National Main Street Center, Inc. | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is this an open grant competition?

No. This is a National Park Service (NPS) "intent to award" notice for a cooperative agreement with a specific organization. It is not a competitive funding opportunity and it is not asking the public to submit applications.

Can my organization apply for this funding opportunity?

No. The notice serves as a formal public notification that NPS plans to fund a specific set of activities with a specific nonprofit partner (National Main Street Center, Inc.) without full and open competition.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number listed in the notice is P14AS00078.

When was the notice posted, and what does the closing date mean here?

The notice was posted on April 21, 2014, and lists a closing date of May 5, 2014. In this context, the closing date functions like an administrative posting window rather than a deadline for applicants, since applications are not being accepted.

What type of award is planned?

The planned award instrument is a five-year cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is a federal assistance agreement used when the agency expects to be substantially involved in carrying out the work.

What is the project title?

The project title listed is "National Main Street Center Inc., Cooperative Agreement."

Who is the intended recipient of the award?

The intended recipient is the National Main Street Center, Inc. (NMSC), which is described as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Who is the principal investigator or program manager for the recipient?

The notice identifies Patrice Frey as the principal investigator/program manager.

Who is the NPS point of contact for this notice?

The NPS point of contact listed is June Zastrow. The notice provides the email address junezastrow@nps.gov.

What program or CFDA is this associated with?

The notice associates the opportunity with CFDA 15.946, Cultural Resources Management.

What is the legal or statutory authority cited for this cooperative agreement?

The notice cites 16 USC 1(g) (NPS authority to enter cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to nonprofits for public purposes aligned with NPS programs) and 16 USC 470, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

Is there a cost share or matching requirement?

No cost share or matching requirement is included in the notice.

What is the overall purpose of the cooperative agreement?

The agreement is framed around NPS's role as the lead federal agency for historic preservation and NMSC's mission to revitalize and preserve historic commercial districts (often "Main Street" downtowns) while increasing public participation in preservation. The work focuses on advancing preservation practice through training, documentation, publications, conferences, and symposiums.

What kinds of activities are expected under the agreement?

The notice describes activities such as training, documentation, publications, conferences, and symposiums. It also highlights developing and disseminating information on new preservation methodologies, technologies, and techniques, and improving public access to preservation-related information.

Who is the intended audience for the training and information-sharing activities?

The notice states that conferences, seminars, workshops, and other training opportunities are aimed at practitioners, educators, students, and the general public.

How does World Heritage relate to this work?

The notice includes an emphasis on building public understanding of historic places, including properties with World Heritage Site status or potential.

Why is this structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a traditional grant?

The notice states that NPS anticipates "substantial involvement" in carrying out the work. That expectation of active federal participation is the reason given for using a cooperative agreement rather than a more hands-off grant.

What does "substantial involvement" mean in this notice?

Based on the responsibilities described, it means NPS will actively participate in expanding knowledge on protecting cultural resources, contribute to developing and distributing guidance or informational materials, work with NMSC to increase the availability of preservation information, and co-sponsor and organize training programs that support and promote historic preservation.

What are NMSC's responsibilities under the cooperative agreement?

NMSC is expected to collaborate with NPS to develop and disseminate information on new preservation methodologies, technologies, and techniques; improve public access to preservation-related information; and organize conferences, seminars, workshops, and other training opportunities for practitioners, educators, students, and the general public.

What are NPS's responsibilities under the cooperative agreement?

NPS commits to active participation in the same areas, including contributing to activities that expand knowledge on protecting cultural resources, helping develop and distribute guidance or informational materials, working with NMSC to increase the availability of preservation information, and co-sponsoring and organizing training programs that support and promote historic preservation.

Why is NPS making a single-source award instead of running a competition?

The notice explains that, under the Department of the Interior single-source policy (505 DM 2), NPS must justify why competition is not practicable. NPS cites the "Unique Qualifications" criterion and argues that NMSC's membership base, resources, facilities, and specialized expertise uniquely position it to deliver and promote the agenda of the NMSC Conference, with NPS serving as a primary sponsor.

What unique qualifications does the notice attribute to NMSC?

The notice points to NMSC's membership base, resources, facilities, and specialized expertise, and describes NMSC as particularly effective at disseminating information about NPS historic preservation programs and connecting that information to historic sites nationwide that could benefit from NPS grant programs.

Does the notice say anything about why a private firm was not used?

Yes. The notice states that using a private firm would not allow the same level of federal programmatic involvement and collaboration that NPS can achieve through a cooperative agreement with NMSC, and that NPS staff expertise will directly shape and support the planned activities.

What is the anticipated funding amount?

While the notice includes fields like estimated total funding and award ceiling/floor, the narrative lists the total anticipated award amount as 0.00. The notice suggests this may indicate the public notice was posted before final funding figures were entered or that the posting template was not fully populated.

Should the 0.00 amount be interpreted as no funding will be provided?

The notice does not frame the agreement as unfunded; it indicates that the public posting may not reflect finalized or fully entered funding figures. The key point in the notice is the intent to fund a specific project with a specific partner, not to solicit applications.

What is the main takeaway for the public?

The practical takeaway is that this is not an opportunity available for other applicants. It is a targeted, single-recipient cooperative agreement intended to support national historic preservation education, information-sharing, and training through NPS-NMSC collaboration over a five-year period.