FY 2014 CCSP The Outdoor Foundation | Apply Online

FAQs: FY 2014 CCSP The Outdoor Foundation (Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00272)

1) What is Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00272?

P14AS00272 is a National Park Service (NPS) Notice of Intent to Award for the FY 2014 Challenge Cost Share Program (CCSP) involving The Outdoor Foundation. It serves as a public notice that NPS planned to issue a single award without full and open competition as a continuation action under an existing partnership.

2) Is this a competitive grant or an open call for applications?

No. This announcement is not a competitive grant solicitation and not a request for applications. It is a Notice of Intent to Award, meaning NPS was not soliciting proposals from the public.

3) Why does the posting show dates if it is not accepting applications?

The opportunity was posted on August 18, 2014, with a listed closing date of September 1, 2014. In this context, those dates function as an administrative posting window for public notice rather than an application period or deadline, because the agency was not requesting applications.

4) Who is the intended recipient of this award?

The intended recipient is The Outdoor Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

5) Who is listed as the principal investigator/program manager?

Christine Fanning is listed as the principal investigator/program manager for The Outdoor Foundation.

6) What type of award instrument is planned?

The planned award instrument is a cooperative agreement. This reflects that NPS expected to be substantially involved in directing and overseeing key parts of the work, rather than simply providing funds with minimal federal participation.

7) What is the anticipated federal funding amount?

The anticipated federal award amount is $386,000.

8) Is cost sharing required? If so, how much?

Yes. The announcement includes an equal cost share requirement of $386,000. This is effectively a 1:1 match (one dollar of cost share for every federal dollar).

9) Is this a new award or a continuation of existing work?

This action is described as a continuation of Cooperative Agreement P14AC01267, implemented through a task agreement (P14AC01497). The notice documents the rationale for extending or continuing an existing partnership structure rather than reopening the work to competition.

10) What is the planned period of performance?

The period of performance was planned to run from the date of award through January 31, 2016.

11) What program does this work support?

The work supports the NPS Challenge Cost Share Program (CFDA 15.943).

12) What is the overall goal of the project supported by this agreement?

The overall goal is to expand the Challenge Cost Share Program's reach to a broad range of qualified partner organizations, help fund and manage projects nationwide, and ensure projects align with shared objectives of NPS and The Outdoor Foundation in ways that benefit NPS sites, visitors, and programs.

13) What kinds of activities or project areas are associated with this announcement?

The activity categories listed reflect a wide range of likely project types, including community development, education, employment and training, environment, natural resources, and regional development.

14) What is The Outdoor Foundation expected to do under this cooperative agreement?

The Outdoor Foundation's role is described as hands-on support and program administration for locally generated Challenge Cost Share projects that are approved by NPS. Responsibilities include executing project agreements with selected partners, ensuring funds are used only for approved purposes, confirming that each project includes documented cost share contributions, tracking implementation using grant management software, collecting written and visual documentation of results, and providing quarterly reporting to NPS.

15) What does "hands-on support and program administration" mean in this context?

Based on the notice, it includes managing project agreements with selected partners, monitoring that expenditures align with approved purposes, validating cost share documentation, maintaining project records in grant management software, and compiling reporting materials such as narratives, photos, videos, surveys, media coverage, and quantified performance metrics.

16) What reporting is required?

A major deliverable is quarterly reporting to NPS. Reporting is designed to capture narrative outcomes (including success stories with photos and videos) as well as measurable impacts using tools such as pre- and post-program surveys, media coverage, and quantified performance indicators.

17) What performance metrics are specifically mentioned?

The notice calls out tracking metrics such as number of individuals engaged, outdoor hours contributed or generated, number of new partners, miles or acres restored, and populations served (including demographic breakdowns).

18) What role does NPS play under this cooperative agreement?

NPS retains substantial responsibilities and involvement. NPS would direct the process used to solicit and develop local projects, ensure each proposed project has endorsement from an NPS site or program and includes a committed local partner with a cost share contribution, provide application/accounting/documentation guidelines, identify regional partnership program coordinators to support evaluation, collaborate on final project selections, provide a detailed list of FY 2014 local projects (with contacts, approved funding amounts, and full applications), supply points of contact across NPS units and programs for subject-matter expertise, and provide the federal funding that supports the overall activities.

19) How are local projects identified and selected under this arrangement?

According to the notice, NPS directs the process used to solicit and develop local projects, ensures required endorsements and local cost share commitments are in place, and makes final project selections in collaboration with The Outdoor Foundation.

20) Why did NPS plan to issue a single award without full and open competition?

The notice cites a single-source justification under Department of the Interior policy (505 DM 2) using the criterion "Continuation." The stated rationale is that the funded activity was necessary to complete or continue work already underway, and competing it would have created significant risk to continuity or successful completion.

21) What legal authorities are referenced for this cooperative agreement?

The notice references NPS cooperative agreement and Challenge Cost Share authorities including 16 U.S.C. 1(g) and 16 U.S.C. 1f, and references the federal assistance framework in 31 U.S.C. 6305.

22) Does this posting invite new organizations to apply through Grants.gov?

No. While the posting references Grants.gov for source information, it does not invite new applicants to apply because the award was intended for the named recipient as a continuation action.

23) Who can be contacted for questions about this notice?

The NPS point of contact listed is June Zastrow at 303-987-6718 or junezastrow@nps.gov.

24) What is the main practical takeaway for potential applicants reading this posting?

The practical takeaway is that this is a public notice of NPS's intent to make a single continuation award to The Outdoor Foundation under a cooperative agreement, not an opportunity where outside organizations submit applications in response to the posting.