Opportunity Information: Apply for P14AS00022
Apply for P14AS00022
- The National Park Service in the community development education environment natural resources regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Groundworks USA Brownfields Area Wide Planning Technical Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.921 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 23, 2014 and posted on Jan 23, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 6, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $99,988.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $99,988.00 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:
This opportunity, titled Groundworks USA Brownfields Area Wide Planning Technical Assistance (Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00022), is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award and not an open call for applications. The NPS is announcing its plan to make a single award to Groundwork USA without full and open competition, using a cooperative agreement structure. The award is framed as a continuation action under an existing cooperative agreement, meaning the agency determined that competing it would disrupt or negatively affect work already underway. The anticipated total award amount is $99,988.08, there is no cost share or matching requirement, and the expected number of awards is one.
The project sits within the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program (CFDA 15.921) and is authorized under 16 USC 1g and 16 USC 460.1-1(d), which allow NPS to enter into cooperative agreements and to provide technical assistance related to outdoor recreation in partnership with states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. The period of performance runs from the date of award through June 30, 2015. While the Grants.gov posting lists an eligible applicant category of 501(c)(3) nonprofits, this specific announcement is explicitly not requesting applications because the recipient is already identified as Groundwork USA. The NPS point of contact listed is June Zastrow (303-987-6718, junezastrow@nps.gov).
The purpose of the funded work is to provide technical assistance to communities dealing with brownfields and derelict lands, particularly where cleanup and redevelopment planning can lead to community benefits like improved access to parks, recreation opportunities, and conserved natural resources. In this context, brownfields are described as derelict sites that are contaminated or perceived to be contaminated due to prior uses. The assistance is aimed at communities that have received EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) Grants, including Groundwork Trust organizations developed with NPS support as well as other EPA AWP grantees. Groundwork USA is positioned as the national coordinating organization for the broader Groundwork network, responsible for sharing best practices, coordinating partnerships, and transferring lessons learned to places doing similar revitalization work.
The core objectives are threefold: sharing practical experience and technical help for communities facing brownfields and environmental justice challenges; building long-term capacity to sustain community engagement through the planning and implementation stages (with a particular emphasis on parks, recreation, and natural resource access); and helping communities move from planning into on-the-ground implementation strategies. Importantly, the award funds planning support and capacity-building rather than physical build-out; the agreement explicitly prohibits using these funds for construction documents or construction of specific projects.
Groundwork USA's main deliverables combine training, hands-on support, and peer networking. A central requirement is the development and delivery of five training webinars for AWP grantees and Groundwork Trusts, designed around an initial needs assessment and coordinated with EPA and NPS. The webinar topics are expected to include practical community engagement approaches (including youth engagement) and real-world case studies showing how brownfield cleanups and redevelopment efforts were financed, partnered, and advanced from planning into implementation, especially when outcomes include expanded access to parks and conserved open space. Groundwork USA is also expected to coordinate schedules, potentially repeat each webinar once, and rely on EPA to provide the webinar platform. As part of these webinars, participants are to be introduced to additional assistance options available through NPS RTCA.
In addition to group training, Groundwork USA is tasked with providing more direct, tailored technical assistance to a limited number of communities. The agreement calls for establishing a selection process, criteria, and materials (in consultation with EPA and NPS) to choose up to five AWP grantees for direct support. If a competitive mini-process is used, Groundwork USA would solicit proposals and manage the competition, with EPA, NPS, and Groundwork USA jointly reviewing and selecting recipients. The direct assistance itself can include mentorship, brainstorming, troubleshooting, project collaboration, or facilitation. Each assisted community is expected to produce a brief report or presentation summarizing what was done and what outcomes were achieved.
Another major component is building connections among participating communities. Groundwork USA is expected to design and facilitate networking opportunities, which may be online, by conference call, or in person, and to create ways for grantees and Groundwork Trusts to share challenges, lessons, and solutions. The announcement specifically contemplates smaller affinity groups organized by theme (for example, projects focused on improving access to parks and natural resources), geography, project type, common barriers, or community size. Groundwork USA is also expected to participate in an EPA-led AWP workshop in Washington, DC by helping shape training topics, developing and leading one or more sessions, facilitating affinity-group discussions, and compiling best practices and recurring challenges surfaced during the event.
