CULTURAL ANTIQUITIES TASK FORCE
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)
2024 CULTURAL PROPERTY AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION GRANT (CPAIG)
(ROUND 1)
The U.S. Embassy in Amman, with the Cultural Heritage Center (“the Center”) in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, is pleased to announce the start of the 2024 grants cycle for the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant (CPAIG) program. The application process involves two rounds. In Round 1, applicants are invited to submit concept notes, due December 31, 2023. In Round 2, applicants with promising ideas will be invited to develop their concept notes into full project applications, due in early Spring of 2024.
The U.S. Department of State, in consultation with the interagency Cultural Antiquities Task Force (CATF), established the CPAIG program in 2020. The program is supported by task force funding and furthers CATF’s anti-trafficking mission by supporting the implementation of cultural property agreements between the United States and foreign governments or emergency import restrictions. Jordan and the U.S. signed a bi-lateral cultural property agreement in December 2019, and the agreement went into effect on February 1, 2020. Texts of the agreements are available on the Center’s website: https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/cultural-property/current-agreements-and-import-restrictions. All projects should address clear needs in the country or region, and achieve U.S. support to Jordan via meeting Embassy Amman’s Integrated Country Strategy goals.
Special consideration will be given to proposals that connect cultural property protection and heritage themes to other ECA programming or encourage linkages between government agencies (inter-ministerial initiatives), and between governments and the private sector.
A. AWARD INFORMATION:
Funding Opportunity Title: FY24 Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants
Funding Opportunity Number: CPAIG-2024-GP
CFDA Number (Federal Assistance Listing): 19.036 — Cultural Antiquities Task Force
Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement, Grant, Fixed Amount Award
Floor on Amount of Individual Awards: US $10,000 per project
Ceiling on Amount of Individual Awards: US $ 150,000
Length of Performance Period: Up to 36 months
Cost Sharing: Allowed, and it may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost participation required.
Program Authorization: Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended.
This notice is subject to availability of Fiscal Year 2024 funds.
B. FUNDING AREAS:
Successful CPAIG projects must adhere to international standards for the protection of cultural property, and focus on fostering cooperation, building best practices, and engaging communities through the following types of activities:
Training: Build capacity of foreign law enforcement and cultural property managers to protect sites and objects. Examples include country-specific or regional workshops on investigation and interdiction techniques, effective record keeping, the role of the judiciary, increased communication between ministries of culture and law enforcement authorities, and training for cultural property stewards.
Inventories: Support the creation and maintenance of centralized, digital, and secure inventories of cultural objects or sites to better support resource allocation, aid in recovery in cases of theft, and promote public appreciation for cultural property protection.
Site Security and Protection: Support practical and sustainable measures to more effectively secure archaeological sites (on land or underwater), museums, libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions against looting, thefts, and vandalism. Examples include development of site security plans, installation of security systems, and training for guards or site stewards.
Public Education and Outreach for Crime Prevention: Support strategies to prevent looting and trafficking through heightened public awareness and outreach. Examples include educational materials, community engagement and media programs, storytelling, distance learning courses, 3D models, and virtual experiences like games and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR).
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS:
CPAIG does not support the following activities or costs, and the Center will deem applications requesting CPAIG support for any of these activities or costs ineligible:
- Protection 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.
- Construction of new buildings, building additions, or permanent coverings (over archaeological sites, for example).
- 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.
- 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 or to provide project leaders with learning and exchange opportunities with cultural property experts.
- Individual projects costing less than US $10,000 or more than US $150,000.
- Independent U.S. projects overseas.
- Repatriation of cultural property from the United States to another country unless part of a larger, clearly defined protection, documentation, or public diplomacy effort.
C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
The Center defines eligible applicants as reputable and accountable entities that can demonstrate that they have the requisite capacity and permission to manage projects to protect cultural property in the specified country. Eligible implementers may include:
Foreign Institution of Higher Education; Foreign-based non-profit organizations and nongovernment organizations (NGOs), museums, ministries of culture, or similar organizations, including U.S.-based Non-Profit Organizations and educational institutions subject to (IRC section 501 ( c ) (3)). The CPAIG program will not award grants to individuals, commercial entities, or past award recipients that have not fulfilled the objectives or reporting requirements of previous awards.
D. HOW TO APPLY: The application process will proceed in two rounds. In Round 1, project ideas from applicants will be accepted in the form of concept notes, due December 31, 2023. In Round 2, those with promising ideas will be asked to submit full project applications sometime in early Spring 2024. Concept notes should be in English and the budget must be in US dollars.
Please submit concept notes for Round 1 to AmmanAFCPgrants@state.gov.
https://jo.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/CPAIG-Concept-Note-Sample-Format.docx
By Close of Business Day 4:30 P.M. December 31, 2023. Concept notes should include the required information below (alternatively you may use the attached suggested concept note template):
- Project Title
- Location of project
- Implementer name, contact information, and address
- Background on Project Implementer
- Estimated cost in U.S. dollars
- Time Frame (months), the maximum allowed time is up to 36 months
- Project Scope of Work covering the following information (not to exceed 3,000 characters):
-Summarize the project’s cultural property protection activities and goals
-Summarize any related host country or community goals (i.e. what does the applicant hope to gain from the project beyond protecting cultural property and what will be gained by achieving these goals.)
-Briefly describe any anticipated strategic outreach activities to build awareness and engage communities and stakeholders.
8. Attach five high quality digital images (JPEG) 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.)
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is also available worldwide on Grants.gov.
grants.gov/search-results-detail/350725
Required Registrations: If an applicant’s concept note advances for consideration at Round 2, it has to have registration in the U.S. government’s System for Award Management (SAM). All organizations, whether based in the U.S. or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM (https://SAM.gov). Registration in https://SAM.gov is free. You may require additional registrations, such as an EIN or NCAGE code, depending on your location and whether you plan to business with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. The UEI replaced the DUNS numbering system in April 2022. To get a UEI, go to https://SAM.gov and follow the instructions for getting a Unique Entity ID.
Employer Identification Number (EIN): If you are an organization based in the U.S. or if you pay employees within the U.S., you will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov. If you are an organization based outside of the U.S. and you do not pay employees within the U.S., you do no need an EIN from the IRS.
NOTE: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take between 4-8 weeks. Begin the process as early as possible.
E. DISCLAIMER
Issuance of this funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part pf the AFCP program or the U.S. government. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs reserves the right to waive program formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase application budgets and award amounts in accordance with the needs of the AFPC program and the availability of FY2024 funds.
