Southern Arizona Habitat Conservation and Education | P19AS00199

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00199

The Southern Arizona Habitat Conservation and Education opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00199) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement designed to support hands-on conservation work and public-facing education efforts tied to the protection of natural and cultural resources. It is rooted in the NPS mission to preserve park resources "unimpaired" for current and future generations, while also working with partners to broaden the reach of conservation and outdoor recreation benefits beyond park boundaries.

The core purpose of the award is to secure partner capacity for field-based resource management in southern Arizona, with occasional work in other parts of the Southwest when needed. The work emphasized in the notice includes biological and habitat inventorying, long-term monitoring, invasive species control (with a clear focus on invasive plants), habitat restoration, and environmental education and outreach. Rather than funding a single narrow project, the opportunity is framed as collaborative support for a portfolio of related tasks that can be prioritized and implemented jointly by NPS, the recipient, and additional partners.

Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, NPS expects substantial involvement in planning and execution. The recipient is not simply carrying out a set of instructions independently; instead, NPS and the recipient will coordinate to identify priority sites and actions, decide the most practical way to complete the work, and align efforts with other conservation initiatives. The announcement also highlights the intent to build or expand partnerships and to connect collected data and on-the-ground conservation results to other ongoing or future efforts, which suggests an emphasis on interoperability of data, consistent methods, and collaboration across agencies, organizations, and landscapes.

A major operational expectation is that the recipient will supply experienced, trained field staff who can adhere to rigorous protocols and procedures. This is important for two reasons: first, to ensure the scientific and management value of inventory and monitoring data (quality standards, repeatability, defensible methods), and second, to ensure environmental compliance while conducting invasive species control and restoration activities. In practice, this implies the recipient should have the organizational capacity to manage field crews, follow established monitoring frameworks, document methods and results, and operate safely and responsibly in sensitive habitats and park-adjacent areas.

Eligibility is broad but targeted to established public and nonprofit entities that can credibly support field operations and education programming. Eligible applicants include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (excluding universities if they do not fit the separate higher-education category). The funding agency is the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and the activity areas are listed under education, environment, natural resources, and science/technology research and development (CFDA 15.954).

In terms of scale and timing, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000. The posting shows a creation date of May 24, 2019, and an original closing date of July 1, 2019. While the record shows "ExpectedAwards: 0" in the source data, the substantive text reads like a standard competitive or partnership-oriented assistance announcement where NPS is seeking a capable partner to help deliver conservation outcomes; the practical takeaway for understanding the opportunity is the scope of work and the partnership model, not the specific expected-awards field.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a mechanism for NPS to team up with a qualified external organization to implement invasive plant control, habitat restoration, and scientifically credible inventory and monitoring work in southern Arizona, while also strengthening environmental education and outreach. The emphasis on trained staff, rigorous protocols, and coordination with additional partners signals that NPS is looking for an applicant with proven field competence, strong project management, and the ability to integrate conservation actions with data-driven planning and public engagement.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Southern Arizona Habitat Conservation and Education" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 24, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 01, 2019. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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