Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00142
The Ames-Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team - HTLN grant opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement designed to pair youth conservation crews with NPS staff to carry out hands-on vegetation management work across 15 national parks in the Midwest. The overall focus is long-term care of cultural and historic landscapes that shape how visitors experience parks and learn from them. By investing in routine, on-the-ground stewardship now, the NPS aims to prevent larger and more expensive maintenance needs later. The work also supports local economic connections tied to managed landscapes, such as hay leases, crop production, grazing, and in limited cases salvage logging, while keeping parks compliant with local, state, and federal noxious weed requirements that can otherwise lead to fines or legal action.
A major driver of the project is invasive and problematic plant control, including federally listed noxious weeds. The grant supports practical field activities that parks often need but struggle to complete at scale because they are labor-intensive. Vegetation management tasks can include removing or treating invasive species, planting, mowing, and supporting other restoration-oriented work that maintains habitats and plant communities. These actions are framed not only as resource protection, but also as protection of historically significant landscapes that are part of the National Register of Historic Places and the NPS Landscape Initiative.
Youth engagement is central to the purpose and design of the program. The NPS is using this agreement to create structured service and job-training experiences that introduce young adults to natural resource careers and day-to-day park stewardship. Participants gain experience working outdoors in demanding conditions while learning about ecological systems, conservation methods, and the kinds of scientific and technical disciplines used in park management. The grant emphasizes that parks can function as training grounds for the next generation of conservation professionals and informed citizens, while also meeting real operational needs in the parks themselves.
Implementation is planned in partnership with Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa, which brings expertise in running youth conservation corps programs, recruiting participants, and managing crew logistics and support. The NPS provides project direction, technical guidance, and the park-based learning environment. The description highlights an example configuration where a four-person youth crew is stationed at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and works closely with the Heartland Network's inventory and monitoring program and exotic plant management team, indicating that the project is meant to integrate with ongoing NPS resource monitoring and invasive species strategies rather than operate as a standalone effort.
The public purposes are spelled out clearly: introduce youth to natural resource jobs and mentor those interested in that path; give youth a direct role in managing national parks; build practical work readiness and leadership skills through challenging fieldwork; and measurably improve the condition of park plant communities and habitats. The program is intended to serve roughly 12 to 24 youth, generally ages 18 to 26 (with the description also referencing ages 18 to 24 in places), and to provide both technical conservation training and broader job skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. NPS staff are expected to act as coaches and mentors, helping participants understand career pathways within the NPS and other conservation organizations, with the skills gained positioned as directly transferable to state and federal land management work.
From the funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary opportunity issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, under Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP18AC00142. The instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement in project planning and execution. Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $1,248,000, with one expected award. The original posting date was June 19, 2018, with an original closing date of July 6, 2018. The activity aligns with multiple public benefit categories, including community development, education, employment and job training, and environmental and natural resource management, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.931.Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00142
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the community development, education, employment, labor and training, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ames-Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team- HTLN" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 06, 2018. (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 $1,248,000.00 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Ames-Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team - HTLN opportunity?
This opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement focused on pairing youth conservation crews with NPS staff to complete hands-on vegetation management work across 15 national parks in the Midwest. The project emphasizes long-term care of cultural and historic landscapes that shape how visitors experience and learn from parks.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS NOIP18AC00142.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The instrument type is a cooperative agreement. This typically means NPS will have substantial involvement in project planning and execution, including providing project direction, technical guidance, and the park-based learning environment.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The main purpose is to carry out labor-intensive vegetation management work at scale while creating structured service and job-training experiences for young adults. The work is designed to protect natural resources and also preserve historically significant cultural landscapes connected to the National Register of Historic Places and the NPS Landscape Initiative.
What kinds of activities does the project support?
Supported vegetation management tasks may include removing or treating invasive and problematic plants, planting, mowing, and other restoration-oriented work that maintains habitats and plant communities.
Is invasive species control a key focus?
