Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS NGA ABU 19 025 001
The U.S. Mission to Nigeria, under the U.S. Department of State, announced a funding opportunity for the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2019 Large Grants. This program is designed to support substantial, publicly accessible cultural heritage preservation projects in Nigeria (and coordinated through the U.S. Mission), with awards dependent on the availability of FY 2019 funds. The core intent is to preserve significant cultural resources such as major archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and important museum collections, as long as they are protected under host-country law and open to public access. The program reflects a broader U.S. policy goal: demonstrating respect for other cultures by taking a visible role in safeguarding heritage that represents humanity's shared history. AFCP was established by the Department of State at Congress's request and has operated as a long-running preservation mechanism administered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), including its Cultural Heritage Center.
The grant focuses on hands-on preservation work rather than research or new construction. Eligible project activities include preventive conservation (stopping or reducing threats like moisture, pests, or environmental damage), stabilization (preventing collapse or further structural movement), conservation (treating damage or deterioration in objects or built heritage), consolidation (reconnecting and strengthening original elements), anastylosis (reassembling structures using original components), and restoration (carefully replacing missing elements to recover original appearance, usually appropriate for fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings). In terms of what the program tends to prioritize, proposals are expected to align with recognized international cultural heritage preservation standards and are especially encouraged when they support U.S. treaty or bilateral cultural property obligations, advance U.S. Embassy Integrated Country Strategy goals, reduce disaster risks to heritage in hazard-prone areas, contribute to post-disaster recovery, or protect UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage sites.
Applicants should note that this is a two-stage competition. Round 1 requires a project abstract submitted by email, and only selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal in Round 2. For this specific cycle, Round 1 abstracts were due December 10, 2018 by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, submitted electronically to PASAbujaGrants@State.gov, and submissions had to be in English (with final grant agreements also executed in English). The Round 1 abstract package is not just a brief narrative; it must include federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and if applicable SF-LLL), basic project details (title, dates, location, and site), applicant identifiers and registrations (including a DUNS number and SAM registration status), any special site designations (for example national monument or World Heritage status), citations to the law(s) protecting the site or collection, a clear purpose statement with objectives and intended results, and an importance statement describing the historic, architectural, artistic, or broader cultural values of the resource (explicitly emphasizing non-religious values). A practical point emphasized in the notice is that DUNS/NCAGE/SAM registration can take weeks or months, particularly for non-U.S. organizations, so applicants are expected to start those steps early.
Round 2 full applications were due February 15, 2019 and had to present a complete, implementation-ready plan. Required components include an updated abstract and SF-424 if changes occurred, proof of official permission to carry out the work plus documented endorsement from the national cultural authority, and a detailed description of activities laid out chronologically. If the proposal is one part of a larger multi-funder preservation effort, the application must explain the full broader effort and clearly show how the AFCP-funded portion fits into it. Applicants must also provide a timeline with phases and milestones, and they may propose projects lasting up to 60 months (five years), with the condition that projects begin before September 30, 2019 and end no later than September 30, 2024. Additional required elements include resumes/CVs for the project director and key personnel, an urgency statement explaining why action is needed now, and a sustainability plan describing how the site or collection will be maintained after the grant-funded work ends. Budget requirements are detailed and strict: a line-item budget separated by one-year periods (2019, 2020, 2021, etc.), costs organized by standard federal categories (personnel, fringe, travel/per diem, equipment, supplies, contractual, other direct, indirect), identification of other funding sources, and justification for any anticipated international travel. A budget narrative must explain how figures were calculated (for example quantity times unit cost). The full application must also include at least 10 high-quality photos (or audiovisual files) that clearly show current conditions and demonstrate need (for example visible structural failure or water damage), plus technical supporting documents such as conservation assessments, architectural/engineering records, restoration plans, or similar preparatory materials.
