Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation 2019.
Large Grants Competition Funding Opportunity.
Request for Proposals. (Deadline: November 30, 2018)
1. The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta is now accepting project proposals for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2019 Large Grant Competition. Proposals must include all items as noted in paragraph # 9. Incomplete proposals will not be considered. All proposals must be submitted by e-mail to AFCPgrant@state.gov. The deadline for submitting project proposals to the U.S. Embassy is November 30, 2018.
2. BACKGROUND: Since FY 2001, the Department of State has led efforts to support cultural heritage preservation worldwide through the implementation of the AFCP program. This year, applicants may submit proposals for individual awards ranging from USD $200,000 to USD $800,000. In FY2018, awards made through this program ranged from USD 200,000 to USD $800,000.
3. INELIGIBLE PROJECT APPLICANTS: The AFCP does not award grants to individuals, commercial entities, or past award recipients, which have not fulfilled the objectives or reporting requirements of previous AFCP awards.
4. FUNDING AREAS — GENERAL: The AFCP Large Grants Competition supports the preservation of major ancient archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and major museum collections that are accessible to the public and protected by law in the host country. Appropriate project activities may include:
- Preventive conservation (addressing conditions that damage or threaten the site).
- Stabilization (reducing the physical disturbance [settling, collapse, etc.] of a site).
- Conservation (addressing damage or deterioration to a collection or sites)
- Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of a site)
- Anastylosis (reassembling a site from its original parts)
- Restoration (replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of a site, usually appropriate only with fine arts, decorative arts, and historic building)
5. FUNDING PRIORITIES—SPECIFIC TO THE AFCP 2019 ANNUAL COMPETITION: Project proposals that meet one or more of the following criteria will receive additional consideration in FY 2019:
- Directly support U.S. treaty or bilateral agreement obligations, such as cultural property agreements;
- S. Embassy Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) goals;
- Support disaster risk reduction for cultural heritage in seismically active and other disaster-prone areas;
- Post-disaster cultural heritage recovery; and
- Preservation of inscribed World Heritage sites
6. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING SITES AND OBJECTS THAT HAVE A RELIGIOUS CONNECTION: The establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution permits the government to include religious objects and sites within an aid program under certain conditions. For example, 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 and is nominated solely on the basis of architectural, artistic, historical, or other cultural (not religious) criteria.
7. COST SHARING AND OTHER FORMS OF COST PARTICIPATION: The AFCP encourages cost-sharing, contributions in kind, and other forms of cost participation. There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation.
8. ELIGIBLE PROJECT APPLICANTS: The AFCP defines eligible project applicants as reputable and accountable non-commercial entities, such as non-governmental organizations, museums, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations that are able to demonstrate that they have the requisite experience and capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage.
9. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: The application process for the AFCP Large Grants program consists of two rounds: Round 1 (project abstract) and Round 2 (full application).
- Application Closing Dates: Round 1 abstracts: Friday, November 30, 2018. Round 2 applications: Tuesday, January 15, 2019.
- Round 1 Project Abstract Requirements (Deadline: November 30, 2018): Once the embassy has selected potential applicants and projects, preferably through an open competition process, it must work to obtain the Round 1 abstract items below. All submitted documents must be in English.
Project abstracts must include or address the following (Note: The list includes items required by 2 CFR 200 and State Department federal assistance regulations):
a) Full and complete Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424), including Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A), Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B), and, if applicable, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
b) Project basics, including title, project dates, location, and site
c) Project applicant information, including contact information, DUNS Number, and SAM registration status
d) Special designations (national monument, World Heritage Site, etc.)
e) Law(s) protecting the site or collection (citations only)
f) Project purpose that summarizes the project objectives and desired results
g) Statement of importance highlighting the historic, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the site or collection
h) At a minimum and required, five (5) high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site or collection and show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing walls, water damage, etc.) - Round 2 Full Application Requirements (Deadline: January 15, 2019): The U.S. Embassy may invite chosen applications from Round 1 to submit full project applications upon favorable review of their abstracts. The applications must fully satisfy the program objectives, funding areas and priorities, and the eligibility requirements specified above. Furthermore, to be considered complete, they must include:
a) Revised project abstract, if needed
b) Revised SF-424, if needed
c) 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
d) Project activities description that presents the project tasks in chronological order (Note: If the proposed project is part of a larger effort involving multiple projects supported by other entities, the plan must present the full scope of the preservation effort and the place of the proposed project within that larger effort)
e) Project time frame or schedule that lists the major project phases and milestones with target dates for achieving them (Note: Applicants may propose project periods of up to 60 months [five years]; projects must begin before September 30, 2019, and conclude no later than September 30, 2024)
f) Project participant information, including resumes or CVs of the proposed project director and key project participants
g) Statement of urgency indicating the severity of the situation and explaining why the project must take place now
h) Statement of sustainability outlining the steps or measures that will be taken to maintain the site or collection in good condition after the AFCP-supported project is complete
i) Detailed project budget, demarcated in one-year budget periods (2019, 2020, 2021, 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
j) 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
k) As requested by the AFCP Program Office or as appropriate, additional high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site or museum collection and show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing walls, extensive water damage, etc.)
l) Relevant supporting documentation, such as historic structure reports, restoration plans and studies, conservation needs assessments and recommendations, architectural and engineering records, etc., compiled in preparation for the proposed project
10. DUNS NUMBER AND SAM REGISTRATION: Applicants requesting $25,000 or more in federal assistance must have a Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code, and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting applications. NOTE: This process can take weeks/months, especially for non-U.S. applicants. Applicants may acquire DUNs numbers at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNs number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by requesting a number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Non-U.S. based applicants may request a NCAGE code at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx. SAM is the official, free on-line registration database for the U.S. Government. SAM.gov replaced the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in July 2012. SAM.gov collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of federal agency acquisition and grant award mission. Registration in SAM is free: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/
11. RESTRICTIONS: The AFCP does not support the following:
- 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.);
- Preservation of hominid or human remains;
- 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 or documentation 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;
- International travel, except in cases where travel is justifiable and integral to the success of the proposed project;
- Travel or study outside the host country for professional development;
- Individual projects costing less than $200,000;
- Independent U.S. projects overseas.
12. Please address questions to Ms. Pirina Vindiartha at VindiarthaP@state.gov or phone (021) 5083 1392
