Opportunity Information: Apply for P16AS00224

  • The DOI-NPS in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent: Developing Skills and Methods for Landscape Scale Inventory and Evaluation of Cultural Resources" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 09, 2016 and posted on Jun 09, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 18, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $120,845.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
Apply for P16AS00224

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:

Opportunity Summary:

Notice of Intent: Developing Skills and Methods for Landscape Scale Inventory and Evaluation of Cultural Resources (Funding Opportunity Number P16AS00224) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (DOI-NPS), offered as a cooperative agreement. The project is framed as a hands-on professional development effort designed to strengthen the practical, job-ready capabilities of University of New Mexico (UNM) students in archaeology and anthropology, with an emphasis on how to assess, document, and evaluate cultural resources at a landscape scale rather than only at individual site or project-area scales. In practical terms, the opportunity aims to bridge academic training and field-applied cultural resource management by placing students in real workflows used for inventory, documentation, and long-term stewardship.

The proposed work would be carried out in collaboration with the University of New Mexico Office of Contract Archaeology (OCA) team and focuses on work within "VALL" (as referenced in the announcement). A central component is the further development and implementation of a landscape-scale database that integrates cultural and natural resource information. This implies building or refining a structured data system that can support both inventory and management decisions over broad areas, allowing resource managers to see patterns across space and time, track what is known versus unknown, and better plan future work. By emphasizing both cultural and natural resources, the database element suggests an intent to place archaeological and traditional cultural properties in their broader environmental contexts, which is critical for understanding landscape use, vulnerability, and management priorities.

Another core element is conducting cultural resource inventories and establishing baseline data for future monitoring and management. Baseline data creation is important because it provides a defensible starting point for tracking change, whether that change comes from visitor use, development pressures, climate-driven impacts, or natural disturbances. Inventory activities typically include locating and documenting archaeological sites or cultural features, recording condition and integrity, and capturing standardized attributes that can be used later for comparison. The notice indicates that these inventories are not merely one-time surveys but are meant to support future monitoring programs and management actions, meaning the data produced should be consistent, repeatable, and aligned with long-term stewardship needs.

The opportunity also highlights the development of cultural resource sensitivity modeling tools. Sensitivity models are used to guide where to focus survey effort, predict the probability of encountering resources, and anticipate vulnerabilities. In this case, the announcement specifically mentions tools for inventory sampling, resource location probability, and susceptibility to impacts like fire and erosion. That scope indicates an approach that combines cultural resource data with landscape variables (such as topography, proximity to water, soils, vegetation, or burn severity and erosion risk factors) to produce decision-support outputs. These models can make inventory programs more efficient by targeting areas where resources are most likely to be present or most at risk, and they can help managers prioritize protection or mitigation strategies.

Student professional development is positioned as a through-line across all tasks rather than a separate add-on. The intent is for students to actively participate in building and using the database, conducting inventories, and developing or applying modeling methods. That kind of embedded training can translate into experience with field methods, geospatial data management, standardized recording practices, quality control, analytical modeling, and communicating results for management use. Because the mechanism is a cooperative agreement, it also implies substantial involvement by the National Park Service in shaping the work, coordinating priorities, and ensuring that the products meet agency needs, which can further strengthen the applied learning aspect for students.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted June 9, 2016, created the same day, and had a closing date of June 18, 2016. The program lists an award ceiling of $120,845 and anticipates a single award. The CFDA number is 15.945 and the funding activity category is Natural Resources, reflecting that the work supports resource stewardship and management, even though the emphasis is on cultural resources. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the original notice text. Overall, the opportunity supports a focused, one-award partnership intended to produce tangible management tools (database enhancements, baseline inventory information, and sensitivity models) while simultaneously building the next generation of cultural resource professionals through structured, real-world training.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the full title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled: Notice of Intent: Developing Skills and Methods for Landscape Scale Inventory and Evaluation of Cultural Resources.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is P16AS00224.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), National Park Service (NPS).

What type of funding mechanism is being used?

The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which indicates substantial involvement by the National Park Service in shaping, coordinating, and ensuring the work products meet agency needs.

Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The announcement describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity.

What is the main purpose of the project described in the notice?

