Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0005307

The grant opportunity "Preserving Religious and Cultural Heritage in Jordan" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0005307) is a U.S. Department of State program run through NEA/AC (Near Eastern Affairs/Assistance Coordination) that aims to help safeguard Jordan's religious and cultural heritage while strengthening inter-religious cooperation. The central idea is to support local religious communities in protecting heritage that is both moveable (such as manuscripts, icons, ceremonial objects, archival materials, or museum-style collections) and immovable (such as historic religious buildings, shrines, cemeteries, or heritage sites). At the same time, the program is designed to encourage dialogue and practical cooperation across religious lines by focusing on shared cultural heritage as a unifying element that contributes to a broader, shared Jordanian identity.

A major emphasis of the program is capacity-building rather than construction. The funded project is expected to train community members and local stakeholders in preservation skills and practices so they can take long-term responsibility for documenting, caring for, and protecting culturally significant items and places. This includes building local know-how to prevent loss caused by natural deterioration (like humidity, improper storage, or aging materials) as well as loss driven by intolerance, neglect, or social pressures that can lead to damage or erasure of minority histories. The program frames heritage preservation as part of community stabilization: protecting religious heritage helps communities maintain continuity, resist destabilization, and preserve historical traditions that might otherwise disappear.

The Department of State expects to partner with a qualified organization that can carry out practical, on-the-ground steps such as mapping and assessing vulnerable artifacts and sites, coordinating with community leaders and other stakeholders, and identifying gaps in preservation capacity. Importantly, the opportunity highlights the value of working not only with traditional partners (such as heritage institutions or established religious bodies) but also with "non-traditional partners" where helpful, suggesting a preference for inclusive collaboration that broadens the network of people and institutions able to support preservation work. The project is also expected to produce or promote best practices that could be applied more widely in Jordan and potentially serve as a model for the region.

While the program recognizes that preserving heritage can have positive downstream effects, including strengthening Jordan's interfaith traditions and potentially increasing tourism to Jordan and to minority communities, these outcomes are not framed as the core deliverable. Instead, the core deliverable is local capability: communities being better equipped to preserve and protect their own heritage over time. The opportunity also clearly states a boundary around what it will not prioritize: it should not be primarily a large-scale repair, renovation, or maintenance project for specific religious properties or artifacts. In other words, it is not meant to function as a major restoration or construction grant; it is meant to be a training, assessment, coordination, and capacity-development effort that makes preservation sustainable locally.

In terms of funding and logistics, this was a discretionary grant with an award ceiling of $750,000 and an expectation of one award. The opportunity was created on July 27, 2018, with an original closing date of August 28, 2018. Eligible applicants were broad and included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, and even for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), along with other entities as specified in the eligibility details. Finally, the announcement notes that this project complements USAID cultural preservation programs in Jordan but is distinct because it intentionally combines heritage preservation with the promotion of interfaith tolerance in one integrated program, linking technical preservation work with community relationship-building and cooperation.

  • The Department of State, Assistance Coordination in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Preserving Religious and Cultural Heritage in Jordan" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.600.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jul 27, 2018.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 28, 2018. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: 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, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: Preserving Religious and Cultural Heritage in Jordan (SFOP0005307)

What is the "Preserving Religious and Cultural Heritage in Jordan" grant opportunity?

It is a U.S. Department of State discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0005307) designed to help safeguard Jordan's religious and cultural heritage while also strengthening inter-religious cooperation through shared cultural heritage.

Which U.S. government office runs this program?

The opportunity is a U.S. Department of State program run through NEA/AC (Near Eastern Affairs/Assistance Coordination).

What is the central goal of the program?

The program aims to support local religious communities in protecting religious and cultural heritage in Jordan, and to encourage dialogue and practical cooperation across religious lines by focusing on shared heritage as a unifying element within a broader Jordanian identity.

What kinds of heritage does the program support?

The program supports both moveable and immovable religious and cultural heritage that is significant to local communities.

What are examples of moveable heritage mentioned in the announcement?

