Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00271
The "Master Cooperative Agreement" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00271) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), under CFDA 15.954, focused on education and public engagement on public lands. The agreement is designed to formalize and support a partnership in which the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), a congressionally chartered organization created under the National Environmental Education Act of 1990, coordinates major national programs that advance NPS volunteer service, outdoor learning, and STEM education. The opportunity anticipates a single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling listed as 1 (as provided in the source data), and eligibility is broadly listed as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full notice.
A core component of the agreement is National Public Lands Day, a long-running nationwide initiative that mobilizes volunteers to complete hands-on projects on public lands. Under this agreement, NEEF would coordinate activities and efforts on behalf of NPS for National Public Lands Day, supporting volunteer engagement at national park sites that NPS nominates for participation. The intent is to generate tangible on-the-ground benefits for parks through volunteer labor and community involvement, strengthening stewardship while helping parks advance priority work. The description also emphasizes that National Public Lands Day is not limited to NPS alone; it has historically been implemented across multiple federal land-management agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, reflecting a broader federal commitment to protecting, restoring, and managing the nation's natural resource base.
A second major focus area is Hands on the Land, described as a national network of outdoor classrooms located on public lands and waterways. Through this agreement, NEEF would coordinate with NPS to support Hands on the Land programming that enhances K-12 education through field-based learning. The program is built around the idea that meaningful outdoor experiences can deepen student learning by connecting classroom concepts to real landscapes, real resource challenges, and real management decisions. It also aims to introduce students to natural and cultural resource careers by exposing them to the work of 21st-century land managers, while building long-term environmental stewardship values by making public lands relevant and accessible as learning environments.
A third component targets Tribal Schools STEM Projects, which are intended to expand STEM learning opportunities for students from tribal schools in national parks. The opportunity notes that these students have been identified as underserved in STEM skills, and the projects are structured to address that gap through hands-on citizen science activities that use park resources and connect students directly with park subject matter experts. In practice, this means students can participate in authentic data collection or monitoring efforts tied to park needs, learning STEM concepts through real-world application rather than only through classroom instruction. NEEF's role under the agreement includes assisting NPS with the administration, management, and implementation of these efforts, implying substantial coordination responsibilities such as program organization, partner facilitation, and operational support.
Overall, the grant opportunity is best understood as a master, umbrella-style cooperative agreement that enables NEEF to serve as a national coordinating partner for NPS across three related program areas: large-scale volunteer service events (National Public Lands Day), structured outdoor learning in public-land settings (Hands on the Land), and targeted STEM and citizen-science engagement for tribal school students in parks (Tribal Schools STEM Projects). The underlying theme is leveraging partnerships to expand capacity, reach more communities, and deliver measurable benefits for parks and participants through volunteerism, education, and workforce or career exposure in natural and cultural resource fields.Apply for P17AS00271
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Master Cooperative Agreement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 17, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by NEEF was chartered by Congress in 1990 through the National Environmental Education Act.. (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 $1.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Master Cooperative Agreement (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00271)?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), under CFDA 15.954. The agreement is structured as an umbrella-style partnership focused on education and public engagement on public lands, with the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) serving as the national coordinating partner across multiple program areas.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.954, which is connected to education and public engagement on public lands as described in the notice summary.
Is this a competitive grant with multiple awards?
The opportunity anticipates a single award, with Expected Awards listed as 1.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as 1 in the source data provided. No additional dollar amount is included in the information provided here.
Who is expected to coordinate the programs under this cooperative agreement?
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is described as the coordinating partner. Under the agreement, NEEF would coordinate major national programs that advance NPS volunteer service, outdoor learning, and STEM education.
What is NEEF and why is it mentioned in this opportunity?
NEEF is described as a congressionally chartered organization created under the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. In this opportunity, NEEF is positioned as the organization that would coordinate national programs on behalf of NPS within the scope of the master cooperative agreement.
What is the overall purpose of the Master Cooperative Agreement?
The purpose is to formalize and support a partnership that expands capacity for volunteer service, outdoor learning, and STEM education connected to public lands. The agreement emphasizes measurable benefits for parks and participants through volunteerism, education, and exposure to natural and cultural resource careers.
What are the main program areas covered by the agreement?
