Cultural Antiquities Task Force

 

The Cultural Antiquities Task Force (CATF) comprises U.S. federal agencies that share a common mission to combat trafficking in antiquities in the United States and abroad. The CATF supports projects and initiatives that enhance the capabilities of law enforcement personnel, heritage site managers, civil society groups, and museum staff to protect and preserve cultural heritage from theft, looting, and trafficking. Projects are funded through Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants (CPAIG) or directly on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of the CATF.

Active 19.036 Department of State B - Project Grants Not applicable. Public Law Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act)-87-256
Public Law Foreign Assistance Act of 1961-87-195
Public Law Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004-108-199
Public Law Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017-115-244, Division J, Title VII, Section 7034(d)(3)) Embassies must vet applicants for eligibility and ensure that the applicants are able to receive U.S. federal assistance. Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants (CPAIG) are open to U.S. embassies in countries with which the United States has a signed bilateral cultural property agreement or where emergency import restrictions on archaeological and ethnological material are in effect under the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 2601 et seq). The CATF may also fund projects at its discretion outside of the CPAIG framework in countries where cultural heritage is at risk from theft, looting, and trafficking. Not applicable. Applications for the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants must include a letter or other document granting official permission to undertake the project. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. Contact the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in the country where the project is to take place for detailed application instructions. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Organizations interested in applying for support from the Cultural Antiquities Task Force through a Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant must apply through the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in the country where the proposed project is to take place. Following submission through U.S. embassies, applications for support from the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants undergo a comprehensive screening, rating, ranking, and selection process. U.S. embassies announce award recipients. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 90 to 120 days. Not applicable. Not applicable. Proposals for the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants are selected based on the criteria specified in the annual Notice of Internal Funding Opportunity (NOIFO) and based on the applicants technical eligibility, responsiveness to the Cultural Antiquities Task Force program objectives, advancement of U.S. public diplomacy, and the quality of the application contents. Successful projects must adhere to international standards for the protection of cultural heritage around specific themes, including fostering cooperation, building best practices, and engaging communities, through the following types of activities: A. 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 heritage stewards. B. INVENTORIES: Support the creation and/or maintenance of centralized, digital, and secure inventories of cultural objects and/or sites to better support resource allocation, aid in recovery in cases of theft, and promote public appreciation for cultural heritage preservation and protection. C. 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 and/or site stewards. D. 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, virtual experiences like games and AR/VR. E. SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS: Support the protection of cultural heritage through economic development and sustainable alternative sources of livelihood to looting and trafficking. Projects would need to couple support from this grant with other relevant funding streams. Examples include the establishment of site stewardship programs with compensated participants and skill building for tour guides and docents, such as English language and storytelling training. Special consideration will be given to proposals with a multi-country/regional focus, those taking advantage of international training centers such as the International Law Enforcement Academies (ILEAs), and those encouraging linkages between government agencies (inter-ministerial initiatives) and between governments and the private sector. Not applicable. Not applicable. Recipients are expected to retain records for a period of three years after the submission of the final expenditure report. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Maximum of 5 years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Assistance customarily released in a minimum of three installments tied to project benchmarks. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Quarterly. For more information, contact the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. embassy in the country where the project is to take place. Catherine P. Foster
ECA/P/C, SA-5, 05-M01
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20522 USA
FosterCP@state.gov
Phone: (202) 632-6310
Fax: (202) 632-6300 https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/cultural-antiquities-task-force 19-0000-0-0-000 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$603,408.00; FY 23 Estimate Not Available FY 24 est $499,999.00; FY 21$507,112.00; FY 20$493,006.00; - Fiscal Year 2020 financial assistance ranged from approximately $25,000 to $130,000 per project, with an average amount of approximately $64,000 per project. Not applicable. Fiscal Year 2020 Regional and individual country capacity building trainings for law enforcement and heritage managers; site security upgrades; public education and outreach campaigns; digitization, inventories, and databases.
Fiscal Year 2021 Regional and individual country capacity building trainings for law enforcement and heritage managers; site security upgrades; public education and outreach campaigns; digitization, inventories, and databases.