Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation 2017
AFCP 2017 Small Grants Competition
Information for Applicants
(Deadline for submitting full proposals submission: Friday, December 16, 2016)
The U.S. Embassy Yangon and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce the 2017 call for proposals for the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), Small Grants.
The Fund is aimed at preserving cultural sites or objects that have a historical or cultural significance to the cultural heritage of Myanmar. Grants this year will range from $10,000 to $200,000.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: 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, including U.S.-based organizations subject to Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, that are registered and active in SAM.gov and able to demonstrate that they have the requisite experience and capacity to manage projects to preserve cultural heritage.
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS: AFCP does NOT support the following activities or costs, and applications involving the items 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 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 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 $10,000;
- Independent U.S. projects overseas.
INELIGIBLE PROJECT APPLICANTS: AFCP does not award grants to individuals, commercial entities, or to past grant recipients which have not fulfilled the objectives or reporting requirements of previous AFCP grants.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- 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);
- Project Basics, including title, project dates, and AFCP focus area;
- Project Applicant Information, including contact information, DUNS Number, and SAM.gov registration status;
- Project Location Information;
- Proof of Official Permission to undertake the project;
- Project Purpose that summarizes the project objectives and desired results;
- Project Activities Description that presents the project tasks in chronological order;
- 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, 2017, and conclude no later than September 30, 2022);
- Project Participant Information, specifically an estimated number of non-US and US participants and estimated number of primary and secondary participants, as well as resumes of the proposed project director and other primary project participants;
- Statement of Importance highlighting the historic, architectural, artistic, or cultural (non-religious) values of the cultural site, collection, or form of traditional expression;
- Statement of Urgency indicating the severity of the situation and explaining why the project must take place now;
- Statement of Sustainability 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;
- Detailed Project Budget, demarcated in one-year budget periods (2017, 2018, 2019, etc.), that lists all costs in separate categories (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel [including Per Diem], Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, Other Direct Costs, Indirect Costs, Cost Sharing); indicates funds from other sources; and gives a justification for any anticipated international travel costs (templates available upon request from the Center);
- Budget Narrative explaining line by line how costs are estimated (quantity x unit cost, annual salary x percentage of time spent on project, etc.) and unique budget line items;
- Attachments and Supporting Documents 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 wall, water damage, worn fabric, broken handle, etc.), any historic structure reports, conservation needs assessments, and other planning documents compiled in preparation for the proposed project;
COST SHARING AND OTHER FORMS OF COST PARTICIPATION: There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation required for this competition. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 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.
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 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/
REVIEW AND SELECTION CRITERIA: AFCP will oversee the screening, rating, ranking, and recommendation of applications according to the program objectives, funding areas and priorities, ineligible activities and unallowable costs, and other application requirements.
ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS: All grants will be made with terms and conditions subject to OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200): Cost Principles, Audit, and Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Chapter I, Chapter II, Part 200, et al.) unless otherwise specified. Potential applicants should be familiar with these requirements.
PERFORMANCE AND DELIVERABLES: AFCP 2017 grant recipients must submit performance progress, federal financial status, and final reports on time as specified in the grant.
DISCLAIMER: Explanatory information that contradicts published language is not binding. Issuance of this Notice of Funding Opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. Government. The Center reserves the right to waive program formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.
The deadline for submitting a proposal in English is Friday, December 16, 2016. Please read the proposal requirements carefully.
Winnie Hofstetter
Cultural Affairs Officer
Public Affairs Section
U.S. Embassy Rangoon
110 University Avenue
Kamayut Township
Rangoon, Burma
or
HofstetterWL@state.gov
Subject: The Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation 2017
