Initial Field Implementation of the Integrated Upland Protocol of the Mojave Desert Network at the Seven Network Parks | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Initial Field Implementation of the Integrated Upland Protocol of the Mojave Desert Network at the Seven Network Parks" is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement aimed at putting a newly developed natural resource monitoring protocol into real-world use across the parks that make up the Mojave Desert Network. The central idea behind the project is straightforward: if the NPS is expected to protect park resources "unimpaired" for future generations, it needs credible, repeatable data that shows what is happening on the ground over time. This funding supports the early field rollout of a standardized monitoring approach so that park managers can track ecological condition and trends, make informed management decisions, and evaluate whether management actions are working.

This opportunity sits within the NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Program, which is the agency-wide framework for tracking the condition of key natural resources in parks. "Vital signs" refers to selected indicators that, taken together, reflect the health of ecosystems and other important resources. In the Mojave Desert Network, the Inventory and Monitoring program (MOJN IM) has prioritized certain vital signs and developed scientifically rigorous protocols to monitor them consistently across multiple parks. Consistency is the point: when data are collected the same way across years and across sites, the results can be compared and used to detect real change rather than differences caused by shifting methods or observer judgment.

The specific protocol being implemented here is the Integrated Upland (IU) monitoring protocol. Its purpose is to monitor upland ecological communities in the Mojave Desert Network with a focus on three major resource areas: vegetation change, invasive species, and soil resources. In practice, this means establishing and sampling field plots or stations in upland areas to document plant community composition and structure, identify the presence and spread of non-native or invasive plants, and track soil-related indicators that can signal erosion, disturbance, or broader ecosystem change. The word "integrated" matters because upland condition is not just about plants; soils and invasive species interact with vegetation dynamics, disturbance, and climate, and the protocol is designed to capture that interconnected picture rather than treating each resource in isolation.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the National Park Service using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. A cooperative agreement typically indicates that the NPS expects to be actively involved in the project rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. That can include collaboration on study design details, coordination with park staff, alignment with existing monitoring frameworks, data standards, and quality assurance requirements consistent with NPS monitoring programs. The funding activity category is listed as Natural Resources, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 15.931 (Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations), indicating it may be structured in a way that can involve conservation-focused service organizations, including youth-serving entities, although eligibility is broadly described as unrestricted.

The posting information shows the opportunity was made public on June 25, 2014, created June 24, 2014, and closed July 16, 2014, with an archive date of December 31, 2014. The NPS anticipated making one award. The estimated total funding available was $240,000, while the stated award ceiling was $100,000 and the floor was $500, which suggests either phased work, multiple project components over time, or that this announcement may have been part of a broader funding picture where the cooperative agreement could be expanded or supplemented. The opportunity also required cost sharing or matching, meaning the recipient would need to contribute non-federal resources (cash or allowable in-kind contributions) toward the total project cost, consistent with the terms laid out in the full announcement.

In terms of what the funded work is meant to accomplish, the emphasis is on initial field implementation. That generally implies moving from protocol development and planning into operational monitoring: selecting and confirming sites, training field crews to apply the protocol consistently, conducting the first rounds of field sampling, and producing datasets that meet NPS standards for scientific integrity and long-term usability. The end value for the parks is a defensible baseline and the ability to detect trends in upland vegetation and soils, including early warning signs of invasive species expansion or resource degradation. Over time, that information supports decisions about invasive species control, restoration priorities, visitor use impacts, fire and fuels considerations, and broader ecosystem management in the Mojave Desert parks.

For applicants or interested parties, the announcement directed people to the full posting on Grants.gov and provided a point of contact for access issues: Susan Erickson, reachable by phone at (702) 293-8771 or by email at SusanErickson@nps.gov.

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