U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu: AFCP Grant for Cultural Heritage Preservation

CALL FOR CONCEPT NOTES

(Submission Deadline: Monday, December 26, 2022/ Submit Concept Notes to: ktmgrants@state.gov)

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is accepting concept notes from interested eligible applicants (definition below) for the AFCP FY 2023 Grants Program. The deadline for submitting concept notes to the U.S. Embassy is Monday, December 26, 2022.  Any submission received after the deadline will not be considered for this grant opportunity. Interested institutions are requested to consult with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy as soon as possible for details and guidance on the AFCP 2023 Grants Program by emailing at ktmgrants@state.gov.

Competition format: This opportunity involves two rounds: In Round 1, the Embassy will collect project ideas in the form of concept notes, due December 26. In Round 2, the U.S. Embassy will invite applicants with promising ideas to submit full applications.

Funding Priorities: Applications for projects that directly support one or more of the following will receive additional consideration:

• Disaster risk reduction for cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas
• Post-disaster cultural heritage recovery
• Project sites located outside of Kathmandu Valley
• Projects which connect with other U.S. Mission programs

Funding Areas: The AFCP Grants Program supports the preservation of archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, museum collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression, such as indigenous languages and crafts. Appropriate project activities may include:

• Anastylosis (reassembling a site from its original parts)
• Conservation (addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site)
• Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site)
• Documentation (recording in analog or digital format the condition and salient features of an object, site, or tradition)
• Inventory (listing of objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristic or state)
• Preventive Conservation (addressing conditions that threaten or damage a site, object, collection, or tradition)
• Restoration (replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of an object or site, usually appropriate only with fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings)
• Stabilization (reducing the physical disturbance of an object or site)

ROUND 1 CONCEPT NOTE REQUIREMENTS:

A. Project basics, including working title, anticipated project length (Note: Applicants may propose project periods of up to 60 months), location/site, and project cost estimate (amount requested from AFCP; in U.S. dollars).

B. Scope of work summarizing (1) the preservation goals and the activities planned to achieve those goals; and (2) any broader Nepali or community goals and the activities planned to achieve those goals; (i.e., what you hope to gain from the project beyond the preserved heritage and how you plan to get there; 2,000 characters maximum).

C. Cultural and historical significance of the project site.

D. Five (5) high quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that convey the nature and condition of the site, collection, or tradition and show the urgency or need for the proposed project (collapsing walls, water damage, etc.).

ROUND 2 FULL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS:  The applicants invited to Round 2 will receive additional guidelines on the submission requirement. During the Round 2, the invited applicants will flesh out the technical aspects of the proposed project and submit a full application.

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.

DISCLAIMER: Issuance of this funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government. The U.S. Embassy in consultation with Cultural Heritage Center reserves the right to waive program formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase project scopes and budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.