In terms of funding scale and basic award facts, this opportunity is a discretionary grant program in the arts/cultural heritage space (CFDA 19.025) with an award ceiling listed at $800,000. The notice also states that projects costing less than $200,000 are not eligible under this Large Grants competition. There is no required minimum or maximum cost-sharing percentage, but if an applicant proposes cost share, it becomes a binding commitment that must be tracked and reported and is subject to audit under federal regulations (including 2 CFR 200). Award administration is handled through an authorized Grants Officer either at U.S. Mission Nigeria or within the Department of State in Washington, DC, and recipients should expect standard federal reporting, including performance progress reports, financial reports, and final reports as specified in the Notice of Award. AFCP uses recipient reporting to meet its Congressional reporting obligations and to produce public summaries of completed projects.
Eligibility is geared toward reputable, accountable, non-commercial organizations that can demonstrate the capacity to manage complex preservation projects. Examples include NGOs, museums, ministries of culture, and comparable institutions; the opportunity also lists eligible applicant categories such as state/local governments, public/state-controlled higher education institutions, and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as applicable). Applicants must secure a DUNS number and register in SAM. Importantly, AFCP does not fund individuals, commercial entities, or applicants with unresolved compliance or reporting problems from prior AFCP awards.
The notice is also very clear about what it will not fund, and proposals that include these elements are considered ineligible. Disallowed activities include preserving or purchasing privately/commercially owned property or collections; natural heritage projects (like habitats, fossils, geological formations); preservation of human remains; preserving news media or widely available published materials; curriculum or classroom material development; archaeological excavation or exploratory surveys for research; stand-alone historical research (unless integral to the preservation work); acquiring or creating new exhibits or collections; new construction, building additions, or permanent site coverings; commissioning new commemorative art or architecture; creating or modernizing traditional performances; making replicas or conjectural reconstructions of lost sites/objects; relocating sites; removing cultural objects from the country; digitization unless it is part of a broader conservation/documentation effort; stand-alone plans/studies unless embedded within an implementation project; endowments or revolving funds; fundraising costs; contingency or miscellaneous fees; pre-award work costs unless specifically allowable and approved; most international travel unless essential to project success; travel for professional development outside the host country; and independent U.S.-run overseas projects.
Selection happens in layers. The U.S. Mission to Nigeria first assesses submissions against priorities, project and budget completeness, urgency, and the strength of the purpose/importance statements, then makes recommendations to ECA's Cultural Heritage Center. The Center screens and rates abstracts, routes favorably rated ones to regional bureaus for ranking, and may seek advisory peer review from relevant federal experts and State Department offices. Around December 21, 2018, embassies with favorably rated abstracts were to be invited to Round 2. Full applications are then reviewed again, may undergo additional peer review, and ultimately feed into a funding recommendation to the Department of State's Bureau of Budget and Planning, with possible consultation with the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Even when selected, the Department of State does not promise future or additional funding beyond the awarded agreement, and extensions or increases are entirely at the Department's discretion.Apply for DOS NGA ABU 19 025 001
- The U.S. Mission to Nigeria in the arts sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Mission to Nigeria: 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 2018-10-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-12-10. (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 $800,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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AFCP 2019 Large Grants (Nigeria) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2019 Large Grants opportunity in Nigeria?
It is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity, coordinated through the U.S. Mission to Nigeria, to support substantial, publicly accessible cultural heritage preservation projects in Nigeria. Awards depend on the availability of FY 2019 funds.
What is the main purpose of AFCP Large Grants?
The program is intended to preserve significant cultural resources that represent shared human history, such as major archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and important museum collections, as long as they are protected under host-country law and open to public access.
Which U.S. government offices administer AFCP?
AFCP is administered through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), including its Cultural Heritage Center, with grant administration handled by an authorized Grants Officer either at U.S. Mission Nigeria or at the Department of State in Washington, DC.
What type of work does AFCP Large Grants support?
The grant focuses on hands-on preservation work rather than research or new construction. Supported activities include preventive conservation, stabilization, conservation treatments, consolidation, anastylosis (reassembly using original components), and restoration (careful replacement of missing elements to recover original appearance, typically for fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings).
What kinds of cultural resources are eligible under this program?
Eligible resources include significant cultural heritage such as major archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and important museum collections, provided they are protected by host-country law and are publicly accessible.
