Opportunity Information: Apply for TAP 2017

  • The Department of the Interior in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OIA Technical Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.875.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Oct 01, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 01, 2017. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
Apply for TAP 2017

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Opportunity Summary:

The OIA Technical Assistance Program (TAP 2017) is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA). It is designed to fund short-term, targeted projects that address immediate, practical needs in the U.S. insular areas. In other words, this program is aimed at solving near-term challenges and gaps where quick assistance, specialized expertise, or limited-duration support can make a measurable difference.

The program provides funding through a grant instrument, with individual awards capped at $250,000. The opportunity anticipated making around 50 awards, indicating that OIA intended to support a relatively broad portfolio of projects rather than a small number of large, long-duration efforts. The original application closing date listed for this specific announcement was March 1, 2017, and the opportunity was created on October 1, 2016.

TAP funding is organized around a set of priority areas that reflect the kinds of urgent or high-impact needs OIA expects applicants to address. These priorities include climate change (such as resilience planning, adaptation measures, or vulnerability assessments); accountability and management controls (including strengthening internal controls and improving governance processes); and financial management (such as modernizing financial systems, improving audit readiness, or enhancing fiscal oversight). Economic development is also a key focus, which can include projects that strengthen local economic capacity, improve the business environment, or support workforce and industry growth in ways that fit the short-term project model.

Several priorities focus on building skills and institutional capability, including training, education, and broader capacity building. Energy is another stated priority and can cover areas such as energy planning, efficiency initiatives, or short-duration technical assessments that help communities reduce costs and improve reliability. The program also highlights safety and emergency needs, which can involve preparedness planning, response coordination improvements, or immediate-risk mitigation projects. In addition, OIA explicitly includes historical and cultural preservation as a priority, supporting efforts that protect and sustain cultural resources and heritage when a short-term infusion of funding can advance preservation goals.

Health initiatives and outdoor youth initiatives are also included among OIA priorities, signaling that TAP is not limited to infrastructure or finance-focused assistance. Instead, it is structured to be flexible enough to fund time-limited projects that can strengthen community well-being, improve service delivery, or create constructive youth opportunities, as long as they align with the program purpose of meeting immediate needs in the insular areas.

The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 15.875 and categorized as "Other" for the funding activity category, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of technical assistance work across many sectors. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details typically provided in the full notice. In practice, TAP opportunities are generally aimed at entities working in or supporting insular area priorities, and applicants usually need to show a clear connection between the proposed short-term project and an immediate, on-the-ground need in an insular area community or government context.

Overall, TAP 2017 is best understood as a practical technical assistance funding tool: relatively modest award sizes, an emphasis on quick-turnaround projects, and a wide range of eligible topic areas that all point toward strengthening operations, resilience, services, and capacity in the insular areas through focused, time-bound interventions.

Technical Assistance Program (TAP 2017) - FAQs

What is the OIA Technical Assistance Program (TAP 2017)?

TAP 2017 is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs (OIA). It is designed to fund short-term, targeted projects that address immediate, practical needs in the U.S. insular areas, especially where quick assistance, specialized expertise, or limited-duration support can produce measurable results.

What is the main purpose of this grant program?

The program is intended to solve near-term challenges and fill urgent gaps by supporting time-bound technical assistance efforts. Projects should be practical and focused, aimed at strengthening operations, services, resilience, and capacity in insular areas.

Is TAP 2017 a formula program or a competitive opportunity?

It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity, meaning awards are made through a competitive or discretionary selection process rather than by formula distribution.

What funding instrument is used for TAP 2017 awards?

Funding is provided through a grant instrument.

What is the maximum award amount under this opportunity?

Individual awards are capped at $250,000.

How many awards did OIA anticipate making?

The opportunity anticipated making around 50 awards, suggesting OIA intended to support a broad portfolio of projects rather than a small number of large, long-duration efforts.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on October 1, 2016.

What was the application closing date listed for this announcement?

The original application closing date listed for this specific announcement was March 1, 2017.

What types of projects are a good fit for TAP 2017?

