National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education (15.954)
National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education (Assistance Listing 15.954) is run by the National Park Service, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $168 million in 389 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $432,045 per award on average. 1 funding opportunity is open or forecast now.
The typical award was $90,000. Half of the 389 awards fell between $30,000 and $269,634, and they ranged from $3,000 to $17.8 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$168 million
- Grant awards389
- Typical award$90,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$58.1 million
- Size rank653 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $27.1 million in fiscal 2021 to $58.1 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 653rd largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 71% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 38 states and territories.
What the program funds
This program supports projects complementary to National Park Service program efforts in natural and cultural resource conservation, protection, and environmental sustainability. This program funds projects that support the mission of the National Park Service but are not covered under other specific programs.
Open opportunities
Past notices
Of 8 notices posted under this program since 2021, most went up in March (3), April (2) and July (1).
- P26AS00046: Public Programming and Educational Outreach: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
- P24AS00337: Military Families Outdoors Program
- P24AS00330: Alpine Monitoring and Research in Western National Parks
- P24AS00287: P24AS00287 Canaveral National Seashore Post-Hurricane Resource Assessment
- P23AS00316: 2023 Grand Canyon and Flagstaff Monuments Fuels Reduction
- P22AS00413: Grand Canyon and Flagstaff Monuments Fuels Reduction
- P21AS00378: National Parks Business Plan Internship Program
Rules from the program listing
What the money can and cannot pay for
Applications must be for projects within the National Park Service area of responsibility. Funds may not be used for acquisition of real property.
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.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range: Approximately $1,000 to $5,200,000 Average Award Size: Around $105,000
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: 1) Educational and Professional Development: Projects support teacher professional development and the creation of educational materials for distance learning, helping educators integrate public lands into their curriculum. 2) Public Engagement and Interpretation: Funds are used to develop programs that enhance visitor enjoyment, promote interpretation of natural and cultural resources, and increase public understanding of conservation issues. 3) Visitor Services and Transportation: Awards finance shuttle operations in high-visitation areas to reduce environmental impacts and improve access, such as those servicing forest or coastal sites. 4) Restoration and Stewardship: Funding is directed to nonprofit partnerships for hands-on restoration work, habitat improvement, and trail maintenance to improve ecological health and visitor safety. 5) Cultural Enrichment and Recreation: Funding may cover live music or interpretive performances to enrich visitor experiences and foster community engagement in recreational spaces.Fiscal Year2026: 1) Education, engagement, and access - Outdoor recreation experiences for students and military families. Facilitated trips introduce people to activities like fishing, camping, hiking, paddling, and biking, while reducing barriers such as transportation and gear. Public events provide youth?friendly activities and demonstrations that spark interest in aviation and science.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education (15.954) awarded $168 million across 389 grant awards, an average of $432,045 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 72% of the money, state and local governments 17% and colleges and universities 2.1%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 241 | $121 million | 72% |
| State and local governments | 50 | $28.3 million | 17% |
| Other | 54 | $13.9 million | 8.3% |
| Colleges and universities | 30 | $3.6 million | 2.1% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 13 | $1.4 million | 0.9% |
By state
22 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 74 | $63.1 million |
| District of Columbia | 22 | $25.1 million |
| Maryland | 26 | $15.0 million |
| Maine | 5 | $12.3 million |
| Virginia | 12 | $5.7 million |
| Massachusetts | 10 | $4.4 million |
| Texas | 6 | $4.2 million |
| Colorado | 26 | $4.1 million |
| Montana | 13 | $4.0 million |
| Ohio | 12 | $3.9 million |
| Arizona | 24 | $3.8 million |
| Idaho | 6 | $3.5 million |
| Wyoming | 25 | $3.0 million |
| Washington | 16 | $2.1 million |
| Connecticut | 2 | $1.9 million |
| New York | 16 | $1.5 million |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | $1.4 million |
| Illinois | 4 | $1.2 million |
| Alaska | 6 | $1.1 million |
| Utah | 4 | $1.0 million |
| Oregon | 9 | $811,140 |
| New Mexico | 8 | $759,604 |
| Minnesota | 14 | $654,543 |
| Nevada | 3 | $619,009 |
| Indiana | 3 | $515,531 |
| Vermont | 3 | $450,732 |
| Wisconsin | 12 | $447,898 |
| West Virginia | 2 | $261,447 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $244,663 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $180,000 |
| Missouri | 4 | $174,649 |
| Tennessee | 3 | $149,350 |
| Kansas | 3 | $131,740 |
| Georgia | 1 | $112,113 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $104,000 |
| Kentucky | 1 | $85,000 |
| American Samoa | 1 | $35,259 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $2,991 |