Do projects need to be publicly accessible to be eligible?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes publicly accessible preservation projects and requires that supported resources be open to public access.
Must the site or collection be legally protected in Nigeria?
Yes. The opportunity specifies that cultural resources must be protected under host-country law, and Round 1 submissions must cite the law(s) that protect the site or collection.
Does the program follow any specific preservation standards?
Proposals are expected to align with recognized international cultural heritage preservation standards.
What types of proposals are especially encouraged?
Proposals are especially encouraged when they support U.S. treaty or bilateral cultural property obligations, advance U.S. Embassy Integrated Country Strategy goals, reduce disaster risks to heritage in hazard-prone areas, contribute to post-disaster recovery, or protect UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage sites.
Is this a one-step or two-step application process?
This is a two-stage competition. Round 1 requires submitting a project abstract by email. Only selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal in Round 2.
How was Round 1 submitted for this cycle?
Round 1 abstracts were submitted electronically by email to PASAbujaGrants@State.gov.
What was the Round 1 deadline for this cycle?
Round 1 abstracts were due December 10, 2018 by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.
In what language must submissions be prepared?
Submissions had to be in English, and final grant agreements are executed in English.
What forms were required in the Round 1 abstract package?
The Round 1 package had to include SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and (if applicable) SF-LLL.
What information had to be included in the Round 1 abstract package besides the forms?
Round 1 had to include basic project details (title, dates, location, and site), applicant identifiers and registrations (including a DUNS number and SAM registration status), any special site designations (such as national monument or World Heritage status), citations to protective law(s), a purpose statement (objectives and intended results), and an importance statement describing the historic, architectural, artistic, or broader cultural values of the resource, explicitly emphasizing non-religious values.
Why does the importance statement need to emphasize non-religious values?
The Round 1 guidance specifically instructs applicants to describe the historic, architectural, artistic, or broader cultural values of the resource while explicitly emphasizing non-religious values.
What registrations or identifiers were highlighted as important for applicants?
Applicants were expected to have (or be able to obtain) a DUNS number and SAM registration status as part of the required applicant identifiers and registrations.
How long can registrations like DUNS/NCAGE/SAM take?
The notice emphasizes that DUNS/NCAGE/SAM registration can take weeks or months, particularly for non-U.S. organizations, so applicants are expected to start those steps early.
When were applicants expected to be invited to Round 2?
Around December 21, 2018, embassies with favorably rated abstracts were to be invited to Round 2.
What was the Round 2 deadline for this cycle?
Round 2 full applications were due February 15, 2019.
What is required in a Round 2 full application?
Round 2 required an implementation-ready plan, including (as applicable) an updated abstract and SF-424, proof of official permission to carry out the work plus documented endorsement from the national cultural authority, and a detailed chronological description of activities.
If the AFCP project is part of a larger multi-funder effort, what must be explained?
The application must describe the broader preservation effort and clearly show how the AFCP-funded portion fits into it.
What timeline requirements apply to projects?
Applicants must provide a timeline with phases and milestones. Projects may last up to 60 months (five years), must begin before September 30, 2019, and must end no later than September 30, 2024.
What staffing documentation is required in Round 2?
Applicants must include resumes/CVs for the project director and key personnel.
Does the application need to explain why the work is urgent?
Yes. A Round 2 application must include an urgency statement explaining why action is needed now.
Is a sustainability plan required?
Yes. Round 2 requires a sustainability plan describing how the site or collection will be maintained after the grant-funded work ends.
What are the budget formatting requirements?
The budget must be a line-item budget separated by one-year periods (2019, 2020, 2021, etc.). Costs must be organized by standard federal categories: personnel, fringe, travel/per diem, equipment, supplies, contractual, other direct, indirect. The budget must identify other funding sources and justify any anticipated international travel.
What must the budget narrative include?
The budget narrative must explain how the figures were calculated (for example, quantity multiplied by unit cost).
Are photos or audiovisual materials required?
