U.S. Embassy in Fiji,
Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu

The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)

2021 Grants Program Funding Opportunity

Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Suva, Fiji

Call for Proposals – 2021
Deadline for proposals is November 23, 2020

The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce a call for concept notes for the FY 2021 Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grant program. The Fund was established in 2000 to help less developed countries preserve their cultural heritage. The Funds demonstrate U.S. respect for other cultures, strengthen civil society, encourage good governance, and promote political and economic stability around the world.

Selection will be done in two rounds. The first is a concept note stage due at the end of November 2020. If the concept note is selected a full, complete application is due in March 2021

GUIDELINES

Proposals may include preservation projects directed at:

1) A CULTURAL SITE OR SITES. This might include (but is not limited to):

• Preservation of an archaeological or historical site, sacred place, or monument
• An archaeological survey as a component of a preservation plan
• Preservation management planning for a site or sites in a region
• Documentation of a site or sites in a region for preservation purposes

2) AN OBJECT OR COLLECTION OF OBJECTS from a site, a museum or similar institution. This might include (but is not limited to):

• Conservation of an object or collection of objects
• Inventory of a collection of objects for conservation purposes
• Creating suitable space and conditions for a collection of objects
• Specialized training in the care and preservation of collections

3) FORMS OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSION. This might include (but is not limited to):

• Recording traditional music or dance forms
• Compiling a dictionary of an endangered language
• Recording oral history or traditional poetry
• Support for training in the preservation of traditional arts or crafts that are threatened by extinction.

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of Performance Period: 12 to 60 months
Award Amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $500,000
Anticipated Project Start Date: Varies by project

AFCP NOTES:

• This program is to support ONLY the preservation of cultural heritage. Conservation of natural heritage DOES NOT qualify for funding.
• Digitization projects must consider the fact that digital storage media (CDs, DVDs, videotapes, audiotapes, and diskettes) are not sufficiently stable to be used as permanent archival storage, and not rely exclusively on digital records. Analog or paper backup records must be maintained.
• Funds cannot be used to support conservation or the purchase of privately owned, residential or commercial property or collections.
• Funds cannot pay for international airfare for foreign specialists.
• The proposals must be directed at specific projects that exclusively support preservation of sites, or forms of traditional expression, conservation of objects or preventive conservation or preservation strategies. Line items for administrative staff, miscellaneous, or contingency will not be supported.
• Funds cannot be applied to construction of new buildings or to reconstruction of a type of historical building, only restoration of existing buildings can be supported.
• The fund cannot be applied to relocation of cultural sites from one physical location to another, or removal of cultural objects or elements of cultural sites from the country for any reason.
• The fund cannot be applied to historical research, except in cases where the research is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project, or archaeological excavations or exploratory surveys for research purposes.
• 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 on the basis of architectural, artistic, historical or other cultural (not religious) criteria.

HOW TO APPLY

To submit a concept note please send the following information to PDSuva@state.gov by November 23.

1. Project title:
2. Projected project cost:
3. Country of project:
4. Nearest city or town:
5. Site name:
6. Implementer organization name:
7. Registered in SAMS?
8. Implementer type (Foreign educational organization, Foreign government, foreign NGO, Public International organization, U.S. educational organization, U.S. non-profit):
9. Implementer POC name:
10. Email address:
11. Telephone:
12. Organization website (if applicable):
13. Summarize the project objectives, proposed activities, and desired results.(1,500 characters)
14. Why is it in the interests of the U.S. government to fund this project? (1,000 characters)
15. What are the projected public diplomacy benefits and impacts of this project? (1,000 characters)
16. Does the project contribute to broader host country or community aims or objectives? If yes, how? (1,000 characters)
17. Include five (5) high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, collection, or tradition and show the urgency or need for the proposed project.

For more information please contact

Mr. Saula Fiji
Resource Coordinator| Public Diplomacy Office
U.S. Embassy Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu
( (679) 331 – 4466 (Fiji) | ( (679) 772 – 1792 | email: fijist@state.gov
158 Princess Road | PO Box 218, Suva

Ms. Rebecca Archer- Knepper
Public Diplomacy Officer
U.S. Embassy Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu
( (679) 331 – 4466 (Fiji) | email: Archer-KnepperR@state.gov
158 Princess Road | PO Box 218, Suva