Intern Assistance with Collection of Field Data, Analysis and Reporting for Rare Plants, Forest Vegetation, Water Quality and Wildlife | P19AS00420

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00420

The National Park Service (NPS), within the U.S. Department of the Interior, issued a discretionary funding notice for a cooperative agreement titled "Intern Assistance with Collection of Field Data, Analysis and Reporting for Rare Plants, Forest Vegetation, Water Quality and Wildlife" (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00420). The basic purpose of the project is to place interns in support roles that help the NPS monitor and document natural resource conditions across a group of national park units. The work centers on collecting field data and then helping turn those observations into usable analysis and reporting, with an emphasis on rare plants, forest vegetation, water quality, and wildlife. In practical terms, the opportunity is designed to strengthen the parks' ability to track changes in key resources over time and to translate monitoring results into information that can guide day-to-day decisions.

A major theme of the project is applied resource monitoring at scale. The description specifies that interns will assist with monitoring efforts in 14 national park units, suggesting a multi-park, programmatic approach rather than a single-site effort. The information produced through this work is intended to be directly useful to parks for both visitor-use planning and for addressing management needs. One explicit example mentioned is prescribed fire, where understanding vegetation conditions and related resource responses can affect when, where, and how fire is used as a tool. More broadly, monitoring data of this kind can inform how managers respond to emerging issues, evaluate whether management actions are working, and communicate resource conditions to park leadership and partners.

The internship component is not presented as simple labor support; it is also framed as a workforce development and education-oriented experience. Interns are expected to receive on-the-job learning within the context of the national park system, supported by professional mentoring. That implies structured supervision, skills-building in field methods and data handling, and exposure to how natural resource science is applied in real management settings. This aligns with the opportunity's funding activity category of Education and the CFDA listing of 15.931, indicating the assistance is connected to a broader federal assistance program area tied to NPS support.

From an administrative standpoint, the instrument type is a Cooperative Agreement, which generally signals that the NPS anticipates being substantially involved during the period of performance, such as coordinating work plans, aligning protocols with NPS monitoring standards, and integrating intern outputs into park reporting workflows. The notice was created on July 24, 2019. The expected award count is one, and the stated award ceiling is $124,580, which functions as the maximum anticipated federal funding amount for the single award described.

Eligibility is listed primarily for nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), along with an "Others" category referencing additional eligibility clarification in the full notice. However, this particular posting is explicitly not a request for applications. Instead, it is a notice of intent to make a restricted award to Conservation Legacy. That means the NPS was announcing its plan to fund a specific recipient rather than opening a competitive application process. In effect, the opportunity details describe the scope, purpose, and funding level of an already-directed cooperative agreement intended to support intern-led field data collection, analysis, and reporting to strengthen resource monitoring and management across multiple national park units.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Intern Assistance with Collection of Field Data, Analysis and Reporting for Rare Plants, Forest Vegetation, Water Quality and Wildlife" 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 Jul 24, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by This is not a request for application. This is a notice of intent to make a restricted award to Conservation Legacy.. (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 $124,580.00 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for P19AS00420

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