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

Deadline: 7-Jan-25

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce the call for proposals for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grants Program.

Since its inception in 2001, AFCP has helped preserve cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in Thailand and around the world. Cultural heritage endures as a reminder of the contributions and historical experiences of humanity. By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, the U.S. shows its respect for other cultures. 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. AFCP project strengthen civil society, encourage good governance, and promote political and economic stability around the world.

Funding Information

Under the AFCP Grants Program, the minimum funding available for individual projects is US$25,000 per project and the maximum amount is US$500,000 per project.

Eligible Project Activities

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. Special consideration will be given to proposals with a focus or that include a component on intangible heritage. Appropriate project activities may include:
- Anastylosis (reassembling a site from its original parts)
- Conservation (addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site)
- Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site)
- Documentation (recording in analog or digital format the condition and salient features of an object, site, or tradition)
- Inventory (listing of objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristic or state)
- 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 only with fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings)
- Stabilization (reducing the physical disturbance of an object or site)
Specific to the AFCP 2025 Grants Program annual competition, proposals for projects that directly support one or more of the following will receive additional consideration:
- Directly support U.S. treaty or bilateral agreement obligations.
- Directly support U.S. policies, strategies and objectives.
- Directly support host country or community goals beyond preserving cultural heritage.
- Support risk reduction and resilience for cultural heritage in disaster-prone or politically unstable and economically disadvantaged areas.
- Support post-disaster cultural heritage recovery.
- Complement other public diplomacy programs.

Ineligible Activities

AFCP will NOT support the following activities or costs, and applications involving any of these 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 classroom use.
- Archaeological Research: Archaeological excavations or exploratory surveys 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 Construction: Construction of new buildings, building additions, or permanent coverings (over archaeological sites, for example).
- New Works of Art: Commissions of new works of art or architecture for commemorative or economic development purposes.
- New or Modern Adaptation: Creation of new or the modern adaptation of existing traditional dances, songs, chants, musical compositions, plays, or other performances.
- Conjectural Reconstructions: Creation of replicas or conjectural reconstructions of cultural objects or sites that no longer exist.
- Relocation: Relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another.
- Removal: Removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason.
- Digitalization: Digitization of cultural objects or collections, unless part of a larger, clearly defined conservation, documentation, or public diplomacy 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 (funds must be expended within the award period [up to five years] 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 or fees.
- International Travel: International travel outside of 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.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible project implementers are reputable and accountable non-commercial entities that demonstrate they have the capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage. This may include non-governmental organizations, museums, educational institutions, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations, including U.S.-based educational institutions and organizations subject to Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code. 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.

Information to be Included in Concept Notes

All information must be submitted in English
Project Basics:
- Implementer’s name
- A working title of the project
- Anticipated project length (between 12-60 months)
- Project location
- A project cost estimate (amount requested from AFCP in U.S. dollars).
Project Summary Description: Provide a summary (3,000 characters maximum) that outlines
- project activities
- deliverables (outputs)
- intended results (outcomes).
Visual or Audiovisual Documentation: Submit 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 (collapsing walls, water damage, etc.).

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand.