Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation | PAS LUSAKA AFCP 2022

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS LUSAKA AFCP 2022

The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) is a U.S. Department of State grant program, administered through the Cultural Heritage Center and implemented in Zambia by the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka, that funds projects aimed at protecting and conserving significant cultural heritage. The 2022 competition introduces a streamlined structure that merges what used to be separate small and large grant tracks into one program, with awards expected (depending on available funding) to range from USD 10,000 up to USD 500,000. The overall goal is to support tangible and intangible cultural preservation in developing countries, including work such as restoring historic buildings, conserving museum and archival collections, protecting archaeological sites, and documenting endangered cultural traditions, languages, and craft techniques.

The competition uses a two-round application process to reduce the amount of paperwork required at the start. In Round 1, applicants submit a concept note and a supporting budget to the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka by December 10, 2021, via email to LusakaPASGrants@state.gov, using the subject line "2022 AFCP Competition - Project Name." After an initial review, a limited number of applicants are shortlisted and invited to Round 2, where they must submit a complete full proposal by April 4, 2022. Projects can be proposed for periods of up to 60 months (five years), which allows for multi-year conservation work, phased restoration, or extended documentation and training programs when justified.

AFCP funds projects in three main categories. First, Cultural Objects and Collections covers conservation and collections care for items held by museums, archives, sites, or similar institutions, including objects like manuscripts, paintings, sculpture, archaeological and ethnographic materials, and photo or film collections. Typical activities include conservation treatment, condition and needs assessments, improvements to storage or display environments, and specialized training for collections staff. Second, Cultural Sites includes preservation of historic buildings, monuments, sacred places (with emphasis on their cultural rather than religious value in the proposal), and archaeological sites; eligible activities can include restoration, documentation, surveys that directly support a preservation plan, and development of preservation management plans. Third, Forms of Traditional Cultural Expression supports safeguarding living heritage through documentation and recording of traditional music, dance, and indigenous languages for educational dissemination, as well as training to preserve traditional applied arts and crafts that are at risk of disappearing.

The opportunity also has clear limits on what it will not fund. AFCP excludes projects involving privately or commercially owned cultural property, natural heritage conservation, preservation of news media, research-driven archaeological excavation, stand-alone historical research (unless it is essential to completing the preservation work), new building construction, commissions of new art or performances for commemoration or economic development, creating or acquiring new museum collections, making replicas or reconstructing heritage that no longer exists, and relocating cultural property unless it is part of a defined conservation plan. It also prohibits removing cultural objects or site elements from the country, creating endowments or revolving funds, fundraising costs, and many indirect or non-project administrative expenses. Administrative staff or fees are capped at 5 percent of total project costs, contingency or miscellaneous lines are not allowed, and expenses incurred before an award is announced are not eligible. International travel is generally discouraged and considered only when it is essential, such as bringing in outside specialists whose on-site work is integral to project success.

Round 1 concept notes must cover basic project details (title, duration, location, and the requested AFCP amount), information about the implementing organization including SAM registration status, a clear purpose statement outlining objectives, activities, and expected results, and a rationale explaining why U.S. government support is appropriate. This rationale is expected to connect the project to U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy interests, including alignment with the Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) for Zambia, and to describe anticipated public diplomacy benefits and broader community or host-country impacts. Applicants must also submit five high-quality images or audiovisual files that show the resource to be preserved and the urgency of the need (for example, structural failure, water damage, or deterioration).

Round 2 requires a full technical and administrative package. That includes a detailed work plan with activities in chronological order, milestones, and target dates; a theory of change explaining how project outputs contribute to broader community goals (such as economic development, if claimed); and a statement of significance emphasizing historical, architectural, artistic, or cultural value. Applicants must provide proof of official permission from the responsible owner or authority, a public awareness plan for sharing AFCP-supported work through media channels, and a maintenance plan describing how outcomes will be sustained after the grant ends (or, for traditional expressions, how recordings and knowledge will be preserved and disseminated). The application must also include resumes/CVs for key personnel, a detailed multi-year budget broken down by standard federal cost categories with notes on any cost-share or other funding sources, a budget narrative explaining cost calculations, and required U.S. government forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and SF-LLL if applicable), plus supporting technical documents such as conservation assessments, restoration plans, and relevant reports.

Eligible applicants include non-governmental organizations, museums, and government ministries of culture or similar institutions. By the time a full application is submitted, applicants generally must have a DUNS number, an NCAGE code, and active SAM registration (unless they qualify for a specific exemption under State Department federal assistance policy). Because these registrations can take weeks or months, especially for non-U.S. organizations, applicants are encouraged to start early.

Selection and screening occur in two stages. The U.S. Embassy in Lusaka performs an initial review, vets organizations for suitability and credible past performance, and forwards recommended proposals for further consideration. The Cultural Heritage Center in Washington, DC then conducts a technical eligibility review to ensure proposals meet program priorities and comply with the listed requirements and cost rules, and it can deem applications ineligible if they do not closely follow the guidance. For questions, the notice directs applicants to the Embassy Public Affairs Section by phone at 260-211-357-407, and submissions are made by email to LusakaPASGrants@state.gov. The funding opportunity is listed under Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zambia, Funding Opportunity Number PAS LUSAKA AFCP 2022 (CFDA 19.025), with an award ceiling of USD 500,000 and an expectation of roughly three awards.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zambia in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.025.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 10, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 04, 2022 Concept notes to be submitted no later than December 10, 2021Full proposals to be submitted no later than April 4, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for PAS LUSAKA AFCP 2022

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