Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00248
Apply for P15AS00248
- The National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Associates for Upland Vegetation Monitoring in the Sonoran Desert Network" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931 Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 28, 2015 and posted on Jul 28, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notification of Intent to Award. No applications will be accepted.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $31,836.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $31,836.00 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 grant opportunity titled "Conservation Associates for Upland Vegetation Monitoring in the Sonoran Desert Network" (Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00248) is a National Park Service cooperative agreement focused on building hands-on conservation and research capacity through youth and young adult training. The core purpose is educational and workforce development: it is designed to support, stimulate, and expand work, training, and learning opportunities for young adults by placing conservation associates (interns) into practical natural resource monitoring roles across parks within the Sonoran Desert Network. The work centers on upland vegetation monitoring and related soils work, tying directly into the National Park Service mission of resource stewardship through scientific inventory and long-term monitoring.
The interns supported under this agreement are expected to receive structured, job-relevant training and real field experience in vegetation and soils research and monitoring. In practice, that includes developing skills in plant identification (a foundational competency for desert ecology work), conducting field mapping, and collecting and organizing monitoring information in both tabular formats and spatial datasets. A significant component of the experience involves handling GIS-related data, meaning the interns would learn how vegetation information is captured, managed, and interpreted in mapping and database systems used for park management decisions. The overall emphasis is not just on collecting data, but on learning the full workflow of monitoring programs used in Sonoran Desert parks, from field observations to data management.
Administratively, this opportunity is categorized as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project period rather than a hands-off grant. The funding activity category is listed as Education, aligning with the internship and training-centered design. The total estimated funding is $31,836, and because the award ceiling is also $31,836, the opportunity appears structured as a single, defined project budget rather than a range of possible award sizes. The listing indicates one expected award, and it falls under CFDA number 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations." There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means the selected organization would not be required to contribute additional non-federal funds as a condition of the award.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. This points toward youth-serving conservation nonprofits as the intended partners, particularly organizations experienced in placing and supporting interns in field-based public lands projects. The opportunity was posted on July 28, 2015, and later archived on August 7, 2015. Importantly, the notice states "Notification of Intent to Award. No applications will be accepted," meaning this was not an open competitive solicitation at the time of posting; it functioned as a public notice that the agency intended to make an award rather than inviting submissions from the broader community.
For further details, the announcement references an Attachment A containing the detailed scope of work and budget breakdown, and it provides a grants.gov link for the full record. A direct point of contact is listed for access issues or questions: John Bechtold at the National Park Service (303-969-2492, JohnBechtold@nps.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Conservation Associates for Upland Vegetation Monitoring in the Sonoran Desert Network."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P15AS00248.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) opportunity.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
Based on the description provided, a cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project period, rather than a more hands-off arrangement.
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
The core purpose is educational and workforce development: building hands-on conservation and research capacity through training and real work experience for youth and young adults.
What kind of work would the conservation associates (interns) do?
The work centers on upland vegetation monitoring and related soils work across parks within the Sonoran Desert Network, supporting scientific inventory and long-term monitoring for resource stewardship.
Is this opportunity focused on education or another program area?
The funding activity category is listed as Education, reflecting the internship and training-centered design.
What skills and training are the interns expected to gain?
Interns are expected to receive structured, job-relevant training and field experience in vegetation and soils research and monitoring, including plant identification, field mapping, collecting monitoring data, and organizing information in tabular and spatial (GIS-related) datasets.
Does the internship experience include GIS-related work?
Yes. The description notes a significant GIS-related component, including learning how vegetation information is captured, managed, and interpreted in mapping and database systems used for park management decisions.
Is the work limited to data collection?
No. The emphasis includes learning the full workflow of monitoring programs, from field observations through data management.
What is the total estimated funding amount?
The total estimated funding is $31,836.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling is also listed as $31,836, suggesting the opportunity is structured as a single, defined project budget rather than a range of award sizes.
How many awards are expected?
The listing indicates one expected award.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations."
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The listing states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
Are universities or other institutions of higher education eligible?
No. Institutions of higher education are explicitly excluded from eligibility.
Is this an open application opportunity?
No. The notice states "Notification of Intent to Award. No applications will be accepted," indicating it was not posted as an open competitive solicitation inviting applications.
What does "Notification of Intent to Award" mean in this posting?
Based on the language provided, it means the agency posted a public notice that it intended to make an award, and it was not accepting applications from the broader community.
When was this opportunity posted?
It was posted on July 28, 2015.
When was this opportunity archived?
It was archived on August 7, 2015.
Where can someone find the detailed scope of work and budget details?
The announcement references an Attachment A that contains the detailed scope of work and budget breakdown, and it also provides a grants.gov link for the full record.
Who is the point of contact for questions or access issues?
The listed contact is John Bechtold at the National Park Service. Phone: 303-969-2492. Email: JohnBechtold@nps.gov.
What kinds of organizations does this opportunity appear designed for?
Based on the eligibility and program description, it is aimed at youth-serving conservation nonprofits, particularly those experienced in placing and supporting interns in field-based projects on public lands.
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