Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00157
The grant opportunity titled "Protect Mexican Blindcat by Prioritizing Inventories of Cave Ecosystems" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00157) is a National Park Service funding action under the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on natural resource conservation, specifically work tied to cave ecosystems and the protection of the Mexican Blindcat. The activity centers on improving or prioritizing inventories of cave environments, which typically means identifying, documenting, and assessing cave habitats and their biological communities so managers can better understand where sensitive species occur and what conditions support them. By emphasizing inventories, the opportunity is geared toward strengthening the baseline information needed for conservation decisions, monitoring strategies, and on-the-ground protection measures in subterranean habitats.
This opportunity is listed as a discretionary award using a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument. In practical terms, a cooperative agreement usually indicates that the federal agency expects to be substantially involved in the project beyond simply providing funds, such as collaborating on planning, participating in technical decisions, coordinating access or permitting, sharing data standards, or helping integrate results into park or program management. The funding activity category is Natural Resources and it is associated with CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) number 15.944, which is a designation used to group and track federal assistance programs.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits that have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS, excluding institutions of higher education. That means the intended recipient pool is primarily mission-driven conservation or science nonprofits rather than universities. The listing indicates an expected number of awards of one, with an award ceiling of $49,985, suggesting a single, relatively small project intended to accomplish a defined set of inventory or prioritization tasks rather than a large multi-year program.
A key administrative detail is that the posting is described as a "Notice of intent to award, not a request for applications." This means it is not an open competition where multiple organizations submit proposals for selection. Instead, it signals that the agency already anticipates making an award, typically to a particular organization or through a pre-identified partnership arrangement, and is publicly documenting that intent as part of federal transparency and grants management practices. The opportunity was created on March 30, 2017, and the original closing date field reiterates that it is not soliciting applications.
Overall, the funding notice communicates a targeted National Park Service conservation effort: a cooperative, nonprofit-led project to better document and prioritize cave ecosystem inventories in support of protecting the Mexican Blindcat, carried out as a single award up to $49,985 and posted as an intent-to-award rather than a competitive call.Apply for P17AS00157
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Protect Mexican Blindcat by Prioritizing Inventories of Cave Ecosystems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.944.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 30, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of intent to award, not a request for applications. (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 $49,985.00 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)
1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Protect Mexican Blindcat by Prioritizing Inventories of Cave Ecosystems."
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P17AS00157.
3) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) funding action under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
4) What is the main purpose of the project described in the notice?
The project focuses on natural resource conservation work tied to cave ecosystems, specifically improving or prioritizing inventories of cave environments to support protection of the Mexican Blindcat.
5) What does "prioritizing inventories of cave ecosystems" mean in practical terms?
In this context, it generally means identifying, documenting, and assessing cave habitats and their biological communities so resource managers have stronger baseline information on where sensitive species occur and which conditions support them.
6) Why are inventories emphasized in this funding notice?
The notice emphasizes inventories because they strengthen baseline information used for conservation decisions, monitoring strategies, and on-the-ground protection measures in subterranean habitats.
7) What species is this opportunity intended to help protect?
The stated conservation focus is the Mexican Blindcat, with work linked to cave ecosystem inventories that support its protection.
8) What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Natural Resources.
9) What does CFDA 15.944 refer to?
CFDA number 15.944 is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance designation associated with this type of federal assistance program, used to group and track federal funding programs.
10) What type of award is this (competitive vs. discretionary)?
The notice lists this as a discretionary award.
11) What funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement.
12) What does a Cooperative Agreement imply for how the project will be carried out?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency beyond simply providing funds. Based on the notice description, this can include collaborating on planning, participating in technical decisions, coordinating access or permitting, sharing data standards, and helping integrate results into park or program management.
13) Who is eligible to receive this award?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits that have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS.
14) Are universities or colleges eligible?
No. The eligibility limitation specifically excludes institutions of higher education.
15) How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The expected number of awards is one.
16) What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $49,985.
17) Is this intended to fund a large, multi-year program?
Based on the notice details (a single expected award with a $49,985 ceiling), it appears structured as a relatively small, defined project focused on inventory or prioritization tasks rather than a large multi-year program.
18) Is this a request for applications (RFA) or an open competition?
No. The posting is described as a "Notice of intent to award, not a request for applications."
19) If it is not a request for applications, what does "notice of intent to award" mean?
It means the agency is not soliciting proposals from multiple applicants. Instead, it indicates the agency anticipates making an award, often to a particular organization or through a pre-identified partnership arrangement, and is publicly documenting that intent as part of federal transparency and grants management practices.
20) Can my organization apply for this opportunity anyway?
Based on the notice language provided, it is not soliciting applications, so it is not presented as an open opportunity where outside organizations submit proposals for selection.
21) What is the posting date for this opportunity?
The opportunity was created on March 30, 2017.
22) What does the closing date indicate?
The original closing date field reiterates that the notice is not soliciting applications (consistent with it being an intent-to-award notice rather than a competitive call).
23) What is the overall takeaway from this funding notice?
It describes a targeted National Park Service conservation effort: a cooperative, nonprofit-led project to better document and prioritize cave ecosystem inventories in support of protecting the Mexican Blindcat, carried out as a single award up to $49,985, and posted as an intent-to-award rather than a competitive application opportunity.
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| Fox River NRDA Apply for F17AS00185 Funding Number: F17AS00185 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Fox River Natural Resource Damage Assessment Apply for F17AS00186 Funding Number: F17AS00186 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| BLM New Mexico Statewide Public Lands Internship Program Apply for L17AS00055 Funding Number: L17AS00055 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
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| Bandelier Preservation Crew Apply for NPSNOIBAND1700319 Funding Number: NPSNOIBAND1700319 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Bandelier Conservation Corps Apply for NPSNOIBAND1700318 Funding Number: NPSNOIBAND1700318 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Larimer County Conservation Corps crew working directly with an NPS Trail Crew Apply for P17AS00162 Funding Number: P17AS00162 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $70,103 |
| Afghanistan Access to Justice Legal Aid Project Apply for INL AFGHANISTAN 17GR0026 04072017 Funding Number: INL AFGHANISTAN 17GR0026 04072017 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,350,000 |
| Enhancing Visitor Experience through Noxious Weed Management Apply for P17AS00176 Funding Number: P17AS00176 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $56,800 |
| Public Inforamtion Project Apply for P17AS00177 Funding Number: P17AS00177 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $85,897 |
| Pahrump Poolfish Habitat Enhancement Apply for L17AS00057 Funding Number: L17AS00057 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $470,000 |
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