Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00361

  • The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the employment, labor and training, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Canal Classrooms Education Internships" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jul 20, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by .This is a Notice of Intent only. This Task Agreement is being awarded under Cooperative Agreement P12AC31062 which was already awarded under a competitive process. No applications are being accepted at this time.. (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 $11,299,313.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
Apply for P16AS00361

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Opportunity Summary:

The Canal Classrooms Education Internships opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00361) is a Department of the Interior, National Park Service discretionary funding action structured as a cooperative agreement. It is tied to the National Park Service mission of public education, stewardship, and workforce development, and it centers on partnering with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to place and support interns in hands-on conservation and education service. The underlying purpose is to help build the next generation of conservation leaders by giving young people practical, real-world experiences on public lands, along with outdoor skills development and leadership training that can translate into long-term environmental stewardship and career pathways.

In practical terms, the program concept reflected in the notice is an internship-based model where participants learn by doing: supporting interpretation and education activities, assisting with conservation and resource-related projects, and gaining structured professional development in outdoor and leadership competencies. The emphasis is not only on completing useful work for parks and communities, but also on developing participants as future professionals and committed stewards. The funding activity categories listed for the opportunity (Employment, Labor and Training, and Regional Development) reinforce that this is both a workforce pipeline effort and a community-oriented capacity-building initiative, rather than a purely research or construction grant.

Eligibility for this specific funding action is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The named partner in the description is SCA, which aligns with that eligibility profile and with the National Park Service approach of leveraging experienced nonprofit partners to recruit, place, train, and support interns. The notice indicates an expected single award (Expected Awards: 1), which is consistent with a targeted partnership or continuation action rather than an open, competitive multi-award solicitation.

A critical detail is that this posting is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent only, meaning it is not an open call for proposals. No applications are being accepted, and there is no active closing date. The reason given is that the task agreement is being awarded under an existing cooperative agreement (P12AC31062) that was already awarded through a competitive process. In other words, the National Park Service is signaling its intent to fund work under a previously competed umbrella agreement, rather than initiating a new competition. The listing still provides transparency into the planned action, including an award ceiling of $11,299,313, but it is not a current opportunity for new applicants to pursue.

Administrative identifiers included in the source data are the CFDA number 15.931 (an assistance listing associated with the Department of the Interior/National Park Service) and the creation date of July 20, 2016. Overall, the opportunity reflects a large-scale, cooperative partnership mechanism aimed at delivering conservation education internship experiences that strengthen public land stewardship and develop early-career conservation talent, but it should be understood as informational only, with funding routed through a pre-existing agreement and no pathway for new submissions at the time of posting.

Canal Classrooms Education Internships (P16AS00361) - FAQs

What is the Canal Classrooms Education Internships opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00361)?

It is a Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding action structured as a cooperative agreement. The focus is on conservation and education internships designed to support public education, stewardship, and workforce development tied to the NPS mission.

What is the main purpose of this funding action?

The purpose is to help build the next generation of conservation leaders by providing young people with practical, real-world experiences on public lands. The model emphasizes hands-on service, outdoor skills development, and leadership training that can support long-term environmental stewardship and career pathways.

Is this an open grant opportunity where new applications are being accepted?

No. This posting is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent only. It is informational and is not an open call for proposals. No applications are being accepted and there is no active closing date.

Why are applications not being accepted for this posting?

The notice states that the task agreement is being awarded under an existing cooperative agreement (P12AC31062) that was already awarded through a competitive process. In other words, the NPS is indicating its intent to fund work under a previously competed umbrella agreement rather than running a new competition.

What type of award instrument is being used?

The action is structured as a cooperative agreement. Based on the description, this mechanism supports a close partnership approach to delivering internships and related training and development activities.

Who is eligible for this specific funding action?

Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.

Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?

No. Institutions of higher education are specifically excluded under the eligibility statement provided in the opportunity description.

Who is the named partner associated with the opportunity?

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the named partner referenced in the description. The opportunity is framed around partnering with an experienced nonprofit to place and support interns.

How many awards are expected under this notice?

The notice indicates an expected single award (Expected Awards: 1), which aligns with a targeted partnership or continuation action rather than a multi-award competition.

What activities do interns support under the program concept described?

The concept reflects an internship-based "learn by doing" model. Interns support interpretation and education activities, assist with conservation and resource-related projects, and participate in structured professional development focused on outdoor and leadership competencies.

Is the program more focused on service delivery or participant development?

Both. The description emphasizes completing useful work for parks and communities while also developing participants into future professionals and committed stewards through practical experience, skills-building, and leadership training.

What funding activity categories are associated with this opportunity?

The listed activity categories are Employment, Labor and Training, and Regional Development. This indicates the action is positioned as a workforce pipeline and community capacity-building effort, not a purely research or construction grant.

What is the award ceiling mentioned in the notice?

The listing provides an award ceiling of $11,299,313. This is included for transparency about the planned action, even though the notice is not open for applications.

Does the notice provide a closing date or deadline?

No. Because it is a Notice of Intent only and not an open solicitation, there is no active closing date.

What is the CFDA (Assistance Listing) number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 15.931, which is associated with the Department of the Interior / National Park Service assistance listing referenced in the source data.

When was this opportunity created (as listed in the source data)?

The creation date listed is July 20, 2016.

Does this posting describe a new competitive program or a continuation under an existing agreement?

It describes an intended funding action under an existing cooperative agreement (P12AC31062) that was previously competed. The Notice of Intent format signals a continuation/targeted action rather than a new open competition.

What is the overall takeaway for potential applicants reading this notice?

The key takeaway is that the posting is informational only and does not provide a pathway for new submissions at the time of posting. It describes a large-scale cooperative partnership mechanism for conservation education internships, but the funding is routed through a pre-existing agreement.

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