Honor Frost Foundation
Charity Number: 1147921
Contact Info
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Quick Stats
- Annual Giving: £1,150,000 (charitable activities expenditure, 2024)
- Total Income: £1,013,459 (2024)
- Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (increasingly competitive)
- Decision Time: 3 months (from application deadline)
- Grant Range: £2,000 - £70,000+ (excluding scholarships)
- Geographic Focus: Eastern Mediterranean (Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Egypt)
Contact Details
Website: www.honorfrostfoundation.org
Email: gailcaddy@honorfrostfoundation.org
Phone: 020 7969 5223
Key Contacts:
- Dr. Ceri Ashley - Grants Manager
- Dani Newman - Application Support
- Gail Caddy - Head of Operations and Finance
Overview
The Honor Frost Foundation was established in 2011 following the death of underwater archaeology pioneer Honor Frost (1917-2010), who left the bulk of her estate to create the foundation. With total income of over £1 million annually and charitable expenditure of £1.15 million (2024), the Foundation is dedicated to promoting the advancement and research, including publication, of maritime archaeology with particular focus on the Eastern Mediterranean—specifically Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, and Egypt. The Foundation takes a strategic approach through three core pillars: Regional Research, Capacity Building, and Developing the Discipline. In 2019, HFF established a dedicated team in Lebanon to protect coastal and underwater archaeological resources, demonstrating its commitment to on-the-ground regional partnerships.
Funding Priorities
Grant Programs
Small Grants: Up to £10,000
- Fixed deadlines: April 1st and October 1st
- Application rounds open January 1st and July 1st
- Applied through online grant management system
Medium Grants: £10,000 - £70,000
- Fixed deadlines: April 1st and October 1st
- Application rounds open January 1st and July 1st
- HFF strongly recommends applying early to allow time for feedback
Large Grants: Over £70,000
- Initial Expression of Interest required
- Annual deadline: April 1st
- More intensive application process
Career Development Grants: Up to £2,000
- Rolling basis (reviewed monthly around the 10th)
- For early career researchers attending conferences, training, fieldwork
- Decisions typically made by end of month
British Academy Small Research Grant: Up to £10,000
- Partnership program with the British Academy (since 2014)
- Approximately three awards per year
- Separate application process through British Academy
Archive Fellowship: Variable amounts
- Rolling applications accepted year-round
- For research in the Honor Frost Archive
Open Access Publication Award: Variable amounts
- Support for making research publicly accessible
Priority Areas
The Foundation evaluates all projects using five key criteria (applicants should identify which apply):
- Generate High-Quality Regional Research: Original maritime archaeology research in the Eastern Mediterranean
- Develop Regional Skills and Capacity: Conservation, dive training, marine geophysics, database development
- Develop Regional Partners and Partnerships: Building the regional research environment and collaborative networks
- Encourage Interconnected Activities: Projects achieving multiple benefits across categories
- Raise the Profile of Marine Cultural Heritage: Increasing visibility and value of underwater cultural heritage
Geographic Priorities: Primary focus on Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, and Egypt. Broader Eastern Mediterranean region also considered. The Foundation particularly supports applicants from these countries and researchers of any nationality working in the region.
What They Don't Fund
- General studentship costs (fees, living allowances) - though specific research costs may be covered
- Projects outside maritime archaeology or maritime cultural heritage
- Work with no connection to the Eastern Mediterranean region
- Retrospective funding
Governance and Leadership
Trustees
The Foundation is governed by six trustees who receive no remuneration:
- Ms Alison Cathie (Chair)
- Mr Roger Clark (Honorary Treasurer)
- Dr John Curtis OBE FBA
- Dr Claude Doumet-Serhal MBE
- Dr Venetia Porter
- Mr Peter Wolrich
Senior Staff
- Dr. Lucy Blue - Maritime Archaeological Director
- Dr. Ceri Ashley - Grants Manager
- Gail Caddy - Head of Operations and Finance
The Foundation employs 3 staff members and operates as a registered charity (No. 1147921) and private company limited by guarantee in England and Wales.
Leadership Priorities
According to the trustees' approach: “Only awarded to those applications deemed by the trustees to be of the highest standard” with “funds to support a limited number of applications in each funding cycle.” This reflects their commitment to quality over quantity, with increasing competition for available funding.
Application Process & Timeline
How to Apply
Online System: All applications submitted through HFF's online grant management system
- Create a user account to submit and track applications
- Carefully read guidance for each application question
- Foundation recommends drafting longer responses in a separate document first
- Rename file attachments appropriately before uploading
Application Documents: Vary by grant type but typically include:
- Project description and objectives
- Budget breakdown with justification
- Timeline
- Identification of which evaluation criteria the project addresses
- Letters of support (for Archive Fellowship: two referee letters required)
Pre-Application Advice: For medium grants, HFF strongly recommends applying early to allow time for feedback on your application before the deadline.
