The State Department established the AFCP in 2001 at the request of Congress.

At the time, the Senate noted that preserving cultural heritage offers an opportunity to showcase a different aspect of America — one that is non-commercial, non-political, and non-military.

AFCP projects

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support U. S. foreign policy and public diplomacy (PD) goals and can contribute to the development of civil society, promote cultural diversity and good governance, create economic opportunity, and help foster political stability.

Appropriate project activities may include:
· Anastylosis:
Reassembling a site using its original parts.

· Conservation:
Addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site.

· Consolidation:
Connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site.

· Documentation:
Recording the condition and important features of an object, site, or tradition in analog or digital format.

· Inventory:
Listing objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristics.

· Preventive Conservation:
Addressing conditions that threaten or damage a site, object, collection, or tradition.

· Restoration:
Replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of an object or site, usually appropriate for fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings.

· Stabilization:
Reducing the physical disturbance of an object or site.