The project is framed as a hands-on professional development effort to strengthen practical, job-ready capabilities of University of New Mexico (UNM) students in archaeology and anthropology, especially for assessing, documenting, and evaluating cultural resources at a landscape scale.

What does "landscape scale" mean in this context?

In this notice, "landscape scale" refers to evaluating cultural resources across broader areas rather than limiting work to single sites or narrow project-area footprints. The intent is to support pattern-level understanding and stewardship planning across space and time.

Who is the project intended to train and benefit?

The project is specifically designed to develop the applied skills of UNM students in archaeology and anthropology through participation in real cultural resource management workflows.

What organizations are expected to collaborate on the work?

The work would be carried out in collaboration with the University of New Mexico Office of Contract Archaeology (OCA) team, along with substantial involvement from the National Park Service consistent with a cooperative agreement.

Where will the work take place?

The notice states that the work focuses on activities within "VALL" (as referenced in the announcement). No further location details are provided in the text shared.

What are the major work components described in the notice?

The notice highlights several core components:

  • Further development and implementation of a landscape-scale database integrating cultural and natural resource information
  • Conducting cultural resource inventories and establishing baseline data for future monitoring and management
  • Developing cultural resource sensitivity modeling tools (for inventory sampling, resource location probability, and susceptibility to impacts such as fire and erosion)
  • Embedding student professional development across all tasks

What is the landscape-scale database intended to do?

The database is intended to integrate cultural and natural resource information to support broad-area inventory and management decisions. The notice suggests it should help managers see patterns across space and time, track what is known versus unknown, and plan future work.

Why does the database integrate both cultural and natural resources?

The notice suggests an intent to place archaeological resources and traditional cultural properties within broader environmental contexts, which supports understanding landscape use, vulnerability, and management priorities.

What is meant by "baseline data" in the context of this project?

Baseline data refers to an initial, defensible record used as a starting point for tracking change over time. The notice indicates this is important for future monitoring and management related to impacts such as visitor use, development pressures, climate-driven impacts, or natural disturbances.

What kinds of activities are included under cultural resource inventory?

As described in the notice, inventory activities typically include locating and documenting archaeological sites or cultural features, recording condition and integrity, and capturing standardized attributes that can be used later for comparison and monitoring.

Are the inventories described as one-time surveys?

No. The notice emphasizes that inventory and baseline data are meant to support future monitoring programs and management actions, implying data collection should be consistent, repeatable, and aligned with long-term stewardship needs.

What are cultural resource sensitivity models, according to the notice?

Sensitivity models are described as tools used to guide where to focus survey effort, predict the probability of encountering resources, and anticipate vulnerabilities. The notice specifically mentions models for inventory sampling, resource location probability, and susceptibility to impacts like fire and erosion.

What types of impacts are the sensitivity tools expected to address?

The notice specifically calls out susceptibility to impacts such as fire and erosion.

How is student professional development incorporated into the project?

Student development is positioned as integrated throughout the work. Students are intended to actively participate in building and using the database, conducting inventories, and developing or applying modeling methods as part of real workflows.

What kinds of practical skills might students develop through participation?

Based on the tasks described, the notice indicates students may gain experience related to field methods, geospatial data management, standardized recording practices, quality control, analytical modeling, and communicating results for management use.

What does the cooperative agreement imply about the National Park Service's role?

The notice indicates that a cooperative agreement implies substantial involvement by NPS in shaping the work, coordinating priorities, and ensuring that resulting products meet agency needs.

When was this opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on June 9, 2016.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 9, 2016.

What was the application closing date?

The closing date listed is June 18, 2016.

What is the award ceiling (maximum funding amount) listed?

The program lists an award ceiling of $120,845.

How many awards were anticipated?

The notice anticipates a single award.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 15.945.

What is the funding activity category?

The funding activity category is listed as Natural Resources.

Why is the category "Natural Resources" if the project focuses on cultural resources?

The notice frames the work as supporting resource stewardship and management and emphasizes integrating cultural and natural resource information, which aligns with the Natural Resources category even with a cultural resources focus.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The notice also references additional eligibility clarification in the original notice text.

Is this opportunity tied to a specific university?

The project is described as strengthening the capabilities of University of New Mexico (UNM) students and being conducted in collaboration with UNM's Office of Contract Archaeology (OCA).

