Funding Wizard

Battlefields and sites of armed conflict are powerful reminders of the shared heritage of all Americans. To learn and heal from the past, the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS ABPP) promotes the preservation and interpretation of these important places. NPS ABPP supports community-driven stewardship of historic resources through four grant programs: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Restoration, Battlefield Interpretation, and Battlefield Land Acquisition. NPS ABPP offers Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants (BLAGs) to assist state and local governments and, when applicable, their nonprofit partners acquire and preserve eligible Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield lands. Funding for the BLAG program is made available from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and is awarded competitively. Each grant requires a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match. Grants are available to purchase 1) land in fee simple or 2) permanent, protective interests in land (easements) at Civil War battlefields listed in the Civil War sites Advisory Commission's (CWSAC) Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields (1993) and the principal battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 identified in NPS ABPP’s Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States (2007) (Survey Reports). Applications are accepted and evaluated on a rolling basis. Applications for acquisition of lands at eligible battlefield and associated sites rated as Preservation Priority I and II properties will be given precedence in processing, evaluation, and award recommendations. Eligible battlefields and associated sites (“eligible sites”) have been assigned a battlefield or “survey” code in the Survey Reports. Boundaries for most eligible battlefields are defined in NPS survey data. Eligible acquisitions should lie within the boundaries of eligible sites. If the land to be acquired overlaps the battlefield boundary, a majority (more than 50%) of the land must be within the boundary for the proposal to be eligible for funding.

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 authorizes grants to federally recognized Tribes for cultural and historic preservation projects. These grants assist Tribes, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiian Organizations in protecting and promoting their unique cultural heritage and traditions. From the beginning, the program has been shaped by Indian tribes. It focuses on what they are most concerned about protecting: Traditional skills, oral history, plant and animal species important in tradition, sacred and historic places, and the establishment of tribal historic preservation offices.

The National Park Service (NPS) are seeking applications for Master Cooperative Agreements from CESU network participants in the following CESU network regions: North and West Alaska Californian Chesapeake Watershed Colorado Plateau Desert Southwest Great Basin Great Lakes Northern Forest Great Plains Great Rivers Gulf Coast Hawaii/Pacific Islands North Atlantic Coast Pacific Northwest Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Rocky Mountains South Florida Caribbean Southern Appalachian Cooperative agreements to CESU network participants residing in CESU network regions other than those listed above will be pursued separate from this notice of funding opportunity; however, those CESU network participants may still apply for a Master Cooperative Agreement under this announcement. Application instructions are found in Section D. Application and Submission Information. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated as they are received and may be submitted at any time up until the closing date of this announcement. The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units network is a national consortium of Federal agencies, tribes, academic institutions, state and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations, and other partners working together to support informed public trust resource stewardship. The CESU network includes 390 non-Federal partners and 15 Federal Agencies in seventeen (17) CESUs representing biogeographic regions encompassing all 50 states and U.S. territories. The CESU network is well positioned as a platform to support research, technical assistance, education and capacity building that is responsive to long-standing and contemporary science and resource management priorities. The seventeen (17) CESUs bring together scientists, resource managers, students, and other conservation professionals, drawing upon expertise from across the biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines (from Anthropology to Zoology) to conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary applied projects that address natural and cultural heritage resource issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context. Each CESU is structured as a working collaborative with participation from numerous Federal and non-Federal institutional partners. CESUs are based at host universities and focused on a particular biogeographic region of the country. The NPS is required under “Research Mandate” 54 USC 100702 to ensure the management of NPS units are “enhanced by the availability and utilization of a broad program of the highest quality science and information.” To help answer this mandate, the NPS works cooperatively with approved CESU cooperators. Annually the NPS obligates between $30M and $40M in CESU cooperative agreements agency wide. Individual projects are up to five (5) years in duration with an average of approximately $60,000 per agreement. The NPS plans to create Master Cooperative Agreements with CESU partners to carry out the CFDA program 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System. The NPS is announcing the intent to solicit proposals from organizations within the CESU network. The objectives of the CESU program are: a. Provide usable knowledge to support informed decision making. b. Ensure the independence and objectivity of research. c. Create and maintain effective partnerships among the Federal agencies and universities to share resources and expertise. d. Take full advantage of university resources while benefiting faculty and students. e. Encourage professional development of current and future Federal scientists, resource managers, and environmental leaders. f. Manage Federal resources effectively.