Yes. Full applications must include at least 10 high-quality photos (or audiovisual files) showing current conditions and demonstrating need (for example structural failure or water damage).
What technical supporting documents may be required?
Applications should include technical supporting documents such as conservation assessments, architectural/engineering records, restoration plans, or similar preparatory materials.
What is the funding ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $800,000.
Is there a minimum project cost for the Large Grants competition?
Yes. Projects costing less than $200,000 are not eligible under this Large Grants competition.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The opportunity is identified as CFDA 19.025.
Is cost sharing required?
No minimum or maximum cost-sharing percentage is required. However, if cost share is proposed, it becomes a binding commitment that must be tracked and reported and may be audited under federal regulations, including 2 CFR 200.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at reputable, accountable, non-commercial organizations with the capacity to manage complex preservation projects. Examples include NGOs, museums, and ministries of culture. The opportunity also lists eligible applicant categories such as state/local governments, public/state-controlled higher education institutions, and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as applicable).
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. AFCP does not fund individuals.
Are commercial entities eligible to apply?
No. AFCP does not fund commercial entities.
Can applicants with unresolved issues from prior AFCP awards apply?
No. Applicants with unresolved compliance or reporting problems from prior AFCP awards are not eligible.
What types of projects are explicitly ineligible for AFCP funding?
Ineligible activities include preserving or purchasing privately/commercially owned property or collections; natural heritage projects (habitats, fossils, geological formations); preservation of human remains; preserving news media or widely available published materials; curriculum or classroom material development; archaeological excavation or exploratory surveys for research; stand-alone historical research (unless integral to preservation work); acquiring or creating new exhibits or collections; new construction, building additions, or permanent site coverings; commissioning new commemorative art or architecture; creating or modernizing traditional performances; making replicas or conjectural reconstructions; relocating sites; removing cultural objects from the country; digitization unless part of a broader conservation/documentation effort; stand-alone plans/studies unless embedded within an implementation project; endowments or revolving funds; fundraising costs; contingency or miscellaneous fees; pre-award work costs unless specifically allowable and approved; most international travel unless essential; travel for professional development outside the host country; and independent U.S.-run overseas projects.
Does AFCP fund archaeological excavation?
No. Archaeological excavation or exploratory surveys conducted for research are listed as ineligible.
Does AFCP fund new construction or building additions?
No. New construction, building additions, and permanent site coverings are listed as ineligible.
Does AFCP fund digitization projects?
Digitization is not funded unless it is part of a broader conservation/documentation effort.
Does AFCP allow moving cultural objects out of Nigeria?
No. Removing cultural objects from the country is listed as ineligible.
Are endowments, revolving funds, or fundraising costs allowed?
No. Endowments or revolving funds and fundraising costs are listed as ineligible.
Is contingency funding allowed in the budget?
No. Contingency or miscellaneous fees are listed as ineligible.
Are pre-award costs allowed?
Pre-award work costs are listed as ineligible unless specifically allowable and approved.
Is international travel allowed under the grant?
Most international travel is discouraged or not allowed unless it is essential to project success, and any anticipated international travel must be justified in the budget materials. Travel for professional development outside the host country is listed as ineligible.
How are submissions reviewed and selected?
Selection occurs in multiple layers. The U.S. Mission to Nigeria first assesses submissions for alignment with priorities, completeness (project and budget), urgency, and the strength of purpose/importance statements, then recommends to ECA's Cultural Heritage Center. The Center screens and rates abstracts, routes favorably rated ones to regional bureaus for ranking, and may seek advisory peer review from federal experts and State Department offices. Full applications undergo further review and may receive additional peer review before funding recommendations move forward within the Department of State.
Does being selected guarantee future funding or additional funds later?
No. The notice states the Department of State does not promise future or additional funding beyond the awarded agreement, and any extensions or increases are entirely at the Department's discretion.
What reporting requirements should recipients expect if awarded?
Recipients should expect standard federal reporting, including performance progress reports, financial reports, and a final report as specified in the Notice of Award. AFCP uses recipient reporting to meet Congressional reporting obligations and to produce public summaries of completed projects.
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