TAP 2017 is meant for short-term, targeted projects that address immediate, practical needs. Strong fits include projects requiring quick-turnaround support, specialized expertise, or limited-duration technical work that can make a measurable difference in an insular area setting.

What are the TAP 2017 priority areas?

Priority areas include:

  • Climate change (for example: resilience planning, adaptation measures, vulnerability assessments)
  • Accountability and management controls (for example: strengthening internal controls, improving governance processes)
  • Financial management (for example: modernizing financial systems, improving audit readiness, enhancing fiscal oversight)
  • Economic development (for example: strengthening local economic capacity, improving the business environment, supporting workforce and industry growth in a short-term model)
  • Training, education, and broader capacity building
  • Energy (for example: energy planning, efficiency initiatives, short-duration technical assessments to reduce costs and improve reliability)
  • Safety and emergency needs (for example: preparedness planning, response coordination improvements, immediate-risk mitigation)
  • Historical and cultural preservation
  • Health initiatives
  • Outdoor youth initiatives

Does TAP 2017 only fund financial or infrastructure-related assistance?

No. While financial management and governance improvements are included, the priorities also cover climate resilience, energy, safety and emergency needs, historical and cultural preservation, health initiatives, and outdoor youth initiatives. The program is structured to be flexible as long as the project is time-limited and addresses an immediate need in the insular areas.

What does “short-term, targeted” mean in the context of TAP 2017?

Based on the program description, “short-term, targeted” points to projects designed to deliver practical outcomes on a limited timeline, focused on an immediate gap or near-term challenge. The emphasis is on quick assistance and measurable improvements rather than long-duration efforts.

How does TAP 2017 define “immediate, practical needs”?

The description emphasizes near-term challenges and gaps where quick assistance, specialized expertise, or limited-duration support can make a measurable difference. Projects should clearly connect the proposed work to a real, on-the-ground need in an insular area community or government context.

What kinds of climate change work are mentioned as priorities?

Examples given include resilience planning, adaptation measures, and vulnerability assessments.

What is included under “accountability and management controls”?

This priority includes efforts such as strengthening internal controls and improving governance processes.

What is included under “financial management”?

Examples include modernizing financial systems, improving audit readiness, and enhancing fiscal oversight.

What is included under the economic development priority?

Economic development can include projects that strengthen local economic capacity, improve the business environment, or support workforce and industry growth, as long as the work fits a short-term project model.

What is included under the energy priority?

Energy-related priorities can include energy planning, efficiency initiatives, or short-duration technical assessments that help communities reduce costs and improve reliability.

What is included under safety and emergency needs?

Examples include preparedness planning, response coordination improvements, or immediate-risk mitigation projects.

What does OIA mean by historical and cultural preservation in TAP 2017?

The program identifies historical and cultural preservation as a priority, supporting efforts that protect and sustain cultural resources and heritage when a short-term infusion of funding can advance preservation goals.

Are health and youth-related projects eligible topics under TAP 2017?

Health initiatives and outdoor youth initiatives are explicitly listed among OIA priorities, indicating the program can support time-limited projects that strengthen community well-being, improve service delivery, or create constructive youth opportunities, if they align with the program purpose.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 15.875.

What is the funding activity category for TAP 2017?

The funding activity category is listed as “Other,” reflecting that technical assistance can be cross-cutting across sectors.

Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?

Eligibility is listed as “Others,” with additional eligibility details typically provided in the full notice. The description indicates TAP opportunities are generally aimed at entities working in or supporting insular area priorities, and applicants typically need to demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed short-term project and an immediate need in an insular area community or government context.

What should an applicant emphasize to show alignment with TAP 2017?

Applicants should be prepared to show (1) the project is short-term and targeted, (2) it addresses an immediate, practical need, (3) it fits within one or more TAP priority areas, and (4) it has a clear connection to an insular area community or government context.

What overall kind of funding tool is TAP 2017 intended to be?

TAP 2017 is described as a practical technical assistance funding tool characterized by relatively modest award sizes, an emphasis on quick-turnaround projects, and a wide set of eligible topic areas aimed at strengthening operations, resilience, services, and capacity in the insular areas through focused, time-bound interventions.

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