Collaborate on the Execution of the Annual Work Plan of Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc. | NPS 19 NERO 0074

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS 19 NERO 0074

The Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) posted a public notice for a discretionary funding action titled "Collaborate on the Execution of the Annual Work Plan of Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc." This notice is tied to funding opportunity number NPS 19 NERO 0074 and was created on July 18, 2019, with an original closing date listed as July 28, 2019. Even though it appears in the format of a grant listing, the key point is that it is not a request for applications. Instead, it functions as a transparency notice that NPS intends to award financial assistance for a defined set of project activities, rather than opening a competitive application process.

The planned award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally means NPS expects to have substantial involvement in the project beyond simply providing funds. Cooperative agreements are often used when the federal agency anticipates an active partnership role, such as coordinating activities, participating in planning, providing technical input, or jointly overseeing deliverables tied to the project work plan. The activity category is listed as regional development, which aligns with the typical mission of a national heritage corridor organization: coordinating heritage preservation, interpretation, recreation, education, and community-based economic and cultural initiatives across a multi-community region.

Financially, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $350,000 and anticipates a single award. That structure strongly suggests the funding is intended for one primary partner, in this case associated with the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc., to support implementation of its annual work plan in collaboration with NPS. The listing includes CFDA number 15.962, which is the catalog identifier used to associate the funding with a specific federal assistance program area within the National Park Service.

Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," with a note to consult an additional eligibility text field for clarification (not included in the source excerpt you provided). In practice, for postings like this that are not open solicitations, the eligible entity is often effectively predetermined or specifically identified through prior authorization, statute, or an established relationship with a congressionally designated heritage area management entity. The short turnaround between the posting date and the listed closing date also fits with the purpose of a public notice of intent to award rather than a normal competitive grant cycle.

In plain terms, this announcement is best read as NPS informing the public that it plans to provide up to $350,000 through a cooperative agreement to support collaborative execution of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc.'s annual work plan, with NPS playing an active partner role. It is not an open invitation for outside organizations to submit proposals, but rather a formal notice that an award is planned for these specific activities under the stated program and funding vehicle.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborate on the Execution of the Annual Work Plan of Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.962.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 18, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 28, 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 $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NPS 19 NERO 0074

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