John Heinz was a staunch defender of environment and an enthusiastic advocate for preservation. His interests extended to archeology, which has became a primary focus of The Teresa and H. J. Heinz III Foundaton. This premier program of the Foundation is the H. John Heinz III Charitable Trust Small Grants for Archeological Research in Mexico, Central American, and South America. It is a one-of-a-kind grants' program for Latin-American archaeology. Grants Program Overview The Grants for Archeological Research program fills critical needs. It works to: Counteract the rapid destruction of archaeological sites resulting from looting and industrial impact Supplant diminished (or nonexistent) Latin-American institutional or governmental funding for cultural heritage preservation and investigation The program provides seed grants to conduct the preliminary research necessary in order to qualify for and request funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), or the National Geographic Society (NGS). It tends to select self-contained projects that can be completed in a single field season. And it focuses funding dollars on projects that 1) are linked to larger research programs, and 2) have strong logistical support. Generally, four to five projects are funded annually. Over the years, grant recipients have generated significant research augmenting our knowledge of the lives of early hunters and gatherers, and state-level societies. Many of these research projects include archaeologists, students, and workmen from the host country. Pittsburgh as Archeological Center? While the reasons may not be readily apparent, Pittsburgh does, in fact, offer the critical mass of archeological expertise necessary to support major research activity. The Department of Anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh is unequaled in archaeological training capacity. It has the most modern laboratories in the country and an outstanding faculty. A major focus of the department is the archaeology and cultural anthropology of Latin America. The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) is one of the most prestigious research institutions of its kind in the nation. And the division of anthropology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH) has an active research program in Latin America. The curators and professors hold joint appointments at each institution. The two institutions maintain cooperative agreements and cosponsor programs on Latin-American topics at the museum. Between the university faculty and the faculty and staff of CLAS, there is more than enough professional competency to support a Latin-American archaeological program second to none. Finally, the Small Grants program supports a much-needed research dimension to the educational and publication components of graduate education in Latin American archaeology funded by the Howard Heinz Endowment. The H. John Heinz III Foundation is one of the three foundations that comprises the Heinz Family Philanthropies. Back to Top