U.S. Mission to Nigeria: Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation | AFCP 2020 S ABUJA

Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2020 Small Grants Competition (Nigeria) - FAQs

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This opportunity is the 2020 Small Grants Competition for the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in Nigeria, announced by the U.S. Mission to Nigeria under the U.S. Department of State. It supports projects that protect and preserve cultural heritage in Nigeria, while also advancing U.S. foreign policy goals and demonstrating respect for other cultures.

2) Who is offering the funding?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Mission to Nigeria under the U.S. Department of State, with final selections made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

3) What kinds of projects does AFCP fund?

AFCP funds cultural heritage preservation projects in Nigeria, including restoring historic structures, conserving museum or archival collections (including rare manuscripts), safeguarding archaeological sites, and documenting endangered traditional skills and languages. Proposed activities are expected to align with recognized international standards for cultural heritage preservation.

4) What are the three main AFCP project categories?

AFCP projects fall into three categories:

• Cultural Sites: conserving an ancient or historic building, preserving an archaeological site, or documenting cultural sites to support future preservation.
• Cultural Objects and Collections: museum or similar institutional collections work such as conservation assessments and treatment, collection inventories for conservation planning, improving storage/display environments, and specialized training for collections care.
• Forms of Traditional Cultural Expression: documentation and audiovisual recording of traditional music and dance for teaching and dissemination, and training to preserve traditional crafts or applied arts at risk of disappearing.

5) Are projects connected to religious sites or objects eligible?

They can be eligible when the significance and justification are strictly cultural (for example architectural, artistic, or historical) rather than religious. The announcement emphasized that eligibility must be consistent with U.S. constitutional limits.

6) What award sizes are allowed?

Projects with total costs below $10,000 or above $200,000 are ineligible. The announcement indicates AFCP small grants must therefore fall within $10,000 to $200,000 in total project costs.

7) How long can a project last?

Proposals could request project periods of up to 60 months (five years).

8) Is cost sharing required?

No. Cost sharing is not mandatory, and there is no required minimum or maximum cost-share percentage. However, if an applicant proposes cost sharing, they are obligated to provide it and to track and report it in compliance with federal audit and grant rules (2 CFR 200).

9) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is aimed at reputable, accountable, non-commercial entities with demonstrated capacity to manage cultural preservation projects. Examples listed include NGOs, museums, ministries of culture, and similar organizations. The opportunity also referenced eligible applicant types in general terms, including certain government entities and eligible nonprofit organizations.

10) Who is not eligible to apply?

AFCP does not make awards to individuals, commercial entities, embassies, or prior recipients that failed to meet earlier AFCP objectives or reporting requirements.

11) Are applicants required to have a DUNS number and SAM registration?

Yes. Applicants were required to have a DUNS number and SAM registration status included in the application details.

12) What was the application deadline for this competition?

The application deadline listed for the competition was December 1, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

13) How were proposals submitted?

Proposals had to be submitted in English by email to PASAbujaGrants@State.gov.

14) What language must the application and grant agreement be in?

Proposals had to be submitted in English, and final grant agreements would also be executed in English.

15) Does applying guarantee funding or future funding?

No. The announcement stated that selection does not create any obligation for future funding, and any extensions or increases are at the Department of State's discretion.

16) Is funding guaranteed once an award is announced?

Funding for awards depends on the availability of FY2020 appropriations.

17) What priority factors could strengthen an application for FY2020?

AFCP noted several factors that could receive additional consideration, including projects that:

• Help meet U.S. treaty obligations or bilateral agreement obligations
• Align with U.S. Embassy Integrated Country Strategies
• Reduce disaster risks to cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas
• Support post-disaster recovery of cultural heritage
• Preserve UNESCO World Heritage sites
• Partner with or connect to other programs supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)

18) What are the required standard forms?

The application package had to include the standard federal forms SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B.

19) What basic project details had to be included?

Applicants had to include a project title, project dates, the relevant AFCP focus area, and the project location.

20) What applicant identification details were required?

Applicants needed to provide identification details including contact information, a DUNS number, and SAM registration status.

21) Is official permission to carry out the work required?

Yes. A key requirement was proof of official permission to conduct the work from the entity responsible for the site, object, or collection.

22) What narrative content had to be covered in the proposal?

