Tips for applying to the Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2019 Small Grants Competition in India

The US Embassy in India is calling for applications to the Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2019 Small Grants Competition. The deadline to apply to this grant is the 28^th of November 2018. The grant amount is between 10,000 and 200,000 USD. Funding can go to projects that support the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects and collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression.

Who can apply for the AFCP Small Grants Competition?

The grant is open for non-governmental organizations, museums, ministries of culture, or similar institutions and organizations. This includes organizations based in the US. Applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a NATO Commercial, and Government Entity (NCAGE) code, and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before they can submit their full applications. For further details of this process and exceptions from it, please see the specifications on the homepage.

Individuals or commercial entities cannot apply for funding through the AFCP Small Grants Competition.

What kind of projects can be funded through the AFCP Small Grants Competition?

The kinds of projects that can be funded through the AFCP Small Grants Competition include:

• Conservation of an ancient or historic building, preservation of an archaeological site, or documentation of cultural sites in a region for preservation purposes
• Conservation treatment for an object or collection of objects from a museum, site, or similar institution
• Documentation and audiovisual recording of traditional music, indigenous languages and dance forms for broad dissemination as the means of teaching and further preserving them, or support for training in the preservation of traditional applied arts or crafts in danger of extinction
• Disaster risk reduction for cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas
• Post-disaster cultural heritage recovery
• Preservation of inscribed World Heritage sites

For a detailed list of projects that are excluded, please see the specifications on the homepage.

How can you apply for the AFCP Small Grants Competition?

The applications must be submitted all in English to the given email address. Besides the “usual parts” of the proposal, you also have to submit a proof of official permission to conduct your work, resumes or CVs of the project staff, a statement of importance, a statement of urgency, a budget narrative, pictures and or audiovisual files and a media outreach plan.

What to keep in mind?

On the website there are very detailed guidelines on how to prepare the proposal. Be sure to follow the guidelines strictly and to include everything that is needed. Also, allow enough time to make sure you can get all the registration numbers needed.

The most emphasis for the evaluation will be put on the quality of your proposal, but particularly the urgency for your project will also be taken into account. Make sure that you explain this in enough detail. Other areas that will get specific attention are the sustainability, the rationale for US support, the media and outreach plan, the budget and the budget narrative, and your supporting materials.

Best of luck with your proposal!