Opportunity Information: Apply for P14AS00024
Apply for P14AS00024
- The National Park Service in the community development education employment, labor and training natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NPS SCA Academy Spring Break Orientation Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931 Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 6, 2014 and posted on Feb 6, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 20, 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 $293,509.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $293,509.00 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:
The National Park Service (NPS) grant opportunity titled "NPS SCA Academy Spring Break Orientation Program" (Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00024) is a public notice of intent to award funding, not an open call for applications. NPS states up front that it does not plan to solicit competitive proposals for this action. Instead, the agency intends to continue funding work already underway with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) under an existing cooperative agreement framework. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which signals that NPS expects to remain actively involved in carrying out and guiding the project rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal participation.
The planned recipient is the Student Conservation Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with Leslie Peabody listed as the principal investigator or program manager. The total anticipated federal award amount is $293,509.00, and the notice also references a cost share contribution of $91,563.20 associated with the effort. The award is described as a continuation under Cooperative Agreement P09AC00402, implemented through a specific task agreement (noted as P14AC00123 in the notice). The anticipated period of performance runs from the date of award through March 31, 2015, meaning the funding supports a defined, time-limited set of activities culminating by the end of March 2015.
Programmatically, the project centers on the NPS Academy and Spring Break Orientation model, tied to Secretary Sally Jewell's 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps initiative. The overall goal is to energize youth involvement on public lands, build informed stewards of natural and cultural resources, and encourage participants to pursue careers with NPS, with a clear emphasis on diversifying the future workforce. The program is aimed primarily at young adults, including college-aged participants roughly 18 to 25, and focuses on providing training, career development, and education that introduces participants to the National Park Service mission, operations, and job opportunities. A major expected outcome is that students who complete the orientation academies are then supported in securing relevant summer employment placements within participating national parks, effectively building a pathway from introductory exposure to practical seasonal work experience.
Operationally, the spring break component consists of week-long orientation academies hosted in three NPS regions. The host parks identified are Grand Teton National Park (Intermountain Region), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Southeast Region), and National Parks of New York Harbor (Northeast Region). Overall coordination is assigned to the NPS Washington Office, Youth Programs Division. The agreement includes support for a full-time coordinator position funded through the cooperative agreement; this coordinator is to be stationed with the Washington Office Youth Programs Division and work under the direction of the Youth Programs Division Manager, helping keep the multi-region academies consistent and coordinated.
Responsibilities are split between SCA and NPS in a way typical of cooperative agreements. SCA commits to advancing public-purpose outcomes such as education, job training, responsible citizenship, and community involvement by engaging youth and young adults in conservation and resource stewardship work. SCA is also tasked with continuing NPS's long-standing efforts around public service opportunities, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and broader young-adult participation in conservation-related work. A specific requirement is recruiting and hiring participants from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, SCA is expected to manage and execute administrative functions needed to deliver the program activities.
NPS, in turn, anticipates "substantial involvement" to ensure the project succeeds. The agency role includes providing the financial assistance, delivering general orientation on NPS mission and park/site operations to interns, and assigning NPS technical representatives at each academy site to provide on-the-ground assistance and subject-matter support as needed. This level of engagement aligns with the cooperative agreement structure, where the federal agency is a collaborative partner rather than a distant funder.
From a legal and policy standpoint, NPS cites statutory authority under 16 U.S.C. 1g, which allows the agency to enter into cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to eligible partners to carry out NPS programs, and 16 U.S.C. 1723(c), which authorizes agreements with qualified youth or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation projects (including certain disaster-related project authority under specified conditions). The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations," and is categorized across activity areas including community development, education, employment/labor and training, and natural resources.
The reason NPS is not competing this award is documented as a single-source justification under Department of the Interior policy (505 DM 2). The specific criterion used is "Continuation," meaning the work is considered necessary to satisfactorily complete or continue an existing funded activity, and running a competition would significantly disrupt program continuity or completion. In practice, this notice functions mainly as transparency to the public that NPS intends to issue continued funding to SCA for these academy and spring break orientation activities rather than opening it up to other applicants. The NPS point of contact listed for the announcement is June Zastrow (303-987-6718, junezastrow@nps.gov), and the Grants.gov posting dates indicate the notice was posted February 6, 2014 with a February 20, 2014 closing date for the notice period, consistent with a public notice rather than an application window.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NPS SCA Academy Spring Break Orientation Program (P14AS00024)
Is this an open grant opportunity where organizations can apply?
No. This is a public notice of intent to award funding, not an open call for applications. The National Park Service (NPS) states that it does not plan to solicit competitive proposals for this action.
Why is NPS not running a competitive process for this funding?
