AFCP-2024-GP.pdf

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Grants Program

Funding Opportunity Number: AFCP-2024-GP Deadline for Applications: Varies by U.S. embassy or consulate Federal Assistance Listing: 19.025 Total Amount Available: $6 million (estimated)

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to participating U.S. embassies for funding through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for

Cultural Preservation (AFCP) to carry out an individual project to preserve cultural heritage in a specific priority country. Issuance of this funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. Full implementation of this program is subject to the availability of funds. Please follow all instructions below.

Eligible Countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic of the), Congo (Republic of), Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, AFCP-2024-GP Page 2

Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint

Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South

Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-

Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Program Objectives: The Department of State established the AFCP at the request of Congress in Conference Report 106-1005 accompanying H.R. 4942

(October 26, 2000). The Senate report on this bill noted that the preservation of cultural heritage “offers an opportunity to show a different American face to other countries, one that is non-commercial, non-political, and non-military.”

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 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)

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• 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)

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of Performance Period: 12 to 60 months Number of Awards Anticipated: 20-30 awards per year Award Amounts: $10,000 - $500,000 Total Available Funding: $6 million (estimated) Type of Funding: Diplomatic Programs Public Diplomacy Funds Anticipated Project Start Date: 1 October 2024

This notice is subject to availability of Fiscal Year 2024 funds.

Funding Instrument Types: Grant, Cooperative Agreement, Fixed Amount Award

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 60 months or less. The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to apply:

• Foreign Institution of Higher Education

• Foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations

(NGO)

• Foreign Public Entity, where permitted

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• U.S. Non-Profit Organization (IRC section 501(c)(3))

• U.S. Institution of Higher Education

Cost Sharing or Matching: There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation required for this competition. When an applicant offers cost sharing, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its application 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.

Other Eligibility Requirements: The AFCP further defines eligible applicants as reputable and accountable entities that can demonstrate that they have the requisite capacity and permission to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage in the specified country.

To be eligible to receive an award, all entities must have a valid and active registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain this registration.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Address to Request Application Package: The mandatory application forms listed below are available at Grants.gov. Interested applicants must contact the Public

Diplomacy Section at the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate for specific application and submission information, including application deadlines. See

Section I for a link to U.S. embassy and consulate contact information.

Content and Form of Application Submission: Please follow all instructions below carefully. Applications that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application: Applicants must ensure:

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• The application clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

• All documents are in English, and

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory Application Forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) at Grants.gov

• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at Grants.gov

• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at Grants.gov

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), proposal date, project title, proposed project beginning and end dates, amount of funds requested, and a scope of work summarizing the preservation goals and any broader host country or community goals.

3. 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 eligible countries listed in Section A).

• 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]).

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• Statement of Importance highlighting the historical, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the cultural heritage.

• 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 or collection.

• Implementer Public Outreach Plan describing how the implementing partner will build awareness and engage communities and stakeholders.

Awareness-building activities typically include social media posts, ribbon cutting events, and news stories. Community and stakeholder engagement activities may include community-led or community-produced workshops, short videos, documentary films, oral histories, storytelling or interpretive exhibits, and educational or enrichment events tailored for specific audiences, such as young people.

• 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.

• Data and Media Access Plan outlining how the implementing partner will share, as appropriate, data and media generated from the project with the public and the Department of State.

• Résumés or CVs of the proposed project director and key project participants.

• Detailed Project Budget, demarcated in one-year budget periods (2024, 2025, 2026, etc.), that lists all costs in separate categories (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel [including Per Diem], Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, Other Direct Costs, Indirect Costs); indicates funds from other sources; and gives a justification for any anticipated international travel costs (See Section H below for additional information).

• Budget Narrative explaining how the costs were estimated (quantity x unit cost, annual salary x percentage of time spent on project, etc.) and any large budget line items.

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• Relevant Supporting Documentation 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.

• PDF of your most recent NICRA if your organization has a NICRA and includes NICRA charges in the budget.

• Single Audit or recent independent financial audit (if applicable)

Note: Audits are required of U.S. organizations that expend over $750,000 in federal funds per fiscal year and of foreign organizations that expend over

$750,000 of Department of State funds per fiscal year.

Required Registrations: All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in the System for Award Management (https://SAM.gov). Registration in https://SAM.gov is free. You may require additional registrations, such as an

EIN or NCAGE code, depending on your location and whether you plan to do business with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. The UEI replaced the DUNS numbering system in April 2022. To get a UEI, go to https://SAM.gov and follow the instructions for getting a Unique Entity ID.

Employer Identification Number (EIN): If you are an organization based in the

United States or if you pay employees within the United States, you will need an https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/

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Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov. If you are an organization based outside of the United States and you do not pay employees within the United States, you do not need an EIN from the IRS.

NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code: If you are an organization based outside of the United States and do not intend to apply for

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awards, you do not need a NCAGE code.

Simply obtain your UEI and complete your SAM.gov registration at https://SAM.gov.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take between 4-8 weeks. Begin the process as early as possible.

Submission Dates and Times: Applicants must contact the Public Diplomacy

Section at the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate for country-specific application submission dates and times since they may vary per country. See

Section I for a full list of links to U.S. embassy and consulate contact information.

Funding Restrictions: AFCP does not support the following activities or costs, and applications involving any of the activities or costs below will be deemed ineligible:

• 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.) unless the natural heritage has a cultural heritage connection or dimension.

• Preservation of hominid or human remains.

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• 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, documentation, or public diplomacy 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.

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• International travel, 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.

• Individual projects costing less than US $10,000 or more than $500,000.

• Independent U.S. and foreign projects overseas that do not have a local partner or a pre-existing formal agreement with the national cultural authority in the specified country to conduct cultural heritage preservation activities

Other Submission Requirements: All application materials must be submitted by email to the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate. Contact the Public

Diplomacy Section at the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate for country specific submission instructions. See Section I for a link to U.S. embassy and consulate contact information.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Criteria: Each application will be evaluated on its technical eligibility, responsiveness to the AFCP program objectives, and the quality of the application contents (Proposal, Attachments, etc., as stated above).

Review and Selection Process: Review panels at the embassy, AFCP program, and bureau levels within the State Department will evaluate all eligible applications and recommend projects for funding.

Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS): For any federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the federal awarding agency anticipates that the total federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold on any federal award under a notice of funding opportunity may include, over the period of performance (see §200.88 Simplified Acquisition

Threshold), this section must also inform applicants:

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1. That the federal awarding agency, prior to making a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).

2. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM.gov and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov.

3. That the federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in

§200.205 federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Federal Award Notices: The grant award will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of

State.

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Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S.

government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: Unless indicated otherwise in the Notice of Award, recipients shall request payment by completing form SF-270—Request for Advance or

Reimbursement and submitting the form to the Grants Officer. Unless otherwise stipulated, recipients may request payments on a reimbursement or advance basis. Payments shall be made in a minimum of three (3) separate installments following approval by the Grants Officer, who may negotiate the exact number, amounts, and scheduling of the installments with the award recipient or set the number and amounts at his or her discretion.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submission, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include: 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and

Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ Note the U.S Flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and Conditions.

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and progress reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact the

Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where the project, if funded, would take place.

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/

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H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification

Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating.

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If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes

NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.

I. LINKS TO U.S. EMBASSY AND CONSULATE CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact the Public Diplomacy Section at the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate for country specific submission instructions, including submission deadlines. A full index of U.S. embassies is available online at:

https://www.usembassy.gov/.

J. 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 Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs reserves the right to waive program formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets and award amounts in accordance with the needs of the AFCP program and the availability of FY 2024 funds.

https://www.usembassy.gov/