Coordination and reporting are built into the structure of the agreement, reflecting that this is a cooperative agreement with substantial federal involvement rather than a hands-off grant. Groundwork USA must participate in EPA-led coordination calls with other technical assistance providers so support is aligned and non-duplicative. The organization must also deliver an interim presentation to EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program staff in Washington, DC to review progress, obstacles, and recommendations for strengthening the technical assistance model. For accountability, Groundwork USA must submit quarterly narrative progress reports to NPS and provide required financial reports, culminating in a final report to EPA and NPS that documents successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
On the NPS side, the agency anticipates playing an active role in making the effort successful. NPS commits to funding support, helping connect AWP communities to RTCA technical assistance, participating in selecting communities for direct assistance, shaping workshop training topics with the parks and recreation access focus, and coordinating with EPA, Groundwork USA, and other partners. The single-source approach is justified under the Department of the Interior policy criteria for a continuation award, with the rationale that this work continues activities already being funded and that introducing competition could harm continuity or completion of the ongoing effort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is titled Groundworks USA Brownfields Area Wide Planning Technical Assistance and has Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00022. It is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award and is structured as a cooperative agreement.
2) Is this an open call for applications?
No. This posting is not requesting applications. The NPS has already identified the recipient as Groundwork USA and intends to make a single award without full and open competition.
3) Who is the intended recipient?
The intended (and identified) recipient is Groundwork USA.
4) Why is NPS making a single-source award instead of competing it?
The NPS describes this as a continuation action under an existing cooperative agreement. The stated rationale is that competing the work could disrupt or negatively affect work already underway, potentially harming continuity or completion of the ongoing effort. The approach is justified under Department of the Interior policy criteria for continuation awards.
5) What is the anticipated award amount?
The anticipated total award amount is $99,988.08.
6) How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
The expected number of awards is one (1).
7) Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
No. The notice states there is no cost share or matching requirement.
8) What is the period of performance?
The period of performance runs from the date of award through June 30, 2015.
9) What program is this work associated with?
The work is situated within the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, listed as CFDA 15.921.
10) What legal authorities are cited for this cooperative agreement?
The notice cites 16 USC 1g and 16 USC 460.1-1(d), which allow NPS to enter into cooperative agreements and to provide technical assistance related to outdoor recreation in partnership with states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations.
11) If Grants.gov lists 501(c)(3) nonprofits as eligible, can any nonprofit apply?
No. While an eligible applicant category of 501(c)(3) nonprofits may appear on the Grants.gov posting, this specific announcement explicitly states it is not requesting applications because the recipient is already identified as Groundwork USA.
12) Who is the NPS point of contact for this notice?
The NPS point of contact listed is June Zastrow at (303) 987-6718 or junezastrow@nps.gov.
13) What is the purpose of the funded work?
The purpose is to provide technical assistance to communities dealing with brownfields and derelict lands, especially where cleanup and redevelopment planning can produce community benefits such as improved access to parks, recreation opportunities, and conserved natural resources.
14) How does this notice describe "brownfields"?
In this context, brownfields are described as derelict sites that are contaminated or perceived to be contaminated due to prior uses.
15) Which communities are the focus of this technical assistance?
The assistance is aimed at communities that have received EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (AWP) Grants, including Groundwork Trust organizations developed with NPS support and other EPA AWP grantees.
16) What role does Groundwork USA play in this effort?
Groundwork USA is positioned as the national coordinating organization for the broader Groundwork network. Responsibilities described include sharing best practices, coordinating partnerships, and transferring lessons learned to other places doing similar revitalization work.
17) What are the main objectives of the project?
The notice identifies three core objectives:
- Share practical experience and technical help for communities facing brownfields and environmental justice challenges.
