Journey to the Gunaaxoo Kwaan Homelands | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the "Journey to the Gunaaxoo Kwaan Homelands" opportunity?

It is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award funding through a cooperative agreement for a project centered on cultural education and renewed access to the Dry Bay homeland within Glacier Bay National Preserve.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is P11AC00195.

Is this an open grant competition where organizations can apply?

No. This is not an open call for applications. The notice serves as public documentation that NPS planned to make a single award without full and open competition.

Who is the intended recipient of the award?

The intended recipient is the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT).

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

The announcement states that YTT is the only responsible entity capable of carrying out the work in a culturally appropriate and legitimate way. YTT is described as the federally recognized tribal government that includes the Gunaaxoo Kwaan clans and holds the governmental authority and cultural mandate needed to manage participation using proper cultural protocols. The notice also explains the program developed through government-to-government consultation and continues a long-standing cooperative relationship, making competition not feasible for this specific function.

What type of funding instrument is being used (grant, contract, cooperative agreement)?

A cooperative agreement. The document explains that NPS will have substantial involvement in the project, which is why the arrangement is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard contract.

What is the anticipated award amount?

The anticipated award amount is $21,275.

Is there a cost share or matching requirement?

No. The announcement indicates there is no cost share requirement.

What is the period of performance for the award described in the notice?

The period of performance is one year, from May 23, 2011 to May 22, 2012.

What legal authority is cited for the award?

The cited authority is 16 U.S.C. 1(g).

What funding category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity is categorized under humanities/cultural affairs.

What is the main problem this project is meant to address?

The project addresses a long-standing cultural access issue tied to Dry Bay. The notice explains that the Gunaaxoo Kwaan, the Tlingit social group traditionally associated with the Dry Bay homeland, had not lived there in significant numbers for more than 60 years and many members, especially younger people, had never visited. Because Tlingit culture is described as deeply place-based, limited access has contributed to loss of cultural knowledge and context connected to the landscape.

Where does the project take place?

The activities focus on Dry Bay within Glacier Bay National Preserve (referenced in the notice as part of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve collaboration history).

What is the core activity funded by this cooperative agreement?

The core activity is an annual cultural educational field trip to Dry Bay. The trip is described as a multi-day visit that brings together elders, adults, and youth for cultural learning and reconnection.

What kinds of activities happen during the Dry Bay cultural trips?

Based on past trips described in the notice, activities have included exploring old village and sacred sites, sharing histories in group settings, singing and dancing, gathering and sharing food, and ritual activities such as offering food to ancestors.

How often have these trips occurred historically?

The notice states that past trips were run every other year since 1998, but that the program suffered from inconsistent funding and a patchwork administrative approach.

Why is access to Dry Bay considered logistically difficult?

The notice explains that Dry Bay is reached primarily by aircraft. Organizing trips may require multiple charter flights to move groups that can range from roughly 10 to 75 participants.

Why did NPS and YTT see a need for a more stable management structure?

Although the trips were described as successful and popular, inconsistent funding and uneven administration made it hard to sustain the program. Starting in FY2011, NPS indicated it had secured annual funding through 2015, and both parties agreed that a more stable management structure was needed, with YTT positioned as the logical administrator.

What are YTT's main responsibilities (deliverables) under the agreement?

YTT's deliverables are primarily administrative and logistical to support safe and smooth annual trips. These include building and maintaining collaborative working relationships with Gunaaxoo Kwaan members, managing invitee lists, coordinating and scheduling charter aircraft, confirming aircraft and pilot certifications, matching aircraft capacity to participant needs, and arranging payment for charters through approved procedures. After trips, YTT is expected to gather participant feedback and provide recommendations for improvements.

Does the agreement anticipate any documentation or reporting products?

Yes. The notice anticipates documentation such as photographs, videos, and notes from the trips, along with annual reporting that captures participant impressions and suggested changes.

What role does NPS play during planning and implementation?

NPS is described as having substantial involvement. Its role includes securing funding, coordinating planning with YTT, providing access to NPS facilities at Dry Bay, and supplying staff who can support instruction, lead excursions, assist with identifying or exploring archaeological resources, and serve as agency liaisons during the trips.

Why does the notice say the trips would likely not occur without NPS funding?

The document emphasizes that charter-based access is expensive and beyond the tribe's recurring resources, so without NPS funding the trips would likely not take place.

What are the project objectives stated in the announcement?

The agreement describes three overarching objectives: (1) maintaining and strengthening the Gunaaxoo Kwaan clans' connection to their Dry Bay homeland through a tribally managed access program; (2) ensuring each year includes a cultural educational trip that supports intergenerational transfer of knowledge, especially to youth who may become future culture bearers; and (3) improving NPS's ability to manage ethnographic resources at Dry Bay by learning from tribal knowledge and documentation gathered through the program.

How does the notice describe the public purpose of this agreement?

The notice frames the public purpose as helping NPS meet legal and moral obligations in its relationship with a federally recognized tribe by supporting access needed for cultural continuity and religious practices. It also notes that, with tribal consent, interpretive materials may be created to deepen visitor understanding of the preserve's cultural landscape.

How is this opportunity connected to earlier NPS-YTT collaboration?

The notice describes the project as a continuation of an established partnership between Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and YTT. It states the parties began working together in 1998 and characterizes the program as a continuation of a 13-year cooperative relationship at the time of the announcement.

Does the announcement indicate that market research was conducted to find alternative providers?

The notice states market research was unnecessary because there is no real market of alternative providers for this specific culturally grounded governmental function.