The LWCF State and Local Assistance Program was established through enactment of the LWCF Act in 1964. It helps fulfill the LWCF Act's purpose of assisting in preserving, developing and assuring accessibility to present and future generations of U.S. citizens and visitors “such quality and quantity of outdoor recreation resources as may be available and are necessary and desirable for individual active participation in such recreation and to strengthen the health and vitality of the citizens of the United States.” This is accomplished in part by authorizing and providing grants to States, and through States to local units of government and Indian tribes, for projects that acquire lands and waters for parks and other public outdoor recreation purposes, as well as develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities. Land acquisition and development grants may be in support of a wide range of outdoor recreation uses, such as community parks, playgrounds, picnic areas, campgrounds, trails, swimming pools, and sports fields; as well as for certain supporting infrastructure that supports use of these areas such as roads/parking, trailheads, and restrooms. Outdoor recreation areas and facilities must be publicly owned as well as open to the general public and not limited to special groups. The process for applying for a grant begins at the State or Territory level; entities interested in applying for an LWCF grant must contact their State’s lead agency to find out details about the availability of funds, timing of grant process, State program priorities, funding criteria, etc. A list of agency contacts can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/contact-list.htm. The lead agency is responsible for soliciting project proposals from other State agencies, local units of government, and Indian Tribes and conducting competitions to identify the projects that can best advance the goals or meet the needs identified in the State’s SCORP. The top ranked projects, within the funds available, are nominated to the NPS for consideration and final decision, as well as the actual award of a grant.

The LWCF State and Local Assistance program is operated by the NPS in partnership with designated lead agencies in each of the 50 States plus American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each fiscal year Congress allocates money from the LWCF for this program, which is in turn allocated to the States based on a legislative formula. To be eligible to submit applications for funding, States must have a current Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, in place that assesses demand and need for outdoor recreation resources and among other things sets priorities for the use of LWCF funds. LWCF grants are available to the States to comply with this legislative requirement. The NPS must review and approve each State’s SCORP. A new or updated SCORP must be prepared at least once every 5 years.

NPS ABPP’s Preservation Planning Grants support planning, interpreting, and protecting battlefields and sites associated with armed conflicts by providing financial assistance to eligible entities to realize their own desired preservation outcomes at these sites of collective violence. (54 U.S.C. § 308102) These grants are funded by direct appropriation and administered by the National Park Service through NPS ABPP. All grant funds are awarded through a competitive merit review process to eligible entities, including tribal, state, and local governments, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other public entities.

The goal of the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program is to fund subgrant PROGRAMS that support the rehabilitation of historic properties to foster economic development of rural communities. These subgrant programs, managed by States, Tribes, Certified Local Governments, and non-profits will fund preservation projects for historic sites to include architectural/engineering services and physical preservation.

Grant funds must be used for REPATRIATION under NAGPRA, which means the transfer of control of Native American human remains and/or cultural items to lineal descendants, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations. Repatriation includes disposition of culturally unidentifiable Native American human remains (CUI) according to 43 CFR § 10.11. Repatriation projects defray costs associated with the packaging, transportation, contamination removal, reburial, and/or storage of NAGPRA-related human remains and/or cultural items.

Grant funds must be used for CONSULTATION and/or DOCUMENTATION projects under NAGPRA. Consultation projects support efforts related to revising a NAGPRA inventory and making or responding to requests for repatriation of items in a NAGPRA summary. Documentation projects support determining the geographical origin, cultural affiliation, and other basic facts surrounding the acquisition of Native American cultural items. Consultation and documentation projects should lead to determining control, treatment, repatriation, and disposition of NAGPRA cultural items.

The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) provides financial assistance to NPS units, as well as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and local and state agencies to improve resource stewardship, achieve international cooperation, provide meaningful interpretation and conduct scientific research, which will lead to increased appreciation and understanding of our shared natural and cultural heritage along our international border with Mexico. Several National Parks located along the U.S. border with Mexico have recently experienced serious resource damage due to illegal cross border activities including drug traffickers and undocumented persons traversing the parks. Other national park units within the desert southwest have also experienced impacts to their natural and cultural resources. Thousands of miles of unauthorized roads and trails have been created, major ecological processes and the migration patterns of wildlife have been disrupted, important historic sites have been vandalized, and archaeological sites have been looted. Program funding is available for conducting scientific research and monitoring of species, as well as conservation, interpretation and preservation projects designed to help protect and preserve natural and cultural resources located near or along our international border. Applicants must work with and benefit an NPS unit in the Intermountain Region along the U.S. – Mexico border as well as a protected area in Mexico by addressing cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries. These parks include 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. Please note that applicants can work with other Intermountain Region parks near the U.S. Mexico Border, not otherwise listed to support cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries. The projects and activities will be individually authorized by separate awards, with each project or activity having a separate work plan and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and the cooperator. Project categories include: Research & Monitoring Cultural Resource examples: Identification, research, and evaluation of archeological and historic sites National Register of Historic Places nominations National Historic Landmark nominations Natural Resource examples: Wildlife habitat management Inventory and monitoring of invasive plants and animals Impacts from climate change to endangered species Assessments of the effects of border activities on threatened and endangered species Conservation & Preservation Cultural Resource examples: Stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic structures, archeological sites, trails and landscapes Conservation of collections Natural Resource examples: Reestablishment of natural processes and ecological systems Monitoring of resource damage caused by human developments Protection and conservation endangered and threatened species Integrated pest management planning Restoration of native wildlife and vegetation, including removal of exotic species Interpretation, Education & Tourism Professional training and exchange such as: Student intern programs Workshops, seminars, symposia, training programs Binational conferences Informational network gatherings Development of interpretive materials, programs, workshops Geotourism