Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00413
Apply for P16AS00413
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Campus Outdoor Ambassador Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 28, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to enter agreement with Outdoor Foundation without additional competition. No applications will be accepted.. (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 $100,000.00 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Campus Outdoor Ambassador Program is a discretionary National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior designed to strengthen ties between college students and the national parks through a campus-based leadership model. The program is framed as a collaborative partnership between the NPS Youth Programs Office, the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, and the Outdoor Foundation. At its core, it aims to make national parks more relevant and accessible to younger generations by building sustained, on-the-ground connections between campuses, nearby communities, and park units, rather than relying only on one-time outreach or promotional efforts.
The opportunity focuses on identifying and investing in student leaders who can act as “outdoor ambassadors†on their campuses. These student leaders are expected to drive increased outdoor recreation participation among young adults while also raising awareness of national parks and the experiences they offer. The program ties recreation to broader public purposes: encouraging healthy, active lifestyles; lowering barriers for young adults to engage with public lands; and building stronger community-park relationships. In practice, the campus-park partnership model implies that students serve as local catalysts who can organize events, share information, and build peer-to-peer enthusiasm in a way that is often more effective than top-down messaging to student audiences.
Another central goal is workforce and career exposure. The program is explicitly positioned as a pipeline-building effort that gives participants visibility into NPS careers and offers temporary student employment opportunities. Alongside the recreation and engagement elements, this employment component supports the agency priority of developing the next generation of park professionals, supporters, and long-term advocates. The intended outcome is a national network of young adults who not only visit parks, but also understand their value, feel personally connected to them, and are more likely to champion conservation and public land stewardship over time.
From an administrative standpoint, the award is structured as a Cooperative Agreement, which generally signals substantial involvement by the federal agency in project execution compared with a standard grant. The funding activity category is Education, and the associated CFDA number is 15.954. The ceiling for the single anticipated award is $100,000, with one award expected.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education as direct applicants. However, the program design is explicitly college-based, so higher education institutions would typically be partners or host sites rather than the formal applicant/awardee.
Importantly, this specific notice is not open for competition. The posting states it is a “Notice of Intent to enter agreement with Outdoor Foundation without additional competition,†and it clarifies that no applications will be accepted. The opportunity was created on July 28, 2016, under funding opportunity number P16AS00413, indicating that the NPS planned to make this award directly to the Outdoor Foundation to carry out the program’s objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Campus Outdoor Ambassador Program (NPS)
What is the Campus Outdoor Ambassador Program?
The Campus Outdoor Ambassador Program is a discretionary National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is designed to strengthen ties between college students and national parks using a campus-based leadership model, with an emphasis on sustained, on-the-ground connections between campuses, nearby communities, and park units.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity focuses on making national parks more relevant and accessible to younger generations by investing in student leaders who can act as "outdoor ambassadors" on their campuses. Rather than relying on one-time outreach or promotional efforts, the program emphasizes ongoing campus-park partnerships and peer-to-peer engagement.
Who are the key partners involved in the program?
The program is framed as a collaborative partnership between the NPS Youth Programs Office, the NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, and the Outdoor Foundation.
What are "outdoor ambassadors" expected to do?
Student leaders serving as outdoor ambassadors are expected to increase outdoor recreation participation among young adults and raise awareness of national parks and the experiences they offer. In practice, the campus-park partnership model suggests ambassadors serve as local catalysts who can organize events, share information, and build peer-to-peer enthusiasm on campus.
How does the program connect outdoor recreation to broader public goals?
The program ties recreation to broader public purposes, including encouraging healthy, active lifestyles; lowering barriers for young adults to engage with public lands; and building stronger relationships between communities and nearby park units.
Does the program include career or workforce development elements?
Yes. A central goal is workforce and career exposure. The program is positioned as a pipeline-building effort that provides visibility into NPS careers and offers temporary student employment opportunities, supporting the development of future park professionals, supporters, and long-term advocates.
What outcomes is the program trying to achieve?
The intended outcome is a national network of young adults who not only visit parks, but also understand their value, feel personally connected to them, and are more likely to champion conservation and public land stewardship over time.
What type of federal award is this?
This award is structured as a Cooperative Agreement. This generally indicates substantial federal involvement by the agency in project execution compared with a standard grant.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Education.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 15.954.
