Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00015
The National Park Service (Department of the Interior) offered this discretionary funding opportunity as a cooperative agreement to support a youth-focused program centered on protecting and appreciating natural sounds and night skies in national parks. The project is designed to bring approximately 20 young people into a park-based educational and recreational setting where they can learn about soundscapes and dark skies through hands-on science and engineering concepts, paired with practical “best practices” for reducing human-caused noise and light impacts. Alongside the technical learning, the program is meant to build familiarity with national parks as welcoming places for recreation, discovery, and stewardship.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is improving access for non-traditional and underserved visitors, particularly youth who may not have visited parks due to financial constraints, lack of exposure, or perceived barriers tied to disabilities such as physical, hearing, or visual impairments. In that sense, recreation is not treated as an add-on, but as a pathway for engagement: the program uses outdoor experiences to help participants develop a deeper understanding of national parks and other public lands, while also building confidence and a sense of belonging in these spaces.
The funded work is expected to blend learning with service. Participants would not only study issues affecting soundscapes and night skies, but also apply what they learn through activities that can measurably benefit park resources and visitor experiences. The opportunity specifically highlights service actions aimed at noise and light reduction, which could include projects that support quieter environments and darker night conditions, ultimately improving both resource protection and the quality of visitor experiences. Another program expectation is that the project will share knowledge or tools that help parks protect their values and resources over time, suggesting a focus on practical outcomes rather than purely classroom-style education.
The stated outcomes make the intent clear: first, increased recreational access for youth who are less likely to participate in park experiences; second, the application of best practices that improve conditions for both resources and visitors; third, direct improvements to natural soundscapes and night skies through on-the-ground service efforts focused on reducing noise and light; and fourth, increased relevancy of national parks, meaning stronger connections between parks and communities that have historically been underrepresented among park visitors. The opportunity also notes an interest in leveraging funding through cost-sharing, signaling that proposals are encouraged to bring partner resources or matching contributions to expand impact.
Administratively, the opportunity was listed as “Understanding and Appreciation of Natural Sounds/Night Skies through Youth Initiatives Based on Science, Service, and Recreation” under funding opportunity number P20AS00015, with an activity focus spanning education, natural resources, and science and technology/research and development (CFDA 15.931). Eligible applicants included a wide range of public and nonprofit entities: state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific nonprofit category). The posting date was December 11, 2019, with an original closing date of January 30, 2020. Funding was structured as a single expected award with an award ceiling of $300,000.Apply for P20AS00015
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Understanding and Appreciation of Natural Sounds/Night Skies through Youth Initiatives Based on Science, Service, and Recreation" 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 Dec 11, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 30, 2020. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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 this funding opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement for a youth-focused program. The program centers on protecting and appreciating natural sounds (soundscapes) and night skies (dark skies) in national parks through a mix of science, service, and recreation.
What is the official title of the opportunity?
The opportunity was listed as "Understanding and Appreciation of Natural Sounds/Night Skies through Youth Initiatives Based on Science, Service, and Recreation."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is P20AS00015.
What type of award is this?
The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the National Park Service within the Department of the Interior.
What is the main goal of the project?
The main goal is to bring youth into a park-based educational and recreational setting to learn about soundscapes and dark skies using hands-on science and engineering concepts, and to apply practical best practices that reduce human-caused noise and light impacts in national parks.
Who is the program designed to serve?
The project is designed to bring approximately 20 young people into the program.
What topics will participants learn about?
Participants will learn about natural soundscapes and night skies, including hands-on science and engineering concepts related to these resources, and best practices for reducing human-caused noise and light impacts.
How does recreation fit into the program?
Recreation is treated as a pathway for engagement rather than an add-on. Outdoor experiences are used to help participants build familiarity with national parks as places for recreation, discovery, and stewardship, while developing confidence and a sense of belonging in these spaces.
Is the program focused only on education, or is there also a service component?
The funded work is expected to blend learning with service. Participants are expected to apply what they learn through activities that can measurably benefit park resources and improve visitor experiences.
What kinds of service activities are emphasized?
The opportunity specifically highlights service actions aimed at noise and light reduction. These could include projects that support quieter environments and darker night conditions, improving resource protection and the quality of visitor experiences.
What are "best practices" in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the opportunity description, "best practices" refers to practical approaches for reducing human-caused noise and light impacts in parks, and applying those approaches in ways that improve conditions for resources and visitors.
Why does the opportunity emphasize access for underserved or non-traditional visitors?
A major emphasis is improving access for youth who may not have visited parks due to financial constraints, lack of exposure, or perceived barriers tied to disabilities such as physical, hearing, or visual impairments. The intent is to make parks more welcoming and relevant to communities historically underrepresented among park visitors.
Does the opportunity address disability-related barriers?
Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions perceived barriers tied to disabilities such as physical, hearing, or visual impairments as part of the reason some youth may not have visited parks.
What outcomes does the opportunity state it is trying to achieve?
The stated outcomes include: (1) increased recreational access for youth less likely to participate in park experiences; (2) application of best practices that improve conditions for both resources and visitors; (3) direct improvements to natural soundscapes and night skies through on-the-ground service efforts focused on reducing noise and light; and (4) increased relevancy of national parks through stronger connections with historically underrepresented communities.
Does the opportunity expect measurable benefits to parks?
Yes. The service portion is described as involving activities that can measurably benefit park resources and visitor experiences, particularly through noise and light reduction efforts.
Is the project expected to create tools or knowledge that can be used beyond the program?
Yes. Another expectation is that the project will share knowledge or tools that help parks protect their values and resources over time, indicating an emphasis on practical outcomes beyond classroom-style education.
What program areas does the opportunity cover?
The activity focus spans education, natural resources, and science and technology/research and development.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.931.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included: state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and 501(c)(3) nonprofits (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific nonprofit category).
Are tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are schools and universities eligible?
Yes. Independent school districts and public and state-controlled colleges and universities are listed as eligible.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. 501(c)(3) nonprofits are listed as eligible, with an exclusion noted for institutions of higher education within that specific nonprofit category.
How many awards were expected?
The funding was structured as a single expected award.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $300,000.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date was December 11, 2019.
What was the application deadline?
The original closing date was January 30, 2020.
Does the opportunity encourage cost-sharing or matching contributions?
Yes. The opportunity notes an interest in leveraging funding through cost-sharing, signaling that proposals were encouraged to bring partner resources or matching contributions to expand impact.
What is meant by "increased relevancy" of national parks in this opportunity?
As described, increased relevancy refers to building stronger connections between national parks and communities that have historically been underrepresented among park visitors, helping youth see parks as welcoming places for recreation, discovery, and stewardship.
Is this program intended to improve visitor experiences as well as resource conditions?
Yes. The opportunity ties noise and light reduction to both resource protection (soundscapes and night skies) and improvements to the quality of visitor experiences.
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