Navarra opens 120,000 euro grants for archaeology in town halls

The Counselor of Culture, Sport, and Tourism, Rebeca Esnaola Bermejo, has approved through Foral Order 139E/2026, dated August 31, the call for grants “Grants to Local Entities for archaeology and paleontology interventions 2026”, endowed with 120,000 euros. The order, with BDNS code 927254, is published in the Official Gazette of Navarra number 180, dated September 11, 2026, in the section for grants, aid, and scholarships.

The objective is to help city councils and other local entities of the Foral Community finance intervention projects in Archaeological and Paleontological Heritage during the 2026 fiscal year. The award will be carried out under a competitive bidding process, in accordance with Article 17 of Foral Law 11/2005, of November 9, on Grants, and Article 87 of Foral Law 14/2005 on the Cultural Heritage of Navarra, which tasks the competent department with promoting the research, conservation, and dissemination of cultural assets.

Beneficiaries and requirements

Local entities of Navarra that promote archaeological interventions within their territorial scope and possess the mandatory intervention authorization included in the Plan for archaeological excavations and surveys of the Foral Community for 2026 may be beneficiaries. They must be up to date with their tax and Social Security obligations and provide proof of authorization from the landowner.

Excluded, among others, are emergency interventions, actions of mere dissemination or enhancement, and projects that already have a nominative grant for the same purpose in the 2026 budget items of the General Directorate of Culture-Príncipe de Viana Institution.

Eligible activities and expenses

The grants cover the main types of heritage intervention:

• Surface archaeological and paleontological surveys.
• Archaeological and paleontological soundings.
• Archaeological and paleontological excavations.
• Reproduction and direct study of rock art.
• Consolidation, restoration, restitution, and protection of immovable assets of archaeological or paleontological value.

Eligible expenses include field personnel, current activity expenses, the closing and protection of sites, per diems and travel, and indirect costs up to 5% of the budget. Financial expenses, land acquisition, and investments in capital goods are excluded.

Amounts, deadlines, and valuation

The grant per project may not exceed 75% of the accepted budget nor, in any case, 14,000 euros. The authorized expenditure, 120,000 euros, is charged to item A20001 A2100 4609 337100 “Aid to local entities for heritage interventions” of the general expenditure budget for 2026.

Applications shall be submitted electronically through the General Electronic Registry of the Administration of the Foral Community, within a period of 20 business days from the date of publication. The evaluation is based on 100 points, with a minimum of 50 required to access the aid, considering criteria such as the number of inhabitants of the entity, the site’s score in the Archaeological Inventory of Navarra, the interest and quality of the project, complementary funding sources, and conservation measures. The resolution shall be the responsibility of the Director General of Culture-Príncipe de Viana Institution, and supporting documents must be submitted before November 27, 2026.

Relevance for municipalities

The call represents direct support for small Navarrese municipalities, which receive additional points for having fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, to protect and document their archaeological and paleontological heritage. Furthermore, subsidized projects are considered to be of social interest for the purposes of tax incentives for cultural patronage, which expands the complementary financing options for city councils.

Source: Official Gazette of Navarra, number 180, September 11, 2026, section 1.4 Subsidies, Aid and Grants, page 32528 (official reference: Foral Order 139E/2026, BDNS code 927254).