Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00440
Apply for P16AS00440
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Engaging Young Adults with Community-Based Conservation and Recreation Opportunities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.921.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 03, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to award to Conservation Legacy 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 $403,600.00 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 "Engaging Young Adults with Community-Based Conservation and Recreation Opportunities" (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00440) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), under CFDA 15.921 and categorized under Education. Its purpose is to support the creation and management of paid, career-exposure placements for young adults through a structured set of internships and fellowships connected to real-world conservation and outdoor recreation work happening in communities where NPS is already providing technical assistance. The work is tied closely to the NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, along with other NPS programs, and is designed to give participants hands-on experience with the type of professional, community-serving projects NPS staff and partners carry out.
The core activity funded through this agreement is not construction or land acquisition, but the staffing and support infrastructure needed to "create, fill, administer, and support" multiple internship and fellowship roles. In practice, this means the partner organization would handle recruitment, placement logistics, participant support, and program administration for positions embedded in projects and locations supported by RTCA and related NPS technical assistance efforts. These roles are meant to expose participants to professional pathways in conservation, parks-related work, community planning around trails and outdoor access, and other forms of community-led natural resource stewardship and recreation development. A key emphasis is engaging young people directly in projects that benefit local communities, particularly projects driven by community leadership and partnerships rather than solely by federal direction.
The opportunity anticipates a range of position types and durations to meet different program needs. It may include season-long introductory internships geared toward early career exploration, fellowships lasting six months or longer for deeper professional development, and an 11-week "Rigorous Internship" format that must meet specific federal requirements. The rigorous internship component is explicitly required to conform to an approved Rigorous Internship Program as defined by NPS and the Office of the Secretary's Personnel Bulletin No. 12-15, signaling that certain placements will have formal standards around training content, supervision, work experience quality, and documentation. Recruitment may be done locally or nationwide depending on the nature of the placement and local circumstances, allowing the program to either prioritize local engagement or draw from a broader talent pool when specialized skills or wider outreach is needed.
From a funding and award structure standpoint, this notice is unusual in that it is a "Notice of Intent to award to Conservation Legacy without additional competition," and it states plainly that no applications will be accepted. The expected number of awards is one, with an award ceiling of $403,600. Eligible applicants are listed generally as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (excluding institutions of higher education), but because the award is planned as a non-competitive intent to award to a named organization, the eligibility category functions more like a formal classification than an open invitation for new applicants. The use of a cooperative agreement also matters because it typically indicates substantial federal involvement during the project, meaning NPS is likely to remain actively engaged in shaping implementation, aligning placements with agency-supported sites and projects, and ensuring positions meet program goals and any applicable internship standards.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as federal support for a partnership-driven youth workforce and career pathway effort, placing young adults into conservation and recreation-focused assignments that directly support communities. The expected outcome is a pipeline of participants who gain meaningful exposure to NPS-aligned professional work while contributing tangible capacity to local conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives connected to RTCA and other NPS technical assistance projects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Engaging Young Adults with Community-Based Conservation and Recreation Opportunities" and the Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00440.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
This is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What type of award is this?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically means NPS expects to be substantially involved in the project during implementation (for example, helping align placements with NPS-supported projects and ensuring program standards are met).
What is the CFDA number and program category?
The CFDA number is 15.921, and the opportunity is categorized under Education.
What is the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose is to support the creation and management of paid, career-exposure placements for young adults through a structured set of internships and fellowships connected to real-world conservation and outdoor recreation work in communities where NPS is already providing technical assistance.
What kinds of work will participants be exposed to?
Placements are designed to provide hands-on experience with conservation and outdoor recreation projects that serve communities, including work connected to parks-related professions, community planning around trails and outdoor access, and other community-led natural resource stewardship and recreation development efforts.
How is this opportunity connected to the NPS Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program?
The placements are tied closely to the NPS RTCA program, along with other NPS programs. Positions are intended to be embedded in projects and locations supported by RTCA and related NPS technical assistance efforts.
Is this grant meant to fund construction or land acquisition?
No. The core activity is not construction or land acquisition. The funded work centers on the staffing and support infrastructure to create, fill, administer, and support internship and fellowship roles.
What does "create, fill, administer, and support" positions mean in practice?
It means the partner organization would handle functions such as recruitment, placement logistics, participant support, and program administration for multiple internship and fellowship roles connected to NPS-supported community projects.
Are the placements paid?
Yes. The opportunity is described as supporting paid, career-exposure placements for young adults.
What types of internships and fellowships are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipates a range of position types and durations, including season-long introductory internships, fellowships lasting six months or longer, and an 11-week "Rigorous Internship" format with specific federal requirements.
What is the 11-week "Rigorous Internship" and why is it different?
The rigorous internship component is explicitly required to conform to an approved Rigorous Internship Program, as defined by NPS and the Office of the Secretary's Personnel Bulletin No. 12-15. This indicates certain placements must meet formal standards related to training, supervision, work experience quality, and documentation.
Where will recruitment occur? Is it local or national?
Recruitment may be done locally or nationwide depending on the placement and local circumstances. This allows the program to prioritize local engagement in some cases or recruit more broadly when needed.
What is the emphasis regarding community involvement and leadership?
A key emphasis is engaging young adults directly in projects that benefit local communities, particularly projects driven by community leadership and partnerships rather than solely by federal direction.
How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The expected number of awards is one.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $403,600.
Will NPS accept applications for this opportunity?
No. The notice states it is a "Notice of Intent to award to Conservation Legacy without additional competition," and it also states that no applications will be accepted.
Who is the intended recipient named in the notice?
The notice indicates an intent to award to Conservation Legacy without additional competition.
Who is listed as eligible in general terms?
Eligible applicants are listed generally as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (excluding institutions of higher education). However, the notice is a non-competitive intent to award to a named organization, so it is not an open invitation for new applicants.
Why does the notice list eligibility if no applications will be accepted?
Based on the description, the eligibility category functions as a formal classification for the planned award rather than an open solicitation, since the notice states it is an intent to award to a named organization and that no applications will be accepted.
What does it mean that this is a partnership-driven effort?
It means the program is structured around placements that support community-based conservation and recreation initiatives connected to NPS technical assistance, with an emphasis on community partnerships and leadership while NPS remains actively involved through the cooperative agreement structure.
What outcomes is this opportunity aiming to achieve?
The expected outcome is a pipeline of young adult participants who gain meaningful exposure to NPS-aligned professional work while providing tangible capacity to local conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives connected to RTCA and other NPS technical assistance projects.
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| Development of Youth through Records Internship Program Apply for P16AS00490 Funding Number: P16AS00490 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education Funding Amount: $46,278 |
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