Educating park neighbors and encouraging wildlife stewardship in an urban landscape | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Educating park neighbors and encouraging wildlife stewardship in an urban landscape."

Which agency is offering this funding?

The funding action is offered by the National Park Service (NPS).

What is the main purpose of the project?

The purpose is to build a structured education program for residents living near park boundaries in and around the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). The program is intended to help neighbors understand local wildlife, learn from research findings on urban wildlife behavior, and recognize how household choices can affect habitat and ecosystem health.

What park area does the effort focus on?

The effort focuses on urban-adjacent parklands in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA).

Who is the intended audience for the education program?

The intended audience is people who live near park boundaries (park neighbors), particularly those in communities adjacent to SMMNRA.

What kinds of outreach activities are planned?

Outreach is designed to meet neighbors where they already gather and is planned to be delivered through HOA and other community meetings, as well as family-friendly weekend events.

What topics will the education program cover?

Based on the announcement, topics include research-based information on how wildlife use urban-edge landscapes, what triggers unwanted interactions, prevention strategies to avoid negative encounters, and the ecological value of native wildlife (including roles in food webs and natural pest control dynamics).

Is the program focused on wildlife conflict prevention and coexistence?

Yes. A major theme is practical coexistence, providing realistic guidance to reduce conflicts with wildlife while reinforcing the ecological value of native animals.

How does the project connect everyday household choices to wildlife and habitat?

The project emphasizes that everyday household choices can influence surrounding habitat and ecosystem health, and it aims to help residents recognize and adjust practices that may contribute to negative wildlife interactions or habitat impacts.

What is the project trying to change in the community?

The intent is to shift community norms toward stewardship of wildlife, habitat, and parkland across the SMMNRA area.

What is a key deliverable of the project?

A key deliverable is education around safer, environmentally responsible pest management, with a strong focus on reducing reliance on poisons, particularly anticoagulant rodenticides.

Why does the opportunity emphasize reducing anticoagulant rodenticide use?

The announcement notes broader conservation concerns: anticoagulant rodenticides can harm non-target wildlife through direct exposure or secondary poisoning of predators and scavengers. The project aims to reduce environmental contamination and protect wildlife health in and around parklands.

Will the program provide alternatives to poison-based pest control?

Yes. The program will present alternatives for managing rodents and other nuisance pests that do not depend on anticoagulant rodenticides and will explain downstream impacts associated with rodenticide use.

What type of funding mechanism is this opportunity?

This opportunity is listed as a Cooperative Agreement under the Natural Resources activity category.

Is this an open call for applications?

No. The announcement is explicitly labeled as a Notice of Intent to Award, meaning it is not an open call for applications. It serves as public notice that NPS planned to fund the project under an existing cooperative management relationship.

Who was the intended recipient under the Notice of Intent to Award?

The notice indicates NPS planned to fund the project under an existing cooperative management relationship with Mountains Restoration Trust (MRT).

What role does Mountains Restoration Trust (MRT) play in the project?

MRT is identified as the partner in the cooperative management relationship and is expected to hire an education coordinator to run and coordinate the effort.

What role does NPS play during project implementation?

The education coordinator will work closely with NPS staff to design, develop, and administer the programs, indicating an active NPS role consistent with a cooperative agreement.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is P13AS00269.

What is the CFDA number associated with this funding?

The CFDA number is 15.954, "National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education."

How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding is $87,000, and the award ceiling is also $87,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible, according to the announcement?

Eligibility is listed as nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), consistent with the MRT partnership described.

When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posting date and creation date are September 18, 2013. The original and current closing date is September 20, 2013. The archive date is October 1, 2013.

Who was the point of contact for questions at the time?

The point of contact listed is Kristina Bliss, reachable at (805) 370-2321 and kristinabliss@nps.gov.

What is the overall conservation and stewardship outcome the project aims to support?

As described, the project aims to reduce negative wildlife encounters, encourage wildlife stewardship among park neighbors, decrease reliance on harmful rodenticides, and protect habitat and wildlife health in and around SMMNRA parklands through structured, research-informed community education.