U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2025 Grants Program

U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2025 Grants Program is sponsored by U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. This 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.

##### **Embassy of the United States of America in Bangladesh** BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL AFFAIRS **U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2025 Grants Program** **Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)** **(Submission deadline: Tuesday, January 14, 2025)** The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka is now accepting Concept Notes for the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) fiscal year 2025 competition.

The deadline for the announcement to submit the concept notes to the U.S. Embassy is **11:59 p. m. Bangladesh Standard Time on Tuesday, January 14, 2025****.

**Submissions received after this date will not be considered. Selected applicants will be asked to submit full project proposals shortly after.

* **Funding opportunity number:** USAFCP2025 * **Funding opportunity title:** U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation 2025 Grants Program * **Funding instrument type:** Grant, fixed amount award (FAA), cooperative agreement (as appropriate) * **Cost sharing or matching requirement:** No * **Length of performance period:** 12 to 60 months * **Assistance listing number:** 19.

025 * **Award Amount:** Award may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $500,000 per project **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: * **Anastylosis:** Reassembling a site from its original parts. * **Conservation:** Treating or otherwise addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site. * **Consolidation:** Reconnecting elements of an object or site.

* **Documentation:** Recording the condition and important features of an object, site, or tradition in analog or digital format. * **Inventory:** Listing of objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristic. * **Preventive Conservation:** Addressing conditions that threaten or damage a site, object, collection, or tradition.

* **Restoration:** Replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of an object or site, usually appropriate for fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings. * **Stabilization:** Reducing the physical disturbance or increasing the stability of an object or site.

**SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SITES AND OBJECTS HAVING A RELIGIOUS CONNECTION:**The establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution permits the government to include religious objects and sites within an aid program under certain conditions.

For example, an item with a religious connection (including a place of worship) may be the subject of a cultural preservation grant if the item derives its primary significance from, and is nominated solely on the basis of, architectural, artistic, historical, or other cultural (not religious) criteria.

**ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:**Only these types or organizations may apply: * Foreign Institutions of Higher Education * Foreign-Based Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) * Foreign Public Entities (where permitted) * Public International Organizations and Governmental Institutions * U.S. Institutions of Higher Education * U.S. Non-Profit Organizations All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www. SAM.

gov as well as a valid registration on SAM. gov. Please see Section D. 3 for more information.

Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM. gov. **INELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:**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.

**INELIGIBILE ACTIVITIES AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS:**AFCP will NOT support the following activities or costs, and applications involving any of the activities or costs below will be deemed ineligible: * **Privately or Commercially Owned Property:** 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.

* **Natural Heritage:** 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. * **Human Remains:** Preservation of Hominid or human remains.

* **News Media:** Preservation of news media (newspapers, newsreels, radio and TV programs, etc.). * **Published Materials:** Preservation of published materials available elsewhere (books, periodicals, etc.). * **Mandated Educational Materials:** Development of curricula or educational materials for required classroom use.

* **Archaeological Research:**Archaeological excavations or exploratory survey for research purposes. * **Historical Research:** Historical research, except in cases where the research is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project. * **New Exhibits or Collections:** Acquisition or creation of new exhibits, objects, or collections for new or existing museums.

* **New or Modern adaptations:** Creation of new or modern adaptation of existing traditional dances, songs, chants, musical compositions, plays, or other performances. * **Conjectural Reconstructions:** Creation of conjectural reconstructions of cultural objects or sites that no longer exist.

* **Relocation:** Relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another unless under imminent threat or irreversible damage or destruction. * **Removal:** Removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason. * **Digitization:** Digitization of cultural objects or collections, unless part of a clearly defined conservation, documentation, or PD effort.

* **Conservation Plans or Studies:** Conservation plans or other studies, unless they are one component of a larger project to implement the results of those studies. * **Cash Reserves or Endowments:** Cash reserves, endowments, or revolving funds (fund must be expended within the award period [up to five year] and may not be used to create an endowment or revolving fund.) * **Fund-Raising Campaigns:** Costs of fund-raising campaigns.

* **Contingency Costs:** Contingency, unforeseen, or miscellaneous costs. * **Pre-Award Costs:** Costs of work performed prior to the announcement of the award unless allowable per 2CFR 200. 458 and approved by the Grant Officer.

* **International Travel:** International travel outside the project country, except in cases where travel is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project or to provide project leaders with learning and exchange opportunities with cultural heritage experts. * **Project Cost Limits:** Individual projects which cost less than US $25,000 or more than $500,000.

* **Independent U.S. Projects:** Independent U.S. projects overseas. **APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION** **Important:**Concept notes must be received by the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka **no later than 11:59 p. m.

Bangladesh Standard Time on Tuesday, January 14, 2025****. **All concept notes must be submitted via e-mail to DhakaGrants@state. gov. Only selected applicants will be asked to submit full applications in March 2024 via e-mail from DhakaGrants@state.

gov. All documents must be in English. **Prepare your application** Please follow all the instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

* All documents are in English * All budgets are in U.S. dollars * All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and * All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

**Round 1 concept note: project basics and summary** Your Round 1 Concept Note must include: * **Project basics:** Include the implementer’s name, a working title of the project, anticipated project length (between 12-60 months), project location, and a project cost estimate (amount requested from AFCP, in U.S. dollars).

