U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Grants (Malaysia)

Deadline: 16-Nov-20

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur for funding through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) to carry out an individual project to preserve cultural heritage in Malaysia.

Program Objectives

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 (addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site);
Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site);
Documentation (recording in analogue 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).

Funding Information

Length of Performance Period: 12 to 60 months;
Number of Awards Anticipated: 30-40 awards per year (dependent on amounts);
Award Amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $500,000.

Eligible Applicants

The following entities are eligible to apply:

Foreign Institution of Higher Education;
Foreign Organization;
Foreign Public Entity;
U.S. Non-Profit Organization (501(c)(3));
U.S. Institution of Higher Education.

Other Eligibility Requirements

The AFCP further defines eligible applicants as reputable and accountable entities that are able to demonstrate that they have the requisite capacity and permission to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage in Malaysia.

Required Documents

Mandatory Application Forms:
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations);
- SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs);
- SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs);
Summary Page
- Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the System for Award Management, proposal date, project title, proposed project start and end dates, amount of funds requested, and a brief description of the project.
Proposal: The proposal should contain sufficient information so that anyone not familiar with the subject of the proposed project would understand exactly what the applicant intends to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.
- Project applicant information, including contact information;
- Project location (project must be located within one of the priority countries listed;
- Project purpose that summarizes the project objectives, proposed activities, and desired results, including any intended contributions to the broader host country or community aims or objectives;
- Project activities description and timeframe that present the project tasks in chronological order and list the major milestones with target dates for achieving them (Note: Applicants may propose project periods of up to 60 months [five years]);
- Theory of change that describes how the project activities and outputs will help achieve any broader host country or community aims or objectives. For example, if a broader goal is economic development, how will the activities and outputs directly contribute towards achieving that goal?
- Statement of importance highlighting the historic, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the site, collection, or form of traditional expression;
- Maintenance plan outlining the steps or measures that will be taken to maintain the site, object, or collection in good condition after the AFCP-supported project is complete; or, in the case of forms of traditional cultural expression, to preserve and disseminate the documentation, knowledge, or skills gained from the project;
- Implementer public awareness plan describing how the applicant intends to highlight and amplify AFCP-supported activities through print, electronic, and social media platforms
- Detailed project budget, demarcated in one-year budget periods (2021, 2022, 2023, etc.), 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.
Budget Justification Narrative
- After filling out the SF-424A Budget, use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail.
Attachments
- CVs or résumés of key personnel who are proposed for the project;
- Supporting documents including, at a minimum and required, five (5) high-quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, object, or form of expression and, in the case of a site or object, show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing walls, water damage, worn fabric, broken handle, etc.), any historic structure reports, restoration plans and studies, conservation needs assessments and recommendations, architectural and engineering records, and other planning documents compiled in preparation for the proposed project;
- Proof of official permission to undertake the project from the office, agency, or organization that either owns or is otherwise responsible for the preservation and protection of the site, object, or collection;
- PDF of your most recent NICRA if your organization has a NICRA and includes NICRA charges in the budget.