How much funding is available?
The ceiling for the single anticipated award is $100,000.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education are excluded as direct applicants.
If colleges and universities cannot apply directly, how do they fit into the program?
Although institutions of higher education are excluded as direct applicants, the program design is explicitly college-based. Colleges and universities would typically participate as partners or host sites rather than serving as the formal applicant or awardee.
Is this opportunity open for competition?
No. The notice states it is a "Notice of Intent to enter agreement with Outdoor Foundation without additional competition," and it explicitly clarifies that no applications will be accepted.
Will the National Park Service accept applications for this specific notice?
No. The posting states that no applications will be accepted for this notice.
Who is the intended recipient for this award?
The notice indicates the NPS planned to enter into an agreement directly with the Outdoor Foundation to carry out the program's objectives.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is P16AS00413.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 28, 2016.
Which federal department and agency sponsor this opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Why does the program emphasize sustained engagement instead of one-time outreach?
Based on the program description, the goal is to build lasting campus-community-park connections that make parks more relevant and accessible to younger generations. The model relies on ongoing student-led engagement that can be more effective for student audiences than top-down, one-time messaging.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P16AS00413) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Southeast Region Geospatial Support GIS Intern Apply for P16AS00414 Funding Number: P16AS00414 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $49,487 |
| Outreach to Support Every Kid in the Park campaign and Urban Ranger Program Apply for P16AS00415 Funding Number: P16AS00415 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $27,283 |
| Interpretation, education and volunteers program internship Apply for NPSNOICHOH1601353 Funding Number: NPSNOICHOH1601353 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NPS Graphic History Novels Apply for NPS DOIP16AC01285 Funding Number: NPS DOIP16AC01285 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $77,500 |
| Preservation and Interpretation Services of Old Slater Mill and the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Apply for NPS 16 NERO 0132 Funding Number: NPS 16 NERO 0132 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Engaging Young Adults with Community-Based Conservation and Recreation Opportunities Apply for P16AS00440 Funding Number: P16AS00440 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $403,600 |
| 2016 DHS Scientific Leadership Awards for Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Granting Bachelor Degrees Apply for DHS 16 ST 062 001 Funding Number: DHS 16 ST 062 001 Agency: Department of Homeland Security, Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division Category: Education Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Historians Roundtable Panel Discussion Apply for P16AS00447 Funding Number: P16AS00447 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $34,752 |
| Buddy Bison School Program and Kids to Parks Day Apply for P16AS00389 Funding Number: P16AS00389 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $160,000 |
| Internship Training Program Kalaupapa National Historic Park Apply for P16AS00402 Funding Number: P16AS00402 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $25,440 |
| Diversity Scholarship Program for PastForward Conference Apply for P16AS00396 Funding Number: P16AS00396 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| THEMATIC FRAMEWORK, CIVIL RIGHTS IN NCR Apply for P16AS00461 Funding Number: P16AS00461 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $94,260 |
| Mountains to Main Street Urban Outreach Program Apply for NPSNOIGRTE1601401 Funding Number: NPSNOIGRTE1601401 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| 2016 National Park Service (NPS) Academy Spring Break Orientations Apply for P16AS00465 Funding Number: P16AS00465 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $150,873 |
| Mountains to Main Street Ambassador Training Apply for NPSNOIGRTE1601404 Funding Number: NPSNOIGRTE1601404 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Business Plan Internship Program Apply for P16AS00466 Funding Number: P16AS00466 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $349,725 |
| Partnership for Enhancing CAJO Visitor Experience at the Sultana Education Foundation’s Education Center in Chestertown, Maryland and Through Regional Educational and Public Programming Apply for NPS 16 NERO 0142 Funding Number: NPS 16 NERO 0142 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| CAJO Contact Point and Programming Initiative Apply for NPS 16 NERO 0143 Funding Number: NPS 16 NERO 0143 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $27,530 |
| Joint National Park Service / Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Apply for P16AS00483 Funding Number: P16AS00483 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $71,757 |
| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Scholarship and Fellowship Education Grant, Faculty Development Grant, and Trade School and Community College Scholarship Grant, Fiscal Year (FY) 2017. Apply for NRC HQ 60 17 FOA 0001 Funding Number: NRC HQ 60 17 FOA 0001 Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Category: Education Funding Amount: $450,000 |
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