Submit Applications for U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation!

Deadline: 30 November 2018

Applications are open for U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) to support the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in more than 100 developing countries around the world.

AFCP-supported projects include the restoration of ancient and historic buildings, assessment and conservation of rare manuscripts and museum collections, preservation and protection of important archaeological sites, and the documentation of vanishing traditional craft techniques and indigenous languages. Cultural heritage endures as a reminder of the contributions and historical experiences of humanity.

Project Categories

• CULTURAL SITES
  • The “Cultural Sites” category includes restoration of an ancient or historic building, preservation of an archeological site, or documentation of cultural sites in a region for preservation purposes.
• CULTURAL OBJECTS AND COLLECTIONS
  • The “Cultural Objects and Collections” category includes conservation treatment for an object or collection of objects; assessment of the needs of a collection with respect to its condition and strategies for improving its state of conservation; inventory of a collection for conservation and protection purposes; the creation of safe environments for storage or display of collections; or specialized training in the care and preservation of collections.
• FORMS OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSION
  • The “Forms of Traditional Cultural Expression” category includes documentation and audiovisual recording of traditional music and dance forms for broad dissemination as the means of teaching and further preserving them, or support for training in the preservation of traditional applied arts or crafts in danger of extinction.

Funding Information

The Embassy of the United States in Port-au-Prince is now accepting project proposals of over $10,000.00 US for the 2018 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation 2018 competition (AFCP).

Ineligible Projects

AFCP does not support the following projects:

• 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.
• Preservation of natural heritage (physical, biological, and geological formations, paleontological collections, habitats of threatened species of animals and plants, fossils, etc.)
• Preservation of hominid or human remains.
• Preservation of news media (newspapers, newsreels, radio and TV programs, etc.)
• Preservation of published materials available elsewhere (books, periodicals, etc.)
• Development of curricula or educational materials for classroom use.
• Archaeological excavations or exploratory surveys for research purposes.
• Historical research, except in cases where the research is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project.
• Acquisition or creation of new exhibits, objects, or collections for new or existing museums.
• Construction of new buildings, building additions or permanent coverings (over archaeological sites, for example).
• Commissions of new works of art or architecture for commemorative or economic development purposes.
• Creation of new or the modern adaptation of existing traditional dances, songs, chants, musical compositions, plays, or other performances
• Creation of replicas or conjectural reconstructions of cultural objects or sites that no longer exist.
• Relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another.
• Removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason.
• Digitization of cultural objects or collections, unless part of a larger, clearly defined conservation effort.
• Conservation plans or other studies, unless they are one component of a larger project to implement the results of those studies.
• 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).
• Costs of fund-raising campaigns.
• Contingency, unforeseen, or miscellaneous costs or fees.
• Costs of work performed prior to announcement of the award unless allowable per 2 CFR 200.458 and approved by the grants officer;
• International travel, except in cases where travel is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project;
• Travel or study outside the host country for professional development;
• Individual projects costing less than $10,000;
• Independent U.S. projects overseas.

Eligibility Criteria

Recipients (grantees) must be non-governmental organizations, museums, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations, including U.S.-based organizations subject to Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, that are registered and active in SAM.gov and able to demonstrate that they have the requisite experience and capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage.

How to Apply

Proposal must be submitted in English via email at the address given on the website.

Eligible Countries: Haiti and United States

For more information, please visit U.S. Embassy in Haiti.