Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research
Accepts applications
Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research is a private foundation in Phillips, Maine. In tax year 2024 it gave $1.1 million in 46 grants; the typical grant was $8,940 and the largest $333,333. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$1.1 million
- Number of grants46
- Typical grant$8,940
- Largest grant$333,333
- Assets$57.6 million
- New grantees33%
Giving in 2024 was down from $18.6 million the year before.
33% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $18.6 million | 41 | $54.8 million |
| 2024 | $1.1 million | 46 | $57.6 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Firebird Foundation for Anthropolog PO Box A, Phillips, ME 04966 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (207) 639-3939, firebird@firebirdfoundation.org |
| What to submit | The Foundation provides fellowships to enable anthropologists, linguists, and other scholars, as well as individuals or teams of local researchers in indigenous societies, to collect and preserve these unique oral traditions. Fellows are encouraged, where possible, to foster the development of local teams of collectors to continue the work of recording traditional literature, language, and ecological knowledge. Transcriptions of the recordings are encouraged. There is no application form. Applicants are asked to submit a proposal with a budget by email to address noted above. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and grants are awarded quarterly. The primary selection criteria are the importance of collecting oral literature among the society in which the applicant will be working, the methods to be used, the goals to be achieved, and the urgency of the project. |
| Restrictions | Anyone engaged in the documentation of threatened oral literature and traditional ecological knowledge may apply for a fellowship. Specific academic credentials are not required, but academic credentials are taken into consideration. Fellowships are currently awarded by the Foundations board. Foundation directors and members of the selection committee are ineligible to receive grants, as are their family members; certain descendants and family members of George N. Appell and Laura W.R. Appell are also ineligible. The terms and conditions of each fellowship are set forth in a letter sent to the grant recipient. The Foundation must receive a current report for each fellowship of the progress made and use of grant funds at least annually, and a final report on the results of the grantees research with an accounting for the funds expended. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 12 states, the most to Maine. It also paid $246,140 in 22 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | 7 | $553,460 |
| Vermont | 1 | $195,000 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | $28,318 |
| California | 3 | $26,426 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $26,100 |
| Texas | 2 | $17,973 |
| Oregon | 2 | $9,959 |
| Washington | 1 | $9,000 |
| Maryland | 1 | $7,740 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $2,744 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust | General operating support | $333,333 |
| Northeast Wilderness Trust | General operating support | $195,000 |
| Maine Coast Heritage Trust | General operating support | $125,000 |
| University of Sydney | f/b/o Center for Cultural Linguistic Diversity & TRICL | $105,644 |
| Maine Media Workshops College | General operating support | $50,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $35,892 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $26,100 |
| Fidelity Charitable | Contribution to donor-advised fund of disqualified person | $24,291 |
| Oceanarium & Education Center | General operating support | $20,902 |
| Individual | Recipient of the George and Laura Appell Award for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Maine | $10,000 |
| Phillips Public Library | General operating support | $10,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $9,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,991 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,973 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,959 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,948 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,932 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,923 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,696 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,503 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $8,244 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $7,740 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $7,161 |
| Borneo Research Council | General operating support | $4,225 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $4,027 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $2,744 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $1,045 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $1,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $1,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $1,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $1,000 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $995 |
| Individual | Fellowships in the Collection of Oral Literature & Traditional Knowledge | $994 |
Officers and trustees
- Charity R Appell
- Steven G Hoch
- Laura P Appell-Warren
Questions people ask
Does Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications.
How much does Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research give?
$1.1 million in tax year 2024, across 46 grants, with a typical grant of $8,940.
Who runs Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research?
Its 2024 filing lists Charity R Appell (Exec. Director/Treasurer), Steven G Hoch (Secretary/Director) and Laura P Appell-Warren (President/Director).
What does Firebird Foundation for Anthropological Research fund?
Based on its grants, mainly arts and culture, international and education.