Storytelling to Safeguard Cultural Identity and Sovereignty: Bolstering the Tourism Industry

The U.S. Department of State's Embassy Tashkent announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to implement " Storytelling to Safeguard Cultural Identity and Sovereignty: Bolstering the Tourism Industry" in Uzbekistan. This program aims to maximize the impact of U.S. investments in cultural heritage preservation and Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) projects amplifying shared civilizational values and U.S. linkages while enhancing tourism experiences and building capacity for story-telling and content creation related to AFCP-supported heritage sites across Uzbekistan. The selected implementer will work in partnership with the Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), Cultural Heritage Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan (CHA), National Tourism Committee, National Content Creation Center, and local creative industry partners to deliver an integrated training program targeting two key audiences: tourism professionals and tour guides, and content creators (bloggers, journalists, filmmakers, and digital creators). The program will establish a specialized lab – Heritage Content Creation & Storytelling Lab – to develop practical skills and increase quality of heritage-related storytelling in different formats and platforms. This program will enhance the visibility and impact of U.S. cultural preservation investments while strengthening U.S.-Uzbekistan cultural cooperation in support of a Joint Statement of Intent in the Field of Cultural Heritage declared during a C5+1 meeting in November 2025. Funding activity: Public Diplomacy Eligibility: The following organizations are eligible to apply: •U.S.-based not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with demonstrated experience in cultural heritage preservation, community engagement, tourism development, and/or content creation capacity building •U.S.-based public and private educational institutions with relevant expertise in cultural heritage management, museum studies, tourism, or related fields Note: Only U.S.-based organizations are eligible to serve as the prime recipient of this award. The selected organization must demonstrate the capacity to work in partnership with Uzbek government agencies and local creative industry partners. For-profit entities, even those that may fall into the categories listed above, are not eligible to apply for this NOFO. Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal. For more information on the difference between sub-contract and sub-recipient, please refer to 2 CFR 200.331. Award ceiling: 50,000 CFDA: 19.040