U.S. AMBASSADORS FUND FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION (AFCP) | PAS KTM NOFO 23 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS KTM NOFO 23 01

The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu announced a funding opportunity under the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) for FY 2023 (Funding Opportunity Number: PAS KTM NOFO 23 01; CFDA: 19.025). This program is designed to support tangible and intangible cultural heritage preservation in Nepal, with grants focused on safeguarding important sites, collections, and living traditions that have cultural and historical value. The opportunity is run by the U.S. Mission to Nepal and uses a competitive, discretionary grant process.

The application process is structured in two rounds. Round 1 requires applicants to submit a short concept note, and only the most promising ideas will be invited to proceed to Round 2 with a full proposal. Concept notes were due by Monday, December 26, 2022, and submissions after that deadline were not considered. Concept notes had to be submitted by email to ktmgrants@state.gov, and applicants were encouraged to contact the Embassy Public Affairs Section early for guidance and clarification on program expectations.

AFCP is looking for projects that preserve archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, museum collections, and traditional cultural expressions such as indigenous languages and crafts. The program supports a wide range of preservation actions, including anastylosis (reassembling a site using original parts), conservation and restoration work, consolidation and stabilization to prevent further damage, preventive conservation to address threats before deterioration worsens, and technical activities like documentation and inventories that record the condition, features, and context of heritage resources. In practice, this means projects can range from hands-on physical interventions (such as structural stabilization of a historic building) to systematic recording of collections or endangered traditions, as long as the work clearly advances preservation goals.

Within the competition, the Embassy identified several funding priorities that would receive extra consideration. These include projects that reduce disaster risk for cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas, efforts aimed at post-disaster recovery of cultural heritage, projects located outside the Kathmandu Valley, and proposals that connect with other U.S. Mission programs. Taken together, these priorities signal a strong interest in resilience and recovery planning, geographic diversity beyond the Kathmandu Valley, and projects that complement broader embassy-supported initiatives.

Round 1 concept notes had specific required elements. Applicants needed to provide basic project information such as a working title, the location or site, an estimated project timeline (with project periods allowed up to 60 months), and a cost estimate in U.S. dollars indicating the amount requested from AFCP. They also had to submit a scope of work summary capped at 2,000 characters, describing both (1) the preservation goals and planned activities and (2) any broader Nepali or community goals tied to the project, explaining what additional benefits the project aims to deliver beyond preservation and how those outcomes would be achieved. In addition, applicants had to explain the cultural and historical significance of the site, collection, or tradition, and include five high-quality digital images (JPEG) or audiovisual files that clearly show the nature and condition of what is being preserved and demonstrate urgency or need (for example, visible collapse, water damage, or other deterioration).

Applicants invited to Round 2 would receive additional instructions and would be expected to submit a full application with expanded technical detail. This second stage is where proposals are typically developed into full implementation plans, including more complete methodologies, schedules, staffing, and detailed budgets, based on the Embassy’s guidance.

The opportunity does not require cost sharing: there is no minimum or maximum match required. However, if an applicant proposes cost sharing or other forms of cost participation, the applicant is expected to provide the promised contribution, and that commitment can be incorporated into the final grant agreement.

Eligibility is limited to reputable, accountable, non-commercial entities with relevant capacity to manage cultural preservation projects. Examples listed include NGOs, museums, ministries of culture, and similar institutions. U.S.-based nonprofit organizations recognized under Section 501(c)(3) may also apply, but applicants must be registered and active in SAM.gov and must be able to demonstrate the experience and management capacity needed to carry out a heritage preservation project responsibly.

Finally, the notice makes clear that issuing the funding opportunity is not a promise of an award. The U.S. Embassy, working with the Cultural Heritage Center, reserves the right to waive certain formalities and to reduce, revise, or increase project scopes and budgets depending on program needs and available funding. The listed award ceiling is $500,000, indicating that large-scale preservation efforts may be supported when justified by the project’s significance, urgency, feasibility, and alignment with AFCP priorities.

• The U.S. Mission to Nepal in the arts sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. AMBASSADORS FUND FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION (AFCP)" 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 2022-11-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-12-26. (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.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAS KTM NOFO 23 01

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