U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation
FY2023
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Program Objectives: The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation supports the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in more than 140 countries around the world. Cultural heritage endures as a reminder of the contributions and historical experiences of humanity. AFCP projects strengthen civil society, encourage good governance, and promote political and economic stability around the world. Project awards range from US $10,000 to $500,000.
Funding Areas: The AFCP Grants Program supports the preservation of archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, museum collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression, such as indigenous languages and crafts. Appropriate project activities may include:
a) Anastylosis (reassembling a site from its original parts) b) Conservation (addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site) c) Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site) d) Documentation (recording in analog or digital format the condition and salient features of an object, site, or tradition) e) Inventory (listing of objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristic or state) f) Preventive Conservation (addressing conditions that threaten or damage a site, object, collection, or tradition) g) Restoration (replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of an object or site, usually appropriate only with fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings) h) Stabilization (reducing the physical disturbance of an object or site)
Eligible Project Implementers: Eligible project implementers are defined as reputable and accountable non-commercial entities that can demonstrate they have the requisite capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage. Eligible implementers may include non-governmental organizations, museums, educational institutions, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations. The AFCP will not award grants to individuals, commercial entities, or past award recipients that have not fulfilled the objectives or reporting requirements of previous awards.
Competition Format:
Round 1 Concept note must include:
1. Project Basics, including title anticipated project length (up to 60 months), location/site, and project cost estimate (amount requested from AFCP; in U.S. dollars);
2. Project Applicant information, including contact information (phone and e-mail)
3. Special Designations (national monument, World Heritage Site, etc);
4. Law/s Protecting the Site or Collection (citations only);
5. Project Purpose that summarizes the project objectives and desired results;
6. Statement of Importance highlighting the historic, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the site or collection;
7. Statement of Urgency indicating the severity of the situation and explaining why the project must take place now; and
8. Five (5) high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, collection, or tradition and show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing walls, water damage, etc.).
Note: If selected the Institution will move for the Round 2: Which will flesh out the technical aspects of the proposed project.
Ineligible Activities and Unallowable Costs: AFCP does not support the following activities or costs, and will deem applications requesting AFCP support for any of these activities or costs ineligible:
a) Preservation or purchase of privately or commercially owned cultural objects, collections, or real property, including those whose transfer from private or commercial to public ownership is envisioned, planned, or in process but not complete at the time of application. b) Preservation of natural heritage (physical, biological, and geological formations, paleontological collections, habitats of threatened species of animals and plants, fossils, etc.) unless the natural heritage has a cultural heritage connection or dimension. c) Preservation of hominid or human remains. d) Preservation of news media (newspapers, newsreels, radio and TV programs, etc.). e) Preservation of published materials available elsewhere (books, periodicals, etc.). f) Development of curricula or educational materials for classroom use. g) Archaeological excavations or exploratory surveys for research purposes. h) Historical research, except in cases where the research is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project. i) Acquisition or creation of new exhibits, objects, or collections for new or existing museums. j) Construction of new buildings, building additions, or permanent coverings (over archaeological sites, for example). k) Commissions of new works of art or architecture for commemorative or economic development purposes. l) Creation of new or the modern adaptation of existing traditional dances, songs, chants, musical compositions, plays, or other performances. m) Creation of replicas or conjectural reconstructions of cultural objects or sites that no longer exist. n) Relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another. o) Removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason. p) Digitization of cultural objects or collections, unless part of a larger, clearly defined conservation, documentation, or public diplomacy effort. q) Conservation plans or other studies, unless they are one component of a larger project to implement the results of those studies. r) Cash reserves, endowments, or revolving funds (funds must be expended within the award period [up to five years] and may not be used to create an endowment or revolving fund). s) Costs of fund-raising campaigns.
Interested and eligible organizations are encouraged to submit a concept note to PasInboxLuanda@state.gov no later than December 15, 2022.
