Frequently Asked Questions about the Samuel H. Kress Conservation Fellowships Administered by FAIC
The deadline for applications is January 22 of each year.
In 2011, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and FAIC entered into a collaboration, in which FAIC administers the Samuel H. Kress Conservation Fellowship program. In 2016 and 2017, 6 awards, each in the amount of $32,000, are expected to be made. In past years, 9 awards have been made. Beginning in 2018, the full $32,000 must be allocated as a fellowship stipend. Payroll taxes may be withheld from the $32,000, but any other benefits, travel or education reimbursement, or administrative costs must be met by the institution or other funding. For 2017, at least $27,000 must go to the Fellow (less employee share of payroll taxes, if applicable). No more than $5,000 can be used for benefits, adminstrative costs, travel, and other expenses. However, preference will be given to 2017 proposals that provide a higher compensation to the Fellow. Grant funds may not be used for indirect costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see a sample of a successful application?
Yes! We have two sample applications available. See the links on the main FAIC Samuel H. Kress Conservation Fellowship page.
Are indirect costs allowed?
No, indirect costs are not allowed to be paid from grant funds. In 2017 applications, up to $5,000 in grant funds can be used toward benefits, travel, and administrative costs associated with the Fellowship, although preference will be given to applicants who provide a larger share to the Fellow.
On the application form, what does “department structure” mean?
The response to this question should indicate the division in which the Fellow will work and how this department is placed within the institution - is it part of a curatorial division (such as decorative arts), part of a museum-wide division (such as collections care), part of research and science, etc. (In a small organization, this might be obvious; perhaps less so in a large organization.)
To whom should letters of support be addressed?
Letters may be address to "Review Committee" To whom should letters of support be sent?
Include letters with the application if possible. If letters need to be sent directly to FAIC, please ask the author to scan and send as a PDF attachment to faicgrants@conservation-us.org How big of a file can we send?
Technically, our system can receive attachments up to 20Mb. In practice, please be kind to the reviewers, who need to download the documents, by compressing images and graphics when possible. Most applications are less than 2 MB in size. Are European institutions eligible?
Yes. The location of the institution is not restricted. European institutions have often been among the Fellowship hosts. Please be sure to build in time for any necessary work permits or visas into the project timeline.
We have identified a fellow who is not a graduate of a North American conservation program. Are we still eligible to apply for funding?
Fellows must either be graduates of a U.S. or Canadian conservation program, OR a U.S. or Canadian citizen who is graduating from a conservation program elsewhere. Also, be aware that foreign institutions may need to provide substantial help to U.S. candidates to obtain appropriate visas to fulfill fellowships abroad. Are non-American fellows eligible?
Yes, if they have completed (or will be completing) a graduate conservation program in the U.S. or Canada.
Our project does not involve European art from before 1900. Is it still eligible?
Yes. The Kress Foundation recognizes that conservators may need a broad range of skills and experiences to be competitive and successful as a professional. Past Fellowships have been awarded for work involving modern art, photography, archaeological objects, and other artifacts, as well as for areas on which the Kress Foundation focuses. Can we submit more than one application? What if we are a multi-campus/multi-department organization?
You may submit more than one application, but it is highly unlikely that more than one award would be made to a single institution. Organizations that function essentially independently (such as two branches of a Federal or State agency or a museum with multiple campuses) would be less likely to face this restriction.