What kinds of deliverables or products are implied by the notice?

The notice indicates tangible management tools and outputs such as database enhancements/implementation, baseline inventory information suitable for monitoring, and sensitivity modeling tools to support sampling, probability of resource locations, and impact susceptibility analysis.

What is the overall goal of this opportunity?

The overall goal is a focused partnership intended to produce practical cultural resource management tools while building the next generation of cultural resource professionals through structured, real-world training experiences.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: DOI-NPS

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Natural Resources

Next opportunity: NOTICE OF INTENT TO FUND TASK AGREEMENT - ISRO Conservation Corps of MN & Iowa

Previous opportunity: NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Develop educational curriculum for Pullman National Monument

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for P16AS00224

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P16AS00224) also looked into and applied for these:

Funding Opportunity
NOTICE OF INTENT TO FUND TASK AGREEMENT - ISRO Conservation Corps of MN & Iowa Apply for NOIP16AC00209

Funding Number: NOIP16AC00209
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $58,000
National Park Service-Invasive Plant removal Youth Work Projects Apply for P16AC00892

Funding Number: P16AC00892
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: Case Dependent
BLM OR-WA CCS Listing prevention of thin leaved peavine Apply for L16AS00180

Funding Number: L16AS00180
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $27,000
Vegetation Mapping Information Management and Delivery in support of the NPS Vegetation Inventory Program Apply for P16AS00227

Funding Number: P16AS00227
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $109,044
BLM-OR Jackson and Josephine Counties Weed Management Apply for L16AS00182

Funding Number: L16AS00182
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $10,000
Notice of Intent - Subtropical Back-barrier Ecological Responses to Environmental Changes Apply for USGS FA 16 0255

Funding Number: USGS FA 16 0255
Agency: DOI-USGS1
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $40,000
NOTICE OF INTENT: The Modern Memorial Challenge Apply for P16AS00230

Funding Number: P16AS00230
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $28,783
Notice of Intent: Large mammal response to wildfire and landscape-scale forest restoration Apply for P16AS00233

Funding Number: P16AS00233
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $50,092
BLM (Eastern States), Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse ONA Artifact Curation, Southeastern States District, Jupiter, FL. Apply for L16AS00186

Funding Number: L16AS00186
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $40,291
Notice of Intent: Conduct Workshop to Stabilize Larrieu Cabin Apply for P16AS00226

Funding Number: P16AS00226
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $29,400
BLM-CO Youth Intern Initiative Apply for L16AS00184

Funding Number: L16AS00184
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $4,000,000
BLM OR-WA Botanical Training and Assistance for Technical Plant Groups in Oregon and Idaho Apply for L16AS00185

Funding Number: L16AS00185
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $39,500
Partnership with the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and the National Cave And Karst Research Institute for Federal Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Apply for P16AS00228

Funding Number: P16AS00228
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $298,000
Notice of Intent: Impact of Forest restoration activities on soil compaction and soil biological communities Apply for P16AS00232

Funding Number: P16AS00232
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $130,287
Notice of Intent - Digital Bedrock Topographic, Drift Thickness, and 3-D Surficial Geologic Maps of the Glaciated Counties of Northwestern Pennsylvania Apply for USGS FA 16 0251

Funding Number: USGS FA 16 0251
Agency: DOI-USGS1
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $40,000
Mechanisms for speciess responses to climate change: are there biological response thresholds? Apply for USGS 16 FA 0256

Funding Number: USGS 16 FA 0256
Agency: DOI-USGS1
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $202,024
Notice of Intent Apply for USGS 16 FA 0162

Funding Number: USGS 16 FA 0162
Agency: DOI-USGS1
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $39,564
Notice of Intent: Research and Preserve Museum Collections Apply for P16AS00241

Funding Number: P16AS00241
Agency: DOI-NPS
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $43,538
Slowing the Flow for Climate Resilience Apply for USGS 16 FA 0257

Funding Number: USGS 16 FA 0257
Agency: DOI-USGS1
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $469,996
BLM-CO Youth Conservation Corps Initiative Apply for L16AS00187

Funding Number: L16AS00187
Agency: DOI-BLM
Category: Natural Resources
Funding Amount: $4,000,000

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

USGrants.org applicant portal membership

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "P16AS00224", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.