NPS documents this as a single-source justification under Department of the Interior policy (505 DM 2) using the "Continuation" criterion. The funding is intended to continue work already underway, and NPS indicates that running a competition would significantly disrupt program continuity or completion.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The planned recipient is the Student Conservation Association (SCA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Who is listed as the principal investigator or program manager for the recipient?
Leslie Peabody is listed as the principal investigator or program manager.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P14AS00024.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The notice describes the instrument as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates active federal involvement in carrying out and guiding the project.
What does "substantial involvement" by NPS mean in this context?
NPS anticipates substantial involvement by providing financial assistance, delivering general orientation on the NPS mission and park/site operations to interns, and assigning NPS technical representatives at each academy site to provide on-the-ground assistance and subject-matter support as needed.
What is the anticipated federal award amount?
The total anticipated federal award amount is $293,509.00.
Is cost sharing mentioned in the notice?
Yes. The notice references a cost share contribution of $91,563.20 associated with the effort.
Is this a new award or a continuation of existing work?
It is described as a continuation under Cooperative Agreement P09AC00402, implemented through a task agreement noted as P14AC00123.
What is the anticipated period of performance?
The anticipated period of performance runs from the date of award through March 31, 2015.
What program or initiative is this project tied to?
The project centers on the NPS Academy and Spring Break Orientation model and is tied to Secretary Sally Jewell's 21st Century Youth Conservation Corps initiative.
What are the overall goals of the program described in the notice?
The goals include energizing youth involvement on public lands, building informed stewards of natural and cultural resources, and encouraging participants to pursue careers with NPS, with an emphasis on diversifying the future workforce.
Who is the program intended to serve?
The program is aimed primarily at young adults, including college-aged participants roughly 18 to 25.
What types of activities does the program emphasize?
The notice emphasizes training, career development, and education that introduces participants to the NPS mission, operations, and job opportunities.
What is an expected outcome for participants after completing the academies?
A major expected outcome is that students who complete the orientation academies are then supported in securing relevant summer employment placements within participating national parks, creating a pathway from introductory exposure to seasonal work experience.
What does the spring break component look like operationally?
The spring break component consists of week-long orientation academies hosted in three NPS regions.
Which parks are identified as host sites for the orientation academies?
The host parks identified are Grand Teton National Park (Intermountain Region), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Southeast Region), and National Parks of New York Harbor (Northeast Region).
Which NPS office is responsible for overall coordination?
Overall coordination is assigned to the NPS Washington Office, Youth Programs Division.
Does the agreement include funding for staffing or coordination support?
Yes. The agreement includes support for a full-time coordinator position funded through the cooperative agreement. This coordinator is to be stationed with the Washington Office Youth Programs Division and work under the direction of the Youth Programs Division Manager to help keep the multi-region academies consistent and coordinated.
What responsibilities are assigned to the Student Conservation Association (SCA)?
SCA is described as committing to public-purpose outcomes such as education, job training, responsible citizenship, and community involvement by engaging youth and young adults in conservation and resource stewardship work. SCA is also tasked with continuing NPS efforts around public service opportunities, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and broader young-adult participation in conservation-related work, including managing and executing administrative functions needed to deliver program activities.
Is diversity and inclusion specifically mentioned as a requirement for the program?
Yes. A specific requirement mentioned is recruiting and hiring participants from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and the program emphasizes diversifying the future workforce.
What responsibilities are assigned to NPS under the cooperative agreement?
NPS anticipates substantial involvement, including providing the financial assistance, delivering general orientation on the NPS mission and park/site operations to interns, and assigning NPS technical representatives at each academy site to provide assistance and subject-matter support as needed.
What statutory authorities does NPS cite for this award?
NPS cites 16 U.S.C. 1g (authority for cooperative agreements and transferring appropriated funds to eligible partners to carry out NPS programs) and 16 U.S.C. 1723(c) (authority for agreements with qualified youth or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation projects, including certain disaster-related project authority under specified conditions).
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations."
What activity areas does the notice associate with this opportunity?
The notice categorizes the opportunity across activity areas including community development, education, employment/labor and training, and natural resources.
What are the posting and closing dates shown in the Grants.gov notice?
The notice indicates it was posted February 6, 2014, with a February 20, 2014 closing date for the notice period, consistent with a public notice rather than an application window.
Who is the NPS point of contact listed for this announcement?
The NPS point of contact listed is June Zastrow. The contact information provided is 303-987-6718 and junezastrow@nps.gov.
Does the notice provide instructions for submitting an application?
No. Based on the information provided, the notice functions as transparency that NPS intends to issue continued funding to SCA rather than opening the action to other applicants, and it does not describe an application submission process.
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