Decision Timeline
Small and Medium Grants: Decisions typically made within 3 months of application deadlines (April 1st and October 1st)
Career Development Grants: Applications reviewed monthly around the 10th, with funding awarded by end of that month
Large Grants: Timeline not specified but likely longer due to Expression of Interest stage
Notification: Applicants notified through the online grant management system
Success Rates
Success rates are not publicly disclosed. However, the Foundation notes that the grant program is “increasingly competitive” with “funds to support a limited number of applications in each funding cycle.” Grants are “only awarded to those applications deemed by the trustees to be of the highest standard.”
Reapplication Policy
No explicit reapplication policy is stated in public materials. Applicants seeking clarification should contact the Grants Manager directly.
Application Success Factors
Foundation's Own Advice
Direct Quote from HFF: “HFF strongly recommends applying early for these grants to allow time for feedback on your application.”
This suggests the Foundation is open to providing guidance before submission, potentially increasing success chances through iterative improvement.
Key Success Factors
- Clear Alignment with Evaluation Criteria: Applications must explicitly identify which of the five evaluation criteria they address. Projects engaging with multiple criteria may be viewed more favorably.
- Regional Focus and Partnerships: Strong emphasis on developing regional capacity and partnerships. Projects that involve regional scholars, institutions, or build lasting infrastructure score highly.
- Quality Over Popularity: Trustees prioritize “highest standard” applications. Rigorous methodology, clear outcomes, and scholarly excellence are essential.
- Interconnected Benefits: Projects that achieve multiple objectives (research + capacity building + partnership development) align with the Foundation's holistic approach.
- Eastern Mediterranean Emphasis: While the broader region is considered, priority countries (Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Egypt) should be highlighted prominently if applicable.
- Early Application: Applying early for medium grants allows time for feedback, suggesting the Foundation values dialogue and refinement.
Language and Terminology
The Foundation uses specific terminology that applicants should mirror:
- “Maritime archaeology” and “maritime cultural heritage” (not just “underwater archaeology”)
- “Regional research,” “capacity building,” “developing the discipline” (the three strategic pillars)
- “Eastern Mediterranean” (specific geographic framing)
- “Underwater cultural heritage” (UCH)
Budget Considerations
Applications require “justified budget breakdown” with clear rationale for each expense. The Foundation wants to see thoughtful resource allocation aligned with project outcomes.
Key Takeaways for Grant Writers
- Apply Early for Medium Grants: HFF explicitly recommends this to allow time for feedback—take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen your application through pre-submission dialogue.
- Address Multiple Evaluation Criteria: While projects need only engage with one criterion, those addressing several (research + capacity building + partnerships) may be more competitive.
- Emphasize Regional Partnerships: Projects that build lasting relationships with Eastern Mediterranean institutions and scholars align strongly with HFF's mission. Demonstrate how you'll develop regional capacity, not just extract data.
- Be Geographically Specific: Clearly state your work's connection to Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, or Egypt. If working elsewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean, justify the relevance.
- Quality Is Paramount: With limited funds and “increasingly competitive” programs, demonstrate scholarly rigor, clear methodology, and significant contribution to the field. Half-baked projects won't succeed.
- Consider Career Development Grants: Early career researchers should note the monthly rolling applications for up to £2,000—a lower-barrier entry point to establish a relationship with the Foundation.
- Use the Three Pillars Framework: Structure your application narrative around Regional Research, Capacity Building, and Developing the Discipline to mirror HFF's strategic thinking.
Similar Funders
These funders frequently fund the same charities:
- Council For At-risk Academics
- The Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation
- Academy Of Medical Sciences
- The Nuffield Foundation
- The Leverhulme Trust
- Council For British Research In The Levant
- The Aurelius Charitable Trust
- The British Institute Of Persian Studies
- The Sino-British Fellowship Trust
- Marc Fitch Fund
References
- Honor Frost Foundation official website - The Foundation. https://honorfrostfoundation.org/the-foundation/
- Honor Frost Foundation - Small Grant Award. https://honorfrostfoundation.org/grants-offered/small-grant-award/
- Honor Frost Foundation - Medium Grants. https://honorfrostfoundation.org/medium-grants/
- Honor Frost Foundation - Grants Overview. https://honorfrostfoundation.org/grants/
- Honor Frost Foundation - Career Development Grant. https://honorfrostfoundation.org/2025/05/08/career-development-grant/
- UK Charity Commission - Honor Frost Foundation (Charity No. 1147921). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5029141
- The British Academy - Honor Frost Foundation Partnership. https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/supporters/special-funds/honor-frost-foundation/