Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00001
The grant opportunity titled "Implement Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rural Landscape Management Program" (Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP20AC00001) is a National Park Service cooperative agreement designed to fully implement and co-manage Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Rural Landscape Management Program, also known as the Countryside Initiative. The core goal is to protect and preserve the rural heritage of the Cuyahoga Valley by keeping working farms active on National Park Service land, primarily through adaptive reuse of historic farmsteads. Under this program, the park may maintain up to 13 long-term farm leases that can run as long as 60 years, with farmers living on and actively working the land as part of their lease arrangement. The broader vision is to safeguard a disappearing rural landscape while demonstrating how agriculture, conservation, and historic preservation can function together in a national park setting.
This opportunity builds on a roughly 20-year collaborative partnership between the NPS and a nonprofit recipient to restore and sustain community-driven agriculture in the park and the wider Northeast Ohio region. The program is framed not just as farmland management, but as a public-facing stewardship and education effort. It aims to educate park visitors and surrounding communities about the importance of rural landscapes, encourage practical involvement in preservation, and expand access to healthy local food for the park, visitors, and nearby communities. In addition, the project emphasizes shared environmental stewardship, promotes public and private participation in historic preservation activities, and strengthens stewardship ethics among participants through outreach and hands-on engagement.
The recipient is expected to staff and operate key functions necessary to keep the Countryside Initiative running effectively. Major responsibilities include advising both the National Park Service and the park's farmer-lessees on agricultural best management practices that protect natural and cultural resources, such as soils, water, habitat, and historic landscape features. The recipient will also serve as a core member of the NPS farm management team, which includes reviewing and supporting approval of farm proposals and annual operating plans, as well as assisting with property inspections to identify and address maintenance needs tied to the leased farmsteads and agricultural infrastructure. Another central component is providing practical technical assistance to farmers over the long term, including guidance, training, equipment support, and problem-solving help for specific operational challenges, all aligned with the terms and conditions of the NPS leases and the park's resource protection requirements.
A key public-benefit piece of the grant focuses on community liaison and local food systems work. The recipient will help connect the NPS, farmers, and the public around topics like sustainable farming, food access, and healthy local food, acting as a bridge between on-the-ground farm operations and broader community goals. The opportunity also includes a workforce development and youth engagement element through the creation of a beginning farmer program. This program is intended to recruit and hire apprentices, largely youth, who will gain real-world, hands-on experience by working directly with park farmers, building skills in agriculture while also supporting the park's broader natural, cultural, and historical resource protection mission.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, using a cooperative agreement instrument, which generally signals substantial federal involvement and ongoing coordination rather than a hands-off pass-through grant. The funding activity spans several categories including agriculture, community development, education, environment, and regional development (CFDA 15.954). Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The opportunity anticipated a single award with a funding ceiling of $800,000. The notice was created December 16, 2019, with an original closing date of December 26, 2019.Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00001
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the agriculture, community development, education, environment, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Implement Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rual Landscape Management Program" 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 Dec 16, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 26, 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 $800,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Implement Cuyahoga Valley National Park Rural Landscape Management Program," which is also described as fully implementing and co-managing the park's Rural Landscape Management Program (the Countryside Initiative).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is NPS NOIP20AC00001.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
What type of funding instrument is this?
This is a cooperative agreement. Based on the description provided, that means the NPS expects substantial federal involvement and ongoing coordination, rather than a hands-off pass-through grant.
Is this a discretionary or formula funding opportunity?
It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
What is the core goal of the project?
The core goal is to protect and preserve the rural heritage of the Cuyahoga Valley by keeping working farms active on National Park Service land, primarily through adaptive reuse of historic farmsteads.
What is the Countryside Initiative?
The Countryside Initiative is Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Rural Landscape Management Program. The program centers on sustaining working farms on NPS land and maintaining the valley's rural landscape and historic farmstead character.
How does the program keep farms active in the national park?
The park may maintain long-term farm leases, where farmers live on and actively work the land as part of the lease arrangement. The emphasis is on continuing viable agriculture while protecting natural and cultural resources.
How many long-term farm leases may be involved?
The park may maintain up to 13 long-term farm leases under this program.
How long can the farm leases run?
The leases can run as long as 60 years, as described in the opportunity summary.
What is meant by "adaptive reuse of historic farmsteads" in this context?
