Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00284

  • The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Develop Citizen Science Monitoring Program for Local Avifauna" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.944.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 23, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 01, 2016 Not a request for applications NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD Cooperative Agreement to a unique source/single source partner. (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 $28,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Develop Citizen Science Monitoring Program for Local Avifauna" (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00284) is a National Park Service (NPS) initiative under the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on building a long-term bird monitoring program in the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills. The core idea is to design a structured, repeatable monitoring effort that can be carried out by citizen scientists, specifically experienced and knowledgeable bird watchers recruited from communities near the park. Rather than being a short-term survey, the program is meant to persist over time so the park can track changes in bird communities year after year.

The program is built around two main goals. First, it aims to generate annual bird data that is rigorous enough, and collected across a wide enough area, to support meaningful assessments of avifauna community composition and population trends. In practical terms, this means the monitoring approach needs to produce information the park can actually use for management decisions, such as detecting shifts in which species are present, identifying increases or declines in particular populations, and understanding broader trends that might reflect habitat change, climate pressures, fire impacts, or other environmental influences in the region. The emphasis on data quality and geographic coverage suggests the program would need standardized methods, consistent sampling locations or routes, volunteer training, and clear protocols for recording and submitting observations.

Second, the opportunity is also designed as a volunteer development and conservation engagement effort. NPS wants participating bird watchers to deepen their skills by learning scientific methodology and contributing to a real conservation data pipeline. This is not just casual birding; it is meant to be a guided citizen science experience where volunteers learn how to collect observations in a way that is consistent, defensible, and useful for conservation planning at both park and regional scales. In effect, the program supports both resource management needs and community involvement by turning local expertise and enthusiasm into a reliable monitoring workforce.

From an administrative standpoint, this funding is categorized as discretionary and will be issued as a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in planning, coordination, and implementation. The activity category is Natural Resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.944. The anticipated award structure is small and targeted: the notice indicates one expected award with an award ceiling of $28,000.

This posting is explicitly labeled "Not a request for applications" and is a Notice of Intent to Award, indicating NPS planned to make a cooperative agreement with a unique source or single-source partner rather than run an open competitive process. The opportunity was created on June 23, 2016, with an original closing date of July 1, 2016, reflecting the short administrative window typical of intent-to-award notices. Eligible applicants are listed as nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education), which is an unusual eligibility note but consistent with the fact that this is not a standard open solicitation and was likely tied to a specific partner relationship.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as funding to establish the framework for a sustained, volunteer-powered bird monitoring system that can deliver management-grade annual data while also strengthening local stewardship by training community birders in scientific monitoring practices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Develop Citizen Science Monitoring Program for Local Avifauna."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00284.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is a National Park Service (NPS) initiative under the U.S. Department of the Interior.

What is the focus area or subject of the project?

The project focuses on creating a long-term, citizen-science-based bird monitoring program (local avifauna monitoring).

Where will the monitoring program take place?

The monitoring program is intended for the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills.

Is this meant to be a short-term bird survey or a long-term program?

It is meant to be a long-term program that persists over time, with the goal of tracking changes in bird communities year after year.

What are the main goals of the program?

The opportunity is built around two main goals: (1) generating annual bird data that is rigorous and geographically broad enough to support assessments of community composition and population trends, and (2) developing volunteers and strengthening conservation engagement by training knowledgeable bird watchers to use scientific monitoring methods.

What kind of data is the program expected to produce?

The program is expected to produce annual bird monitoring data that is rigorous enough for meaningful assessments, including avifauna community composition and population trend information.

How does NPS intend to use the data collected through this program?

The data is intended to support park management decisions, such as detecting shifts in which species are present, identifying increases or declines in particular populations, and understanding broader trends that may reflect habitat change, climate pressures, fire impacts, or other environmental influences.

Who are the intended citizen scientists for this effort?

The program is designed to be carried out by citizen scientists, specifically experienced and knowledgeable bird watchers recruited from communities near the park.

Is this program described as casual birding?

No. It is described as a guided citizen science experience where participants learn and apply scientific methodology so observations are consistent, defensible, and useful for conservation planning.

What does the opportunity suggest about monitoring methods and consistency?

The description emphasizes data quality and geographic coverage, suggesting a need for standardized methods, consistent sampling locations or routes, volunteer training, and clear protocols for recording and submitting observations.

What type of award is anticipated?

The funding is anticipated to be issued as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this will be a cooperative agreement?

Based on the posting, a cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in planning, coordination, and implementation.

Is this funding considered discretionary?

Yes. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is Natural Resources.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 15.944.

How many awards were expected?

The notice indicates one expected award.

What is the award ceiling?

The award ceiling listed is $28,000.

Is this an open, competitive request for applications?

No. The posting is explicitly labeled "Not a request for applications" and is described as a Notice of Intent to Award.

What does "Notice of Intent to Award" imply about competition?

It indicates NPS planned to make a cooperative agreement with a unique source or single-source partner rather than run an open competitive process.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 23, 2016.

What was the original closing date listed?

The original closing date was July 1, 2016.

Who is listed as eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are listed as nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education).

Why does the eligibility note look unusual?

Based on the description, the unusual eligibility note is consistent with the posting being an intent-to-award notice rather than a standard open solicitation, and it was likely tied to a specific partner relationship.

What is the overall purpose of the funding described in this notice?

Overall, the funding is intended to establish the framework for a sustained, volunteer-powered bird monitoring system that can deliver management-grade annual data while also strengthening local stewardship by training community birders in scientific monitoring practices.

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