* **Project summary description:** Provide a summary (3,000 characters maximum) that outlines the project activities, deliverables (outputs), and intended results (outcomes).

**Round 1 concept note: attachments** Your Round 1 Concept Note must also include: * **Visual or audiovisual documentation:** Include five (5) high-quality digital images (JPEGs or PNGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, collection, or tradition and show the urgency or need for the project (e.g., collapsed walls, water damage).

If your Round 1 Concept Note advances to Round 2, the U.S. Embassy, Dhaka will ask you to submit a full application. Your proposal should contain sufficient information so that anyone not familiar with your project will understand exactly what you want to do. You may use your own format, but it must include all the items below.

* **Updated project description:** Expand on the project summary provided in the Round 1 concept note. Clearly describe the goals on the project. Explain the outputs and outcomes the project will produce to achieve each goal, and the activities that will generate these outputs and outcomes.

Do this for both primary goals (such as restoring a part of a monument) and secondary goals (such as improving economic opportunities). Successful AFCP Round 2 applications describe a clear, logical pathway from activities to goals, including the necessary steps in between. Unsuccessful applications state broad goals but omit details on how they will be achieved.

In addition to the description, you may include a list, table, or Grantt chart of activities in chronological order, along with major outputs and outcomes and target dates for achieving them. * **Key personnel:** Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the project.

* **Statement of importance:** Highlight the historical, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the cultural heritage.

* **Maintenance plan:** Outline the steps or measures that you will take to maintain the site, object, or collection in good condition after the AFCP-supported project is completed; or, in the case of forms or traditional cultural expression, preserve and disseminate the documents, knowledge, or skills gained from the project.

* **Data and information access plan:** Outline how you will share, as appropriate, raw data or processed information, such as publications, generated from the project with the public and the Department of State.

**Round 2 full application: detailed budget and budget narrative** * **Detailed project budget:** Provide a detailed budget that lists all costs in separate categories (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel [including Per Diem], Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, Other Direct Costs, Indirect Costs) and indicates funds from other sources. The categories and subtotals should match those in the SF-424A (see Mandatory Application Forms, below).

* **Budget narrative:** Explain how the costs in the detailed budget were estimated (quantity x unit cost, annual salary x percentage of time spent on project, etc.) and any large budget line items. You may combine the detailed budget and budget narrative in a single file. See the section, Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions (below), for additional budget information.

**Round 2 full application: attachments** * **Resumes or CVs:** Provide resumes or CVs of the proposed project director and other key personnel. * **Support letters:** If applicable, letters of support from project partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

* **Proof of official permission:** Provide relevant supporting documentation, such as historic structure reports, restoration plans and studies, conservation needs assessments and recommendations, architectural and engineering records, etc., compiled in preparation for the proposed project.

* **Additional visual or audiovisual documentation:** As requested or as appropriate, provide additional high-quality digital images (JPEGs or PNGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the heritage and show the urgency or need for the proposed project (e.g., collapsing walls, extensive water damage).

* **NICRA:** If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file. **Mandatory application forms** You will need to complete some standard forms. You can find the standard forms and their instructions at Forms | Grants.

gov **SF-424** Application for Federal Assistance- Organizations **SF-424A** Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs **SF-424B** Assurances for Non-Construction Programs [Note: The SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered **Application checklist** Make sure that you have everything you need to apply: Project basics and summary Visual or audiovisual documentation Updated project description Implementer public outreach plan Data and information access plan Detailed budget and budget narrative Support letters, if applicable Proof of official permission, if applicable Relevant supporting documentation, if applicable Additional visual or audiovisual documentation Mandatory application forms SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance- Organizations SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs SF-424B Assurances for Non-Construction Projects [Note: Only required if you are not registered in SAM.

gov] **COST SHARING AND OTHER FORMS OF COST PARTICIPATION:**There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation required for this competition. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement.

The applicant will be responsible for tracking and reporting on any cost share or outside funding, which is subject to audit per 2 CFR 200. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. **SAM Registration:**An implementing partner must be registered in the U.S. government’s System for Award Management (SAM) prior to receiving U.S. federal assistance.

The SAM registration process can take weeks or months, especially for non-U.S. applicants. SAM will assign a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) automatically to any entity registering or reviewing its record in the system. Registration in SAM is free: https://sam.

gov/. **APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS** The Center will begin its formal review of concept notes in early 2025. It will review and select Round 1 project concept notes and full project applications (Round 2) in consultation with the regional bureau PD offices and taking into consideration the program objectives, funding areas and priorities, and other application requirements.

The Center may deem concept notes and full applications ineligible if they do not fully adhere to AFCP 2025 Grants Program objectives, requirements, and other criteria stated herein. **Disclaimer:**Issuance of this funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the AFCP program or the U.S. government.

The Center reserves the right to waive program formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase project scopes and budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. For final submission of proposals, please mail all required documents to Dhaka Grants Committee at DhakaGrants@state.

gov. For questions related to the application process, please reach out to Grants management team via email at DhakaGrants@state. gov Learn more about AFCP on the web at http://exchanges. state.

gov/heritage/afcp. html We look forward to receiving your proposals. Thank you.