Based on the information provided, it refers to keeping historic farm properties in active use (as working farmsteads) while sustaining their historic character, rather than leaving them unused or converting them away from agricultural purposes.
What broader outcomes does the program aim to demonstrate?
The stated vision is to show how agriculture, conservation, and historic preservation can function together within a national park setting, while safeguarding a disappearing rural landscape.
Does this opportunity build on an existing partnership?
Yes. It builds on a roughly 20-year collaborative partnership between the NPS and a nonprofit recipient to restore and sustain community-driven agriculture in the park and the wider Northeast Ohio region.
Is this program only about farmland management?
No. It is framed as both farmland management and a public-facing stewardship and education effort, including outreach and engagement that connects visitors and surrounding communities to rural landscape preservation.
How does the project relate to public education and stewardship?
The project aims to educate park visitors and surrounding communities about the importance of rural landscapes, encourage practical involvement in preservation, and strengthen stewardship ethics through outreach and hands-on engagement.
What role does local food access play in the project?
The opportunity includes expanding access to healthy local food for the park, visitors, and nearby communities, and supporting connections among the NPS, farmers, and the public around sustainable farming and food access.
What kind of environmental stewardship is emphasized?
The recipient is expected to advise on agricultural best management practices that protect natural and cultural resources, including soils, water, habitat, and historic landscape features.
What are the main responsibilities of the recipient organization?
The recipient is expected to staff and operate key functions necessary to keep the Countryside Initiative running effectively. Responsibilities described include advising the NPS and farmer-lessees on best practices, serving on the NPS farm management team, supporting review and approval of farm proposals and annual operating plans, assisting with property inspections, and providing long-term technical assistance to farmers.
What kind of advice and support would the recipient provide related to farming practices?
The recipient would advise both the NPS and the park's farmer-lessees on agricultural best management practices that protect soils, water, habitat, and historic landscape features, while aligning with lease terms and park resource protection requirements.
What is the NPS farm management team, and what is the recipient's role?
The opportunity states the recipient will serve as a core member of the NPS farm management team. The team work described includes reviewing and supporting approval of farm proposals and annual operating plans, and assisting with property inspections tied to the leased farmsteads and agricultural infrastructure.
What is meant by farm proposals and annual operating plans?
The notice references reviewing and supporting approval of farm proposals and annual operating plans, which implies farms operating under NPS leases submit plans and proposals that must align with lease conditions and park resource protection goals.
Will the recipient be involved in farmstead and infrastructure maintenance issues?
Yes. The recipient is expected to assist with property inspections to identify and address maintenance needs tied to leased farmsteads and agricultural infrastructure.
What types of technical assistance to farmers are included?
The opportunity describes practical, long-term technical assistance such as guidance, training, equipment support, and problem-solving help for specific operational challenges, aligned with the NPS lease terms and the park's resource protection requirements.
What is the community liaison role described in the opportunity?
The recipient will help connect the NPS, farmers, and the public around sustainable farming, food access, and healthy local food, serving as a bridge between farm operations and broader community goals.
Is there a workforce development or youth component?
Yes. The opportunity includes creating a beginning farmer program intended to recruit and hire apprentices, largely youth, who will gain hands-on experience working directly with park farmers.
What is the purpose of the beginning farmer/apprenticeship program?
It is intended to build real-world agricultural skills through direct work with park farmers, while also supporting the park's natural, cultural, and historical resource protection mission.
What CFDA number is associated with this funding?
The opportunity lists CFDA 15.954.
What activity areas does the funding cover?
The funding activity spans several categories, including agriculture, community development, education, environment, and regional development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education are explicitly excluded.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award.
What is the maximum funding amount (ceiling)?
The funding ceiling stated is $800,000.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on December 16, 2019.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was December 26, 2019.
Does the opportunity specify a geographic focus?
Yes. The work is centered on Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is described in relation to the wider Northeast Ohio region.
Does the opportunity describe how historic preservation fits into the program?
Yes. The project emphasizes adaptive reuse of historic farmsteads and promotes public and private participation in historic preservation activities as part of the overall rural landscape stewardship approach.
What kinds of resources are specifically mentioned as needing protection?
The description specifically references soils, water, habitat, and historic landscape features, along with broader natural, cultural, and historical resources.
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