Examples include manuscripts, icons, ceremonial objects, archival materials, and museum-style collections.

What are examples of immovable heritage mentioned in the announcement?

Examples include historic religious buildings, shrines, cemeteries, and heritage sites.

Is this primarily a construction or restoration grant?

No. The opportunity states it should not be primarily a large-scale repair, renovation, or maintenance project for specific religious properties or artifacts. The focus is on training, assessment, coordination, and capacity development rather than construction.

What is the program's main emphasis: physical repairs or capacity-building?

The main emphasis is capacity-building. The funded project is expected to train community members and local stakeholders in preservation skills and practices so they can take long-term responsibility for documenting, caring for, and protecting culturally significant items and places.

What does "capacity-building" mean in the context of this grant?

Capacity-building means developing local know-how and practical skills so communities can sustainably preserve heritage over time. This includes training and support that enable local stakeholders to document items and sites, care for them properly, and protect them from damage or loss.

What types of risks to heritage does the program aim to address?

The program aims to help prevent loss caused by natural deterioration (such as humidity, improper storage, or aging materials) and loss driven by intolerance, neglect, or social pressures that can lead to damage or erasure of minority histories.

How does the program connect heritage preservation to community stability?

The announcement frames heritage preservation as part of community stabilization by helping communities maintain continuity, resist destabilization, and preserve historical traditions that might otherwise disappear.

What kinds of on-the-ground activities are expected from the implementing organization?

Expected activities include mapping and assessing vulnerable artifacts and sites, coordinating with community leaders and other stakeholders, and identifying gaps in preservation capacity.

Does the program encourage collaboration with specific types of partners?

Yes. The opportunity highlights the value of working with traditional partners (such as heritage institutions or established religious bodies) and also encourages working with "non-traditional partners" where helpful, reflecting a preference for inclusive collaboration.

What does the program mean by "non-traditional partners"?

The announcement signals that applicants should consider partners beyond the most established heritage or religious institutions, where doing so helps broaden the network of people and institutions supporting preservation work.

Is interfaith cooperation part of the program design?

Yes. A core design element is to encourage dialogue and practical cooperation across religious lines by using shared cultural heritage as a unifying element.

Is promoting interfaith tolerance the only focus of the program?

No. The program integrates technical preservation work with relationship-building and cooperation. The core deliverable is strengthened local capability to preserve and protect heritage over time.

Are outcomes like tourism increases considered core deliverables?

No. The announcement notes potential downstream benefits such as strengthening interfaith traditions and potentially increasing tourism, but these are not framed as the core deliverable. The core deliverable is local preservation capability.

What is the expected scale of funding for this opportunity?

The award ceiling is $750,000.

How many awards were expected to be made?

The Department of State expected one award.

When was the funding opportunity created, and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was created on July 27, 2018, with an original closing date of August 28, 2018.

What types of organizations were eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and other entities as specified in the eligibility details.

Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?

No. The eligibility description includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status.

Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) were included among the eligible applicant types.

Does this opportunity relate to other U.S. programs in Jordan?

Yes. The announcement notes that the project complements USAID cultural preservation programs in Jordan, but is distinct because it intentionally combines heritage preservation with the promotion of interfaith tolerance in one integrated program.

What makes this program distinct from USAID cultural preservation programs mentioned in the announcement?

It is distinct because it explicitly links technical preservation work with community relationship-building and cooperation across religious lines as a single integrated program.

Is the program intended to produce guidance that can be used beyond the immediate project?

Yes. The project is expected to produce or promote best practices that could be applied more widely in Jordan and potentially serve as a model for the region.

Who is the Department of State expecting to partner with to carry out the project?

The Department of State expects to partner with a qualified organization capable of implementing practical on-the-ground preservation steps while coordinating with community leaders and stakeholders.

What is the core deliverable emphasized by the announcement?

The core deliverable is sustainable local capability: communities being better equipped to preserve and protect their own heritage over time, supported by training, assessment, and coordination.

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