Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation Grants Program | AFCP LAPAZ FY25

Opportunity Information: Apply for AFCP LAPAZ FY25

The Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grants Program, administered through the U.S. Embassy in La Paz and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (Cultural Heritage Center), is a competitive grant opportunity to support cultural heritage preservation projects in Bolivia. The program is focused on safeguarding cultural sites, cultural objects and museum collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression. Projects are intended to produce clear preservation outcomes, and final implementation depends on the availability of FY 2025 funds.

The application process is set up in two stages to reduce the burden on applicants upfront. First, organizations must submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) in the form of a concise concept note (maximum 3 pages, Microsoft Word). Only applicants whose SOIs are selected through an initial merit review will be invited to submit a full proposal, which then goes through a second merit review before any award is finalized. This structure means the first submission should communicate a strong, well-scoped project idea with credible planning and a clear preservation need, without requiring the full packet of federal forms and detailed supporting documentation until the second stage.

The SOI concept note has specific required components. Applicants must include basic project information such as a project title, total project duration (in months, with a maximum of 60 months), the project location, whether the site is part of a UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage Site (and if so, which one), and a project cost estimate in U.S. dollars using the referenced budget template. It also requires applicant details (organization name and type, plus a designated project coordinator with contact information). Beyond these basics, the concept note must lay out the project scope of work, a logical sequence of proposed activities, and the desired results showing how those activities lead to preservation outcomes. Applicants must also provide a statement of importance emphasizing historic, architectural, artistic, or broader cultural value (explicitly framed as non-religious significance), a statement of urgency explaining why the work must occur now, and a sustainability statement explaining how the preservation results will be maintained after the AFCP-funded work ends. The SOI must be supported by attachments, including five high-quality digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files that document the current condition and demonstrate need (for example, visible structural collapse or water damage), along with any relevant assessments or planning documents like historic structure reports or conservation needs assessments.

AFCP funding supports a defined set of preservation activity types. Eligible work can include anastylosis (reassembling a site from original parts), conservation treatments to address deterioration, consolidation to reconnect elements, documentation (analog or digital recording of condition and features), inventories, preventive conservation, restoration (typically for fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings), and stabilization measures to reduce physical disturbance. The program explicitly notes that sites or objects with a religious connection can be eligible only when the nomination and justification are based on architectural, artistic, historical, or other cultural criteria rather than religious purpose, reflecting U.S. government constitutional limits.

Eligible applicants are reputable, accountable, non-commercial entities with the capacity to manage cultural heritage projects. Examples include NGOs, museums, educational institutions, ministries of culture, and similar organizations, including eligible U.S.-based 501(c)(3) entities. Individuals and commercial entities are not eligible, and organizations that previously received AFCP awards but failed to meet objectives or reporting requirements may be excluded. To receive U.S. federal assistance, implementing organizations must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and will receive a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through that system.

The announcement is also very clear about what AFCP will not fund, and proposals that include ineligible activities can be ruled ineligible. Examples include preservation or purchase of privately or commercially owned property; natural heritage projects without a cultural heritage dimension; preservation of human remains; preservation of news media or widely available published materials; development of mandatory classroom curricula; archaeological excavation or exploratory surveys done for research; most standalone historical research (unless integral to the project); acquisition or creation of new exhibits or collections; new construction or building additions; commissioning new art or architecture for commemoration or economic development; modern adaptations of traditional performance forms; conjectural reconstructions or replicas of what no longer exists; relocating sites unless there is imminent threat; removing cultural objects or elements from Bolivia; digitization that is not part of a broader, clearly defined conservation or documentation effort; conservation plans or studies that are not tied to implementation; creation of cash reserves or endowments; fundraising campaign costs; contingency or miscellaneous costs; most pre-award costs unless specifically allowable and approved; and most international travel outside Bolivia unless it is essential to project success or professional exchange. AFCP also enforces a project budget range: projects must request between $25,000 and $500,000 (projects below or above that range are not eligible). The award ceiling listed is $500,000, and the opportunity anticipates one award.

Cost sharing is not required, and there is no minimum or maximum cost-share percentage. However, if an applicant does propose cost sharing, it becomes a binding commitment that must be tracked and reported and may be audited under federal regulations (2 CFR 200). This is important because it means applicants should only offer cost participation they can realistically document and deliver.

The SOI deadline is strict: Wednesday, December 27, 2024, by 12:00 noon (La Paz time). Late submissions are not considered. SOIs must be submitted by email to the two addresses provided in the notice: IbarnegarayFX@state.gov and ArriazaL@state.gov. Questions about the SOI process are directed to IbarnegarayFX@state.gov.

If invited to the second stage, applicants will need to submit a full federal application package, including standard forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B) and supporting documentation such as a detailed activity plan and timeline, detailed budget, maintenance plan, public outreach plan, data and media access plan, resumes/CVs for key personnel, and proof of official permission from the responsible owner or authority for the site or collection. Award administration will follow U.S. Department of State rules and standard federal assistance requirements, including 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600, plus the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.

• The U.S. Mission to Bolivia in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation Grants Program" 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 2024-11-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-27. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for AFCP LAPAZ FY25

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: