Global Explorers Engage Diverse Youth through Natural Experiences | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Global Explorers Engage Diverse Youth through Natural Experiences."

Is this opportunity open for applications from the public?

No. This is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award, meaning it is not open for general application and is published primarily to inform the public that NPS plans to fund a specific partner without full and open competition.

What type of funding announcement is this?

It is a notice of intent to award under an existing relationship, issued as a task agreement under an existing cooperative agreement.

Who is the intended recipient of the award?

The intended recipient is Global Explorers (GEx), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

What is the existing cooperative agreement number referenced in the notice?

The project is issued under an existing cooperative agreement: P13AC00724.

What is the anticipated federal funding amount?

The anticipated federal funding amount is approximately $202,972.48.

Is cost sharing mentioned, and if so, how much?

Yes. The notice references a cost share contribution of approximately $29,377.32.

What is the award instrument?

The award instrument is a cooperative agreement (not a procurement contract).

What authority and program listing are tied to this award?

The notice cites authorization under 16 U.S.C. 1g and ties the project to CFDA 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations."

What is the period of performance?

The period of performance runs from the award date through June 30, 2015.

Who is the NPS point of contact listed for this announcement?

The announcement lists June Zastrow as the National Park Service point of contact.

What is the overall purpose of the project?

The project is designed to engage a diverse cross-section of youth through immersive, place-based experiences connected to national parks, supported by structured educational travel and pre-trip curriculum. A central goal is to build responsible citizenship and help students connect their actions to meaningful outcomes.

Which youth audiences are specifically emphasized?

The notice emphasizes inclusion of low-income students, students with disabilities, and other underserved groups.

Why is NPS partnering with Global Explorers for youth engagement?

NPS describes a persistent gap in reaching youth audiences at scale, particularly in ways that go beyond a one-time visit and support longer-term stewardship values. The partnership is positioned as a way to make parks feel relevant to increasingly urban and digitally oriented youth while offering practical, hopeful pathways for engagement with large environmental issues.

What are the main content themes of the project?

The project aligns with NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science priorities and focuses on three major themes: natural sounds (soundscapes), dark night skies (lightscapes), and climate change.

What is the NPS Natural Sounds Program and how does it relate to this project?

The Natural Sounds Program (established in 2000) supports parks in managing acoustical environments for resource protection and visitor experience. The project incorporates natural sounds learning and reflection into youth expeditions and related activities.

What is the NPS Night Sky Program and how does it relate to this project?

The Night Sky Program (established in 1999) focuses on preserving natural darkness, limiting light pollution, and protecting nocturnal habitats and ecological processes. The project integrates night sky activities into expeditions and includes creative outputs intended for wider sharing.

What is the NPS Climate Change Response Program and how does it relate to this project?

The Climate Change Response Program (established in 2009) aims to improve climate science, adaptation, mitigation, and communication across the park system. The project includes place-based climate curriculum activities, experiential learning in parks, and outreach products such as a public service announcement video.

How are natural sounds and night skies addressed organizationally within NPS?

The Natural Sounds and Night Skies programs were merged into the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) in 2009, reflecting an integrated approach to protecting resources that are scientifically significant and central to visitor experience.

What are Global Explorers (GEx) expected to do under the task agreement?

GEx responsibilities include designing and delivering youth expeditions and educational programming with NPS input; jointly developing field trips, experiments, and citizen science activities; creating inclusive learning experiences accessible to disabled and underserved youth; and delivering outputs to NPS such as collected data, participant feedback, social media campaign results, and reports.

Does the project include educator support or materials for classrooms?

Yes. GEx will distribute NPS- and GEx-developed educational materials in multiple formats to its network of educators to extend learning beyond the trip itself.

What kinds of post-trip engagement and outreach are expected?

Post-trip engagement is a major emphasis. Follow-up campaigns are expected to use social media and creative communications to reach audiences beyond expedition participants, including videos, public service announcements, contests, and artistic expression. Social media is described as a multiplier and an entry point for new youth audiences.

What specific activities are planned under the natural sounds topic area?

Planned activities include integrating existing and future NPS Natural Sounds activities into expeditions and retreats; creating opportunities for youth to experience and reflect on natural sound environments; targeting expeditions to parks where soundscape content is most relevant (including programs designed for youth with disabilities); training GEx staff to deliver Natural Sounds activities appropriately; and implementing additional initiatives that support shared goals under the cooperative agreement.

What specific activities are planned under the night skies topic area?

Planned activities include integrating Night Sky activities into trips and developing a specific Colorado Plateau region expedition focused on artistic expression and support for a dark sky cooperative initiative. Student art and writing from that expedition are intended to be shared via a traveling exhibit managed by NPS. The project also emphasizes accessibility through tactile representations of the night sky for blind and low-vision youth, along with staff preparation to deliver Night Sky activities.

What specific activities are planned under the climate change topic area?

Planned activities include developing place-based climate curriculum activities, conducting experiential learning field trips in parks tied to climate learning, producing outreach products such as a climate change public service announcement video, and running a humanities-focused contest where students communicate climate themes through art, creative writing, or other innovative formats. Staff training to deliver climate-related programming is also included.

How involved will NPS be in the project?

NPS involvement is described as substantial, which is typical for cooperative agreements. Beyond providing financial assistance, NPS will provide strategic consultation on program design, guidance on scientific methods and field protocols, and in some cases equipment or support related to purchasing/using equipment for citizen science.

What other support will NPS provide to Global Explorers?

NPS will help identify suitable park destinations, facilitate connections with park staff, offer professional development opportunities for GEx expedition leaders, provide relevant park scientific data, share existing outreach products (such as Junior Ranger and web-based materials), and advise on accessibility design for sensory-disabled students (including approaches for low-vision youth to experience the night sky and hearing-impaired youth to engage with sound-related content).

Which NPS groups will monitor or support the work?

NPS will assign staff from the Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) and the Climate Change Response Program to monitor work, answer questions, and serve as liaisons.

Why is the award being made without full and open competition?

The notice explains that the funding is a continuation action under an existing cooperative agreement and task agreement structure. It states that competing the work could harm continuity and completion of ongoing activities, so NPS is extending an existing relationship and body of work already underway with Global Explorers rather than launching a new open solicitation.

What is the public benefit described by NPS for this project?

The public purpose described is to use transformative youth experiences, structured education, and modern communications channels to build lasting stewardship around soundscapes, dark skies, and climate impacts, while intentionally including youth who are often left out of traditional outdoor and science programming.

Does the notice mention partnership-building or fundraising expectations?

Yes. GEx is expected to expand the initiative through partnership-building and fundraising, including seeking additional public and private partners interested in soundscape education and finding scholarship support for students.

What kinds of deliverables or outputs are expected back to NPS?

Expected outputs mentioned include collected data (from activities such as citizen science), participant feedback, social media campaign results, and reports. The notice also describes creative outputs like student art and writing intended for broader public sharing (including a traveling exhibit managed by NPS).