Project Guidelines

  1. Projects for which the VACT raises funds must involve research on Virginia archaeological sites.Research topics are to be broadly defined as stated in the VACT mission statement and bylaws and include, at a minimum,one or more of the following; excavation, analysis, report preparation, publication, interpretation, collections research, curation of conservation. The VACT shall decide on a case by case basis if projects that principally involve sites outside of Virginia may meet the stated criteria for inclusion.

  2. Projects must be sponsored by a 501(c)3 organization in good standing.

  3. The principal investigator for each project shall meet the Secretary of the Interior’s professional qualifications for archaeology (Federal Register 48:44738-9) and be a current full member of the Council of Virginia Archaeologists or the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

  4. Funding goals for accepted projects will fall into one of two categories; ongoing and those with a cost threshold. Ongoing projects will accept donations in any amount that will be processed for payment to the project sponsor as soon as VACT transaction processing software allows. These types of projects will typically consist of organizations with active in-house archaeological programs. Threshold type projects will receive pledges which will aggregate and payout will occur only if the project goal is reached within a reasonable, stated period of time.

  5. The VACT will provide a central website for project listing. Potential project sponsors will submit an online application for project approval. The VACT will periodically evaluate applications. The VACT shall appoint a project evaluation committee composed of archaeologists meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s qualifications for this purpose. If a project is approved, the sponsor will then create their project page using the VACT software. Specific information required for listing a project may be revised from time to time by the VACT but will include such items as title of the project, name of the organization sponsoring the work, project director with link to credentials, “elevator speech” about the project, research design, designation of a long-term collections repository, statement of impact to Virginia archaeology, statement of how the information will be disseminated, a budget(or goal to raise), and at least one photo.

  6. Once a project goes live the project sponsor will bear primary responsibility for advertising their project to potential donors and directing them to the VACT website to donate. The VACT will help to promote products through social media and other channels as feasible.

  7. The VACT will charge a fee, collected as a portion of donations,to cover administrative costs and a donation to the Archeological Society of Virginia (ASV) to support projects recommended for funding in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ Threatened Sites Program Committee.This fee, not to exceed ten percent (10%),and the percentage to be donated to the ASV for such purposes shall be set on an annual basis by the VACT and posted online by January 1st of each calendar year.