Golden Trowel Award Grant

The Golden Trowel Award, presented by the Archaeological Institute of America, recognizes the local society with the highest proportional membership increase over the past year. This prestigious award highlights the vital role that local societies play in promoting archaeology and supporting the AIA's mission. By fostering community engagement and growth, the award encourages societies to enhance their programs and initiatives, ultimately enriching the field of archaeology.

These members include professional archaeologists, students, and enthusiasts, all united by their passion for archaeology and its role in furthering human knowledge.
Society Grants & Awards
Each year the Archaeological Institute of America presents awards to our societies and their members in recognition of the important work they do to support the Institute and its mission. Winners of these awards and prizes are honored at the Annual Meeting.
Local Societies need membership in order to host lectures and create other programs and in recent years the AIA has established some incentives to help Societies grow.
The Golden Trowel Award honors the Society whose membership proportionally increases the most during the past fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th).