- Build long-term capacity to sustain community engagement through planning and implementation stages, emphasizing parks, recreation, and natural resource access.
- Help communities move from planning into on-the-ground implementation strategies.
18) Does this funding support construction or design/construction documents?
No. The award funds planning support and capacity-building. The agreement explicitly prohibits using these funds for construction documents or construction of specific projects.
19) What are the main deliverables Groundwork USA is expected to provide?
The deliverables combine training, hands-on support, and peer networking. Major components include:
- Developing and delivering five training webinars
- Providing direct technical assistance to up to five selected AWP grantees
- Designing and facilitating networking opportunities (including potential affinity groups)
- Participating in an EPA-led AWP workshop in Washington, DC
- Participating in coordination calls and producing interim, quarterly, financial, and final reporting
20) How many webinars are required, and what will they cover?
The notice calls for five training webinars for AWP grantees and Groundwork Trusts. Webinar content is to be based on an initial needs assessment and coordinated with EPA and NPS. Expected topics include:
- Practical community engagement approaches (including youth engagement)
- Case studies showing how brownfield cleanup and redevelopment were financed, partnered, and advanced from planning into implementation
- Examples where outcomes include expanded access to parks and conserved open space
- Introduction to additional assistance options available through NPS RTCA
21) Will the webinars be repeated?
Potentially. The notice states Groundwork USA is expected to coordinate schedules and may repeat each webinar once.
22) Who provides the webinar platform?
The notice indicates that EPA is expected to provide the webinar platform.
23) What is meant by "direct technical assistance" in this project?
Direct assistance is described as tailored support that may include mentorship, brainstorming, troubleshooting, project collaboration, or facilitation for selected communities.
24) How many communities can receive direct assistance?
The notice calls for selecting up to five (5) EPA AWP grantees for direct technical assistance.
25) How will communities be selected for direct assistance?
Groundwork USA is expected to establish a selection process, criteria, and materials in consultation with EPA and NPS. If a competitive mini-process is used, Groundwork USA would solicit proposals and manage the competition, with EPA, NPS, and Groundwork USA jointly reviewing and selecting recipients.
26) Are selected communities required to document outcomes from the direct assistance?
Yes. Each assisted community is expected to produce a brief report or presentation summarizing what was done and what outcomes were achieved.
27) What kind of networking or peer learning is included?
Groundwork USA is expected to design and facilitate networking opportunities that may be online, by conference call, or in person. The notice also anticipates smaller affinity groups organized by theme (such as improving access to parks and natural resources), geography, project type, common barriers, or community size.
28) What is Groundwork USA expected to do at the EPA-led AWP workshop in Washington, DC?
The notice contemplates that Groundwork USA will help shape training topics, develop and lead one or more sessions, facilitate affinity-group discussions, and compile best practices and recurring challenges surfaced during the workshop.
29) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
The notice describes substantial federal involvement. NPS anticipates an active role, including providing funding support, connecting AWP communities to RTCA technical assistance, participating in selecting communities for direct assistance, shaping workshop training topics with a parks and recreation access focus, and coordinating with EPA, Groundwork USA, and other partners.
30) What coordination requirements are included?
Groundwork USA must participate in EPA-led coordination calls with other technical assistance providers to ensure assistance is aligned and non-duplicative.
31) What reporting is required under the agreement?
Reporting elements described include:
- Quarterly narrative progress reports to NPS
- Required financial reports
- An interim presentation to EPA Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program staff in Washington, DC covering progress, obstacles, and recommendations
- A final report to EPA and NPS documenting successes, challenges, and lessons learned
32) Does the work focus on planning or implementation?
The funding supports planning support and capacity-building and is intended to help communities move from planning into implementation strategies, but it does not fund construction or construction documents for specific projects.
33) How is environmental justice reflected in the stated goals?
The objectives explicitly include sharing experience and technical help for communities facing brownfields and environmental justice challenges, alongside building long-term capacity for community engagement and improving access to parks, recreation, and natural resources.
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