Opportunity Information: Apply for S13AS00004
Apply for S13AS00004
- The Office of Surface Mining in the education environment natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Watershed Intern Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.254 OSM/VISTA AmeriCorps Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 31, 2012 and posted on Jun 15, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2013 Applications are due throughout the year.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $180,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Watershed Intern Program (Funding Opportunity Number S13AS00004) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM). It is designed to strengthen local watershed groups by giving them modest funding to bring on interns who can help complete clearly defined projects. The core idea is twofold: the internship work needs to improve the long-term sustainability and capacity of the watershed organization itself, and it also must contribute directly to remediating acid mine drainage (AMD). In practice, that means projects should not be vague or purely educational; they should be tied to real AMD cleanup, restoration, monitoring, planning, or implementation needs, while also leaving the organization in a stronger position after the intern term ends.
The program uses a Cooperative Agreement funding instrument, which generally indicates a more hands-on relationship between the awarding agency and the recipient than a standard grant. The opportunity falls under activity categories that include education, environment, natural resources, and research and development, reflecting that intern projects may blend fieldwork, data collection, outreach, technical planning, and applied environmental problem-solving, so long as the work supports AMD remediation and organizational sustainability.
Eligibility is centered on established watershed organizations and nonprofit entities operating in a specific set of states impacted by legacy mining and watershed impairment. Eligible participating states are Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The eligible applicant types listed include nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity also emphasizes that undergraduate and graduate students from anywhere in the United States are eligible to serve as interns, as long as they are working with an eligible watershed organization on an appropriate project. In other words, organizations apply for the funding to host and support interns, and students are the intended workforce carrying out the project work.
Funding amounts are relatively small and appear structured to support short-term, project-specific internship assistance. Individual awards range from an award floor of $1,000 to a ceiling of $2,000, with an estimated total funding amount of $180,000 and an expectation of about 20 awards. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which reduces barriers for smaller watershed groups that may not have additional cash resources to contribute.
Timing and submission details indicate a rolling intake during the open period. The opportunity was originally posted June 15, 2012, with applications described as due throughout the year. The current closing date in the source data is listed as September 30, 2013, with an archive date of October 1, 2013. Applicants were directed to the full announcement on Grants.gov for complete instructions and requirements.
For questions or help accessing the announcement, the contact listed is Renata Miller, Program Specialist (Grants), Office of Surface Mining, reachable at 202-208-2747 and by email at rgarris@osmre.gov (also shown as rgarris@osmre.gov in the source). The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.254, identified as the OSM/VISTA AmeriCorps Program, which signals the program's broader connection to service, community capacity building, and environmental stewardship in mining-impacted watersheds.
Watershed Intern Program (FON S13AS00004) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Watershed Intern Program (Funding Opportunity Number S13AS00004)?
The Watershed Intern Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining (OSM). It provides modest funding to watershed organizations so they can bring on interns to complete clearly defined projects that support acid mine drainage (AMD) remediation and strengthen the long-term capacity of the host organization.
What is the main purpose of this funding?
The program is built around two required outcomes: (1) the intern's work should improve the long-term sustainability and capacity of the watershed organization hosting the intern, and (2) the work must contribute directly to remediating acid mine drainage (AMD). Projects are expected to be concrete and tied to real AMD cleanup, restoration, monitoring, planning, or implementation needs.
Is this a standard grant or a different type of award?
This opportunity uses a Cooperative Agreement funding instrument. A cooperative agreement typically involves a more hands-on relationship between the awarding agency and the recipient than a standard grant.
What kinds of project activities are supported?
The opportunity falls under activity categories that include education, environment, natural resources, and research and development. Intern projects may blend fieldwork, data collection, outreach, technical planning, and applied environmental problem-solving, as long as the work supports AMD remediation and helps the organization build capacity and sustainability beyond the internship term.
What does "directly contributes to AMD remediation" mean in practice?
Based on the description, projects should not be vague or purely educational. The internship work should be tied to real AMD remediation needs, such as AMD cleanup, restoration activities, monitoring, planning, or implementation work that supports remediation outcomes.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding?
Eligibility is centered on established watershed organizations and nonprofit entities operating in a specific set of eligible states impacted by legacy mining and watershed impairment.
Which states are eligible for participating organizations?
The eligible participating states are Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
What applicant types are eligible?
The eligible applicant types listed include: nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Can a college or university apply?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants. The listing also specifies that nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible, but it excludes institutions of higher education from that specific nonprofit category.
Do students apply directly for the grant funding?
No. The funding is for eligible organizations to apply in order to host and support interns. Students are the intended workforce carrying out the project work, but the application for funding is made by the eligible watershed organization or eligible entity.
Who can serve as an intern under this program?
Undergraduate and graduate students from anywhere in the United States are eligible to serve as interns, as long as they are working with an eligible watershed organization on an appropriate project.
How much funding is available per award?
Individual awards range from $1,000 (award floor) to $2,000 (award ceiling).
How much total funding is available and how many awards are expected?
The estimated total program funding amount is $180,000, and the opportunity anticipates about 20 awards.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted and what were the due dates?
The opportunity was originally posted on June 15, 2012. Applications were described as due throughout the year during the open period. The closing date listed in the source data is September 30, 2013, and the archive date is October 1, 2013.
Was the application process rolling?
Yes. The submission details indicate a rolling intake during the open period, with applications described as due throughout the year.
Where were applicants directed to find the full instructions?
Applicants were directed to the full announcement on Grants.gov for complete instructions and requirements.
Which federal agency administers this program?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM).
Who is the contact person for questions about the opportunity?
The listed contact is Renata Miller, Program Specialist (Grants), Office of Surface Mining. Phone: 202-208-2747. Email: rgarris@osmre.gov.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with the program is 15.254, identified as the OSM/VISTA AmeriCorps Program.
How does this opportunity relate to AmeriCorps or service programs?
The CFDA listing identifies the program as the OSM/VISTA AmeriCorps Program, which signals a broader connection to service, community capacity building, and environmental stewardship in mining-impacted watersheds.
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