THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS- Summer Youth Team- Wetland Restoration- INDU- THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS | NPS NOIP17AC00176

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00176

This notice describes a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement tied to a specific partner rather than an open, competitive grant round, which is why it is labeled "THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS." The agreement (referenced as Cooperative Agreement P17AC00175) is between the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and WisCorps, Inc. The overall purpose is twofold: to provide youth with hands-on training and career development in natural resources work, and to complete on-the-ground wetland restoration projects at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (now Indiana Dunes National Park). The work is framed as both workforce development and environmental stewardship, using wetlands as the teaching and project focus because of their importance to water quality, habitat, and broader ecosystem health.

The core project involves creating and supporting a small seasonal youth crew that will learn practical restoration skills while carrying out priority field tasks. The crew is intended to include five interns total: one crew leader and four team members. Under NPS guidance, participants will be trained to implement wetland restoration actions that include invasive species eradication, installing native plants, propagating plants, and collecting seed. In other words, the youth team is not just doing labor; they are being introduced to restoration planning and implementation steps that are common in conservation careers, from removing invasive plants to sourcing and establishing native vegetation.

WisCorps, as the recipient organization, is responsible for the people-management and logistical backbone of the program. That includes helping recruit and select the interns, then training, mentoring, and supervising them day-to-day. WisCorps also commits to covering key participant support items such as a living allowance, housing allowance, and travel allowance for relocation to and from the Indiana Dunes area, along with workers compensation and liability insurance. In addition, the recipient must provide transportation to the work sites, maintain routine communication with NPS staff and designated project officials, remain available to help resolve team-related issues, and deliver a final report summarizing what was accomplished during the project period.

NPS, for its part, maintains strong programmatic control and technical involvement, which is typical of a cooperative agreement (as opposed to a standard grant where the recipient operates more independently). NPS agrees to select and manage the interns' work projects, support the team's education and professional development goals, and collaborate directly with the recipient in carrying out the scope of work. NPS will provide technical support through an assigned technical representative, and it will also supply the tools, equipment, and supplies needed to complete restoration tasks. The agreement also notes that NPS will review and approve one stage of work before the next stage begins, emphasizing phased oversight and quality control. Finally, NPS provides the financial assistance for the effort and closely monitors recipient operations related to staffing, organizational structure, and performance throughout the task period.

From the funding metadata, this opportunity is listed under NPS opportunity number NPS NOIP17AC00176 and is categorized as a discretionary cooperative agreement. The activity aligns with education, employment and training, and natural resource/environmental restoration, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.931. The posting lists eligibility as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education), but the narrative makes clear that this particular notice corresponds to a pre-identified partner arrangement with WisCorps rather than a solicitation inviting new applicants. The total federal funding referenced includes an award ceiling of $130,000, with one expected award. The listing shows a creation date of March 13, 2017, and an original closing date of March 23, 2017, which is consistent with informational postings for agreements that are not truly open for competition.

In practical terms, the grant-supported outcome is a completed set of wetland restoration actions at Indiana Dunes alongside measurable youth workforce development outputs: a trained crew, supervised field experience, and a documented summary report of accomplishments. The cooperative structure signals that NPS is not simply funding a project and stepping back; it is directing the restoration priorities, providing technical guidance, and controlling work progression through staged review while the nonprofit partner handles recruitment, participant support, supervision, and logistics.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, employment, labor and training, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS- Summer Youth Team- Wetland Restoration- INDU- THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS" 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 Mar 13, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 23, 2017. (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 $130,000.00 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.

Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00176

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: