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Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) FAQs

What is the Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP)?

SWBRPP is a National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity run out of the NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver. It supports practical, on-the-ground work and research to protect natural and cultural resources near the US-Mexico international border.

What is the main purpose of SWBRPP funding?

The program is intended to strengthen resource stewardship, encourage international cooperation where appropriate, and produce scientific information that improves public understanding and long-term management of shared borderland landscapes and heritage. In practical terms, it helps parks and partners respond to real, documented damage occurring in border-area park units and nearby desert southwest sites.

What kinds of problems is SWBRPP designed to address?

SWBRPP targets resource impacts associated with illegal cross-border activity, including repeated foot and vehicle traffic through sensitive areas. The opportunity description highlights impacts such as unauthorized roads and trails, disrupted ecological processes and wildlife movement, vandalism at historic sites, and looting at archaeological locations.

What are examples of resource impacts mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples listed include thousands of miles of unauthorized roads and trails being created, habitat fragmentation, increased erosion, introduction of invasive species, disturbance of culturally significant places, and permanent damage to irreplaceable artifacts and sites due to vandalism or looting.

What types of projects does SWBRPP support?

SWBRPP supports monitoring and research that documents impacts, as well as conservation and preservation actions that prevent further degradation and support recovery. The description suggests projects like a defined field season of monitoring, a discrete restoration action, a cultural resource stabilization effort, or a clearly scoped study that informs management decisions.

Is this program focused on research only, or on-field work too?

Both. The program supports research and monitoring to document impacts, and also supports hands-on conservation and preservation actions aimed at preventing additional damage and helping resources recover.

How is SWBRPP funding awarded (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement. This generally means the National Park Service expects to be actively involved during the project, rather than simply issuing funds and receiving a final report.

What does it mean that each selected effort is handled as its own award?

Each selected project is made as a separate award, with its own work plan and budget developed collaboratively between NPS and the recipient.

How many awards are expected under this opportunity?

The listing notes an expectation of multiple awards, with an anticipated number of 7.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $50,000 per project, indicating projects are intended to be focused and achievable within a modest budget.

Are projects expected to be large, multi-year efforts?

Based on the $50,000 per-project ceiling and the way the opportunity describes example efforts (like a defined field season, a discrete restoration action, or a scoped study), projects appear intended to be targeted and management-oriented rather than large, open-ended undertakings.

Is partnership with a National Park Service unit required or encouraged?

Applicants are strongly encouraged to coordinate closely with at least one of ten named border-area NPS units when developing the project concept, scope, and approach. This emphasis signals proposals should be grounded in the priorities and management needs of those parks.

Which National Park Service units are specifically named for coordination?

The ten named units are: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument; Big Bend National Park; Amistad National Recreation Area; Palo Alto National Historic Site; Padre Island National Seashore; Saguaro National Park; Tumacacori National Historical Park; Chamizal National Memorial; Coronado National Memorial; and Chiricahua National Monument.

What is the geographic focus of SWBRPP?

The program focuses on protecting natural and cultural resources near the US-Mexico international border, particularly in border-area park units and nearby desert southwest sites.

What makes a proposal a good fit for SWBRPP based on the description?

Competitive projects are likely to clearly connect a defined, documented problem (for example, habitat fragmentation from unauthorized routes or risks to archaeological sites), a credible method (monitoring, research design, stabilization, restoration, documentation, or protective measures), and a practical outcome that helps park managers protect resources and interpret shared borderlands natural and cultural heritage.

Does SWBRPP support projects involving cultural resources?

Yes. The program description explicitly references vandalism at historic sites, looting at archaeological locations, and cultural resource stabilization efforts, indicating cultural resource protection and preservation activities are within scope.

Does SWBRPP support projects involving natural resources and ecosystems?

Yes. The program is categorized under natural resources and highlights issues such as disruption of ecological processes, wildlife movement and migration impacts, habitat fragmentation, erosion, and invasive species.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public or Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (with the noted limitation that nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status are eligible as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that non-501(c)(3) category).

Which federal agency sponsors SWBRPP?

The sponsoring agency is the Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is listed under CFDA number 15.954.

When was this specific opportunity posted and when did it close?

The original posting details state the opportunity was created on July 28, 2016, and the original closing date was September 30, 2016. This is important historical context for anyone looking for a current version or successor announcement.

Why does the opportunity emphasize coordination with the named parks?

The emphasis suggests proposals are expected to be tied directly to real management needs and priorities of the border-area park units, rather than being purely academic or disconnected from day-to-day stewardship challenges.

What outcomes is SWBRPP trying to achieve?

SWBRPP aims to document and reduce border-related damage, prevent further degradation, support recovery of impacted areas, strengthen stewardship, and improve long-term management through usable scientific information and practical preservation and conservation results.