Archaeology is never entirely predictable. There is a small chance that a find of exceptional value (whether or not discovered during an excavation) may suddenly exceed the estimated costs and present the project organiser with a financial problem. In such cases, an application can be made to the archaeology fund, and the local authority will provide a bespoke financial solution.
A project initiator may apply to the Archaeology Fund if the costs of an archaeological excavation (trial trenching or full-scale excavation) exceed 1% of the construction costs. Any costs exceeding 1% will be borne by the local authority, up to a maximum of €25,000 per project.
The costs of an archaeological desk-based and borehole survey, and the drafting of a Programme of Requirements for the survey, are, amongst other things, not eligible for reimbursement. Furthermore, it must be demonstrated that it is not feasible to preserve the archaeological assets in situ. The principles “first come, first served” and “When it's gone, it's gone” apply.
To be eligible to apply for a grant, the following conditions apply:
- The archaeological excavation programme must have been fully completed and the site must have been cleared for archaeological purposes by means of a selection decision drawn up by the competent authority;
- The results of the research must be set out in a final report approved by the local authority. This report must not be more than six months old at the time of the grant application;
- All invoices have already been paid by the applicant;
- The activities were carried out in accordance with the applicable legislation and the necessary licences;
- The eligible costs of the activities exceed 1% of the construction costs;
- The costs of the activities are proportionate to the expected outcome, as assessed by the council.
You can apply for a grant from the Archaeology Fund online by clicking the button at the top of the page.
You can submit your grant application via the online application form no later than 6 months after the submission of the approved final report.
If you wish to apply for a grant from the Archaeology Fund, you must include the following documents:
- A calculation of construction costs based on the NEN 2631 standard;
- All invoices and the corresponding payment receipts relating to the excavation work;
- The approved final report of the investigation carried out;
- The selection decision authorising the use of the site for archaeological research;
- If the applicant is a business: a fully completed and legally signed de minimis declaration.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the above, please contact us at archeologie@apeldoorn.nl. We’d be happy to help!
The law stipulates that the party disturbing the land must pay for the archaeological investigation. As the permit applicant, you are therefore responsible for the costs of the archaeological investigation. However, these costs must be proportionate to the (financial) scale of the project. If your costs for an excavation-based archaeological investigation (trial trenching or full-scale excavation) exceed 1% of the construction costs, you may be eligible for funding from the Archaeology Fund (up to a maximum of €25,000 per project).