Yes. A major driver of the project is the control of invasive and problematic plants, including federally listed noxious weeds. The effort also helps parks remain compliant with local, state, and federal noxious weed requirements that could otherwise result in fines or legal action.
Why does the NPS emphasize routine vegetation stewardship in this program?
The program is designed to invest in routine, on-the-ground stewardship now in order to prevent larger and more expensive maintenance needs later, while improving the condition of park plant communities and habitats.
How does this work relate to cultural and historic landscapes?
The project is framed as long-term care of cultural and historic landscapes that influence visitor experience and interpretation. Vegetation management is positioned as a way to protect and maintain historically significant landscapes, not only as ecological resource protection.
How many parks are included, and where are they located?
The project spans 15 national parks in the Midwest.
Who is the intended partner for implementation?
Implementation is planned in partnership with Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa, which provides experience running youth conservation corps programs, recruiting participants, and managing crew logistics and support. NPS provides project direction and technical guidance.
How are the youth crews expected to work with NPS staff?
Youth crews are designed to work directly with NPS staff, who are expected to act as coaches and mentors. The project is intended to integrate with ongoing NPS resource monitoring and invasive species strategies rather than operate as a standalone effort.
Is there an example of how a crew might be stationed and supervised?
Yes. The description includes an example where a four-person youth crew is stationed at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and works closely with the Heartland Network's inventory and monitoring program and exotic plant management team.
Who benefits from this program?
The public purposes include: introducing youth to natural resource jobs, mentoring those interested in conservation career pathways, giving youth a direct role in managing national parks, building work readiness and leadership skills through challenging fieldwork, and measurably improving park habitats and plant communities.
How many youth participants does the program aim to serve?
The program is intended to serve roughly 12 to 24 youth participants.
What age range is targeted for youth participants?
The description generally targets ages 18 to 26, and also references ages 18 to 24 in places.
What kinds of training or professional development are emphasized?
The program emphasizes technical conservation training (such as vegetation management and restoration-oriented methods) and broader job skills including teamwork, communication, and leadership. Participants also gain exposure to ecological systems and the scientific and technical disciplines used in park management.
What role do parks play in the training model?
Parks are described as training grounds where young adults can gain practical experience in day-to-day stewardship while learning about natural resource careers and pathways within NPS and other conservation organizations.
Does the program connect to local economic activities?
Yes. The project is described as supporting local economic connections tied to managed landscapes, including hay leases, crop production, grazing, and in limited cases salvage logging.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $1,248,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates one expected award.
Is this a discretionary grant opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a discretionary opportunity issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.931.
What broad activity areas does this project align with?
The activity aligns with multiple public benefit categories, including community development, education, employment and job training, and environmental and natural resource management.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the closing date?
The original posting date was June 19, 2018, and the original closing date was July 6, 2018.
What is the overall operational challenge this program is trying to solve for parks?
The program targets practical, labor-intensive field activities that parks often need but struggle to complete at scale, particularly invasive and problematic plant control and other vegetation management needed to sustain habitats and historic landscapes.
How does this program help parks manage legal or compliance risks?
By controlling noxious weeds and meeting vegetation management needs, the project helps parks remain compliant with local, state, and federal noxious weed requirements, which can otherwise lead to fines or legal action.
Is the work intended to be coordinated with NPS monitoring and invasive plant strategies?
Yes. The description emphasizes integrating crew work with ongoing NPS efforts such as inventory and monitoring programs and exotic plant management teams.
What outcomes is the program intended to achieve?
Intended outcomes include measurable improvements to park plant communities and habitats, reduced future maintenance burden through proactive stewardship, and participant development through mentored field experience and job-training aligned with conservation careers.
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| Park Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team- HTLN Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00048 Funding Number: NPS NOIP19AC00048 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,125,000 |
| Youth Engagement, Education and Employment Programs Apply for F19AS00318 Funding Number: F19AS00318 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $77,794 |
| Teaching Traditional Building/Landscape Skills Training Project- SLBE Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00098 Funding Number: NPS NOIP20AC00098 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $81,000 |
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