A multidisciplinary approach to defining wildlife health biological, ecological, and social determinants of the health of wildlife populations in the National Park System | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This National Park Service (NPS) grant opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00234, supports a research project focused on understanding what "wildlife health" means in the context of the National Park System and what factors shape it. The central idea is that national parks are widely recognized for protecting natural resources, but it is not always clear how park conservation actions are understood by the public or other stakeholders in terms of their connection to wildlife health. The project is designed to clarify the definition of wildlife health, examine why it matters, and identify the biological, ecological, and social determinants that influence the health of wildlife populations in national parks.

The work is explicitly multidisciplinary, meaning it is expected to bridge the natural sciences and social sciences rather than treating wildlife health as only a veterinary or disease-focused issue. On the biological side, this can include the condition of animals and populations, such as disease dynamics, nutrition, stress physiology, reproduction, survival, genetics, and overall fitness. On the ecological side, it can include habitat quality, biodiversity, predator-prey relationships, climate and weather pressures, landscape connectivity, invasive species, and human-caused environmental changes that affect wildlife over time. On the social side, the opportunity highlights the importance of perceptions and values: how visitors, local communities, managers, and the broader American public interpret the idea of "healthy wildlife," what they think parks should be achieving, and which outcomes they view as meaningful or legitimate. By tying these dimensions together, the project aims to produce a more complete and realistic framework for thinking about wildlife health in protected areas.

A major motivation behind the project is practical: clearer definitions and a better understanding of determinants can help the NPS communicate and make decisions. The results are intended to be foundational for education and outreach, collaboration with partners, and future management activities. In other words, once the agency and its partners have a stronger, evidence-based way to describe wildlife health and the drivers behind it, they can better explain the relevance and value of national parks and healthy wildlife to the public, and they can better design or justify management approaches that align with ecological needs and public expectations.

The announcement describes the award as serving a public purpose by developing theory and knowledge that will benefit both the NPS and the broader scientific community. It also emphasizes dissemination of results, suggesting that findings should not remain internal but should be shared in ways that other researchers and practitioners can use. Eligible applicants were limited to institutions of higher education, including private universities and public or state-controlled universities, reflecting an intent to engage academic expertise and research capacity.

Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in the project (for example, coordination, data access, technical input, or joint planning), rather than a standard grant with more hands-off oversight. The total estimated funding was $31,500, with an award ceiling of $31,500 and no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The expected number of awards was one, indicating a single funded project rather than a larger competitive pool of multiple awards. The CFDA listing associated with it was 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System.

This opportunity was posted on July 23, 2015, and archived on August 2, 2015. Importantly, it was not open for applications: the closing language states "Notification of intent to award. No applications will be accepted," meaning the NPS had already selected an intended recipient or had a pre-determined partnership arrangement and published the notice for transparency rather than to solicit proposals. The listed point of contact was Steve Livingston at the National Park Service (303-969-2690, SteveLivingston@nps.gov), and the general additional information link pointed to grants.gov.

In short, the project centers on building a shared, research-backed understanding of wildlife health in national parks by integrating biological condition, ecological context, and human values and perceptions, with the end goal of improving how wildlife health is measured, discussed, and supported through NPS communication and management.

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