The U.S. Embassy in Amman, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Center of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State, has announced the commencement of the 2024 U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grants Program.
The AFCP Grants Program aims to preserve archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, museum collections, and traditional cultural expressions like indigenous languages and crafts. These projects are intended to bolster civil society, promote good governance, and enhance political and economic stability globally.
Funding details include a minimum award amount of $10,000 per project and a maximum of $500,000 per project. The length of performance can range from 12 to 60 months. Cost sharing is allowed but not mandatory.
Eligible activities for funding encompass various preservation efforts such as anastylosis, conservation, consolidation, documentation, inventory creation, preventive conservation, restoration, and stabilization. However, there are restrictions on what can be funded; these include prohibitions on preserving privately owned cultural objects or real property unless ownership transfer is complete at proposal submission time.
Eligible applicants include foreign institutions of higher education, foreign-based non-profit organizations/NGOs, foreign public entities where permitted, U.S. non-profit organizations under IRC section 501(c)(3), and U.S. institutions of higher education. These entities must demonstrate capacity and permission to manage cultural heritage preservation projects in the specified country.
In Fiscal Year 2024, ECA will prioritize projects that support U.S. treaty obligations or policies outlined in national security strategies or other planning documents. Projects should also support risk reduction for cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas or complement other public diplomacy programs.
Applications will proceed through two rounds: initial concept notes due by December 31, 2023; selected candidates will then submit full applications in early Spring 2024.
All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). The process for obtaining or renewing SAM.gov registration may take four to eight weeks.
Issuance of this funding opportunity does not guarantee an award commitment by the AFCP program or the U.S. government. The Bureau reserves rights concerning application budgets based on program needs and fund availability.