Federal grant programs / Department of the Interior

Experienced Services Program (15.070)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$3.9 million
• Grant awards24
• Typical award$141,686
• Awarded in FY 2025$1.2 million
• Size rank1669 of 1824
• Type of assistanceCooperative agreement

Key findings

• It is the 1669th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• Awards went to recipients in 1 states and territories.

What the program funds

The ESP program provides funding that allows agencies to enter into agreements with non-profit organizations to provide opportunities to qualified individuals 55 years of age and older who have specific technical skills and abilities not available or underrepresented at current staffing levels. Qualified individuals who are part of the ESP will support Reclamation in managing, developing, and protecting water and related resources. ESP participants will provide technical assistance and support to Reclamation in developing and executing projects in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. The ESP participants will not replace or displace current Reclamation employees.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Private nonprofit organizations designated by the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 to utilize the talents of older Americans in programs authorized by other provisions of law administered by the Secretary and consistent with such provisions of law.

What the money can and cannot pay for

This program will provide opportunities to qualified individuals 55 years of ag and older who have specific technical skills and abilities not available or underrepresented at current Reclamation staff levels. The ESP participants will not replace or displace current Reclamation employees. Recipients can use the assistance to support employment opportunities for individuals 55 years and older on projects that support Reclamation’s mission. Documentation demonstrating the organization’s proof of establishment under the Secretary of Labor Title V of the Older American Act of 1965.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

$131,515 to $424,359 with an average of $247,482

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Four new cooperative agreements that provide offices throughout Reclamation highly skilled support for various projects. Projects included occupations including economists, policy advisors, civil and electrical engineers.Fiscal Year2026: Expected to award 14 new cooperative agreements that provide offices throughout Reclamation highly skilled support for various projects. Projects included program analysts, GIS specialists, civil and electrical engineers.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Nonprofits received 94% of the money, businesses 6.5%.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.