The narrative components needed to include:

• The project purpose and objectives
• A step-by-step activities plan in chronological order, with milestones and target dates
• A clear statement of importance focused on nonreligious cultural values
• An explanation of why the project is urgent
• A public awareness plan describing how AFCP support would be highlighted (print, electronic, and social media)
• A maintenance plan describing how results would be sustained after the grant period (or, for intangible heritage, how documentation and skills would be preserved and shared)

23) What supporting documentation for personnel was required?

Applicants had to include resumes or CVs for the project director and key personnel.

24) Were applicants required to estimate participant numbers?

Yes. Proposals had to include estimates of participant numbers, including U.S. and non-U.S. participants, and primary versus secondary participants.

25) What budget format was required?

A detailed budget was required, broken out by one-year periods (for example 2020, 2021, 2022, etc.), along with a budget narrative explaining major costs, cost calculations, and justifying any international travel.

26) Are images or audiovisual materials required?

Yes. At least five high-quality digital images (JPEG preferred) or audiovisual files were required to show the condition and urgency of the site, object, or tradition.

27) Are additional planning materials required or recommended?

The announcement required applicants to include any relevant planning materials such as conservation assessments or historic structure reports (where applicable).

28) How are proposals reviewed and selected?

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria reviewed proposals and evaluated factors such as clarity and strength of the purpose and project description, feasibility of the timeframe, demonstrated importance and urgency, the maintenance plan, the rationale for U.S. support, the outreach and media plan, budget quality and justification, and supporting materials. The Mission then forwarded recommendations to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), which made final selections.

29) Who administers the award if selected?

A Grants Officer at the U.S. Mission to Nigeria would handle award administration.

30) How are applicants notified of results?

Both successful and unsuccessful applicants would be notified in writing.

31) What reporting requirements apply to recipients?

Recipients would be required to submit performance and financial reports, including final reports. AFCP uses reporting for required submissions to Congress and for public reporting on completed projects.

32) What kinds of activities or costs are explicitly ineligible?

The announcement listed many ineligible activities and costs; proposals that included them would be disqualified. Ineligible items included:

• Preservation or purchase of privately or commercially owned property or collections
• Natural heritage projects
• Work involving human remains
• Preservation of news media or widely available published materials
• Development of classroom curricula
• Research-driven archaeological excavations or surveys
• Stand-alone historical research (unless integral to project success)
• Acquisition or creation of new exhibits or collections
• New construction or building additions
• Commemorative commissions of new art or architecture
• Creating or modernizing performances in ways that produce new works rather than preserving existing traditions
• Replicas or conjectural reconstructions of lost sites or objects
• Relocating sites
• Removing cultural objects from the country
• Digitization not part of a broader conservation or documentation effort
• Stand-alone plans or studies not tied to implementation
• Endowments or revolving funds
• Fundraising costs
• Contingency or miscellaneous fees
• Costs incurred before an award unless specifically allowable and approved
• Most international travel unless essential to the project
• Travel or study outside the host country for professional development
• Total project costs below $10,000 or above $200,000
• Independent U.S. projects overseas

33) Is international travel allowed under the grant?

The announcement indicated that most international travel is ineligible unless it is essential to the project. Any international travel requested needed justification in the budget narrative.

34) Can the grant be used for digitization?

Digitization by itself (when it is not part of a broader conservation or documentation effort) is ineligible.

35) Can the grant be used for archaeological excavations?

Research-driven archaeological excavations or surveys are ineligible under this announcement.

36) Can AFCP funds be used for new construction or expansions?

No. New construction or building additions are listed as ineligible activities.

37) Can the grant support creating new artworks, monuments, or performances?

No. Commemorative commissions of new art or architecture are ineligible. The announcement also states that creating or modernizing performances in ways that produce new works (instead of preserving existing traditions) is ineligible.

38) Are projects involving private or commercial owners eligible?

No. AFCP will not fund preservation or purchase of privately or commercially owned property or collections.

39) What does the public awareness plan need to address?

The public awareness plan had to explain how the applicant would highlight AFCP support through print, electronic, and social media.

40) What does the maintenance plan need to address?

The maintenance plan had to explain how project results would be sustained after the grant period ends. For intangible heritage projects, it needed to explain how documentation and skills would be preserved and shared.