The agreement centers on three program areas: (1) National Public Lands Day, (2) Hands on the Land, and (3) Tribal Schools STEM Projects.
What is National Public Lands Day in the context of this agreement?
National Public Lands Day is described as a long-running nationwide initiative that mobilizes volunteers to complete hands-on projects on public lands. Under this agreement, NEEF would coordinate activities and efforts on behalf of NPS to support volunteer engagement at nominated national park sites.
What kinds of outcomes are expected from National Public Lands Day activities?
The intent is to generate tangible, on-the-ground benefits for parks through volunteer labor and community involvement. This is also described as strengthening stewardship while helping parks advance priority work.
Is National Public Lands Day limited to National Park Service sites?
No. The description notes that National Public Lands Day has historically been implemented across multiple federal land-management agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, reflecting broader federal involvement in public lands stewardship.
How are NPS sites selected for National Public Lands Day participation under this agreement?
The information provided states that NEEF would support volunteer engagement at national park sites that NPS nominates for participation.
What is Hands on the Land?
Hands on the Land is described as a national network of outdoor classrooms located on public lands and waterways. The program emphasizes field-based learning experiences that connect classroom concepts to real landscapes, real resource challenges, and real management decisions.
Who does Hands on the Land primarily serve?
It is described as enhancing K-12 education through field-based learning, indicating K-12 students and educators are a primary audience for this program area.
What is the educational approach emphasized by Hands on the Land?
The approach is built around meaningful outdoor experiences that deepen student learning by connecting classroom instruction to real-world settings and resource management topics on public lands and waterways.
Does Hands on the Land include career exposure components?
Yes. The description states it aims to introduce students to natural and cultural resource careers by exposing them to the work of 21st-century land managers, while also building long-term environmental stewardship values.
What are Tribal Schools STEM Projects?
Tribal Schools STEM Projects are described as efforts intended to expand STEM learning opportunities for students from tribal schools in national parks. They are structured to address identified gaps in STEM skills through hands-on citizen science activities that use park resources and connect students with park subject matter experts.
Why do Tribal Schools STEM Projects focus on tribal school students?
The opportunity notes that students from tribal schools have been identified as underserved in STEM skills, and the projects are designed to address that gap through applied, hands-on learning.
What kinds of STEM activities are envisioned for Tribal Schools STEM Projects?
The projects are described as involving hands-on citizen science activities, including authentic data collection or monitoring efforts tied to park needs, allowing students to learn STEM concepts through real-world application.
What role would NEEF play in Tribal Schools STEM Projects?
NEEF would assist NPS with the administration, management, and implementation of these efforts. This implies responsibilities such as program organization, coordination support, and facilitating the operational side of delivering projects with partners and park staff.
What does it mean that this is a "cooperative agreement"?
Based on the information provided, it is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement and an umbrella-style partnership arrangement. The description emphasizes coordination on behalf of NPS across national programs, which signals a substantial partnership and shared effort rather than a standalone project grant.
What does "master" or "umbrella-style" agreement mean here?
It means the agreement is designed to support and formalize a broad partnership across multiple related program areas, rather than funding a single isolated project. In this case, it covers national volunteer service events, outdoor learning programming, and STEM/citizen-science engagement for tribal school students.
What is the eligibility category listed for this opportunity?
Eligibility is broadly listed as "Others." The information provided also indicates that additional eligibility details are referenced elsewhere in the full notice.
Where can applicants find the complete eligibility details?
The summary provided indicates that additional eligibility details are located elsewhere in the full notice. The specific location or link is not included in the information provided here.
What types of benefits does the opportunity aim to deliver for national parks?
The opportunity emphasizes tangible on-the-ground benefits through volunteer labor, strengthened stewardship, and support for priority park work. It also supports education and engagement programs that connect learners and communities to parks.
What types of benefits does the opportunity aim to deliver for participants and communities?
The described benefits include outdoor learning experiences, strengthened environmental stewardship values, STEM learning through citizen science, and exposure to natural and cultural resource careers by engaging with land managers and park experts.
How does this opportunity relate to public lands beyond the National Park Service?
While the agreement is offered by NPS and includes NPS-nominated park sites, the description highlights that National Public Lands Day has historically been implemented across multiple federal land-management agencies, reflecting broader cross-agency public lands stewardship.
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