in the system, you can quickly set one up before you begin your application.
The online form will take you through the four sections of the application:
- Applicant information (name and contact information, resume/CV, etc.)
- Project information (description of the project and how it will help you advance professionally)
- Reference information (name and email of reference)
- Budget information (project costs and FAIC funding request)
Two references must be submitted electronically; it is strongly recommended that at least one reference is from a Professional Associate or Fellow member of AIC. Once an applicant submits their reference information, the references will receive an email with a link directly to the application portal where they will complete a brief form regarding their support for the application. Recommendations submitted will not be visible to the applicant.
You can save and return to your application later to complete it. When you are satisfied with your responses, “save and finalize” to submit your application. Once the application has been submitted, you cannot return to edit the form.
Applicants will automatically be considered for awards from both the Christa Gaehde Fund and the Carolyn Horton Fund. Applications will be reviewed by a committee and a recommendation will be made to the FAIC board for final approval. Reviewers will follow the Reviewer Guidelines and an established evaluation rubric based on the criteria for review to evaluate all applications. Notification of awards will be made six to eight weeks after the deadline. Projects should take place six weeks to twelve months after the application deadline.
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Final Report
In order to remain eligible for future funding, you must submit a final report within 30 days of the completion of the project to funding@culturalheritage.org.
Reports must include:
- a 500 - 1,000 word narrative
- at least two images
- a final budget summarizing the expenses and sources of revenue
We may publish reports in full or in part, including posting on our website.