Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00018
The Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP19AC00018) is a discretionary National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to continue and support the long-running work of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition across the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ABEL). ABEL spans roughly 25,000 square miles in central Illinois and was formally established by an Act of Congress in 2008. The core purpose of the award is to help preserve and promote the region's cultural and natural resources and the landscapes that connect to Abraham Lincoln's life in Illinois prior to his presidency, aligning directly with the mission Congress set out when it created the National Heritage Area.
The agreement is structured around six major objectives that guide the recipient's work plan and on-the-ground activities. These objectives are preservation of historic and cultural resources; interpretation that helps the public understand Lincoln-related stories and places; education initiatives that bring that history and context to schools and learners; recreation opportunities that encourage people to experience the landscape and sites; conservation of natural and scenic resources that contribute to the heritage area's character; and appropriately scaled, theme-based economic development that supports local communities while staying consistent with the heritage area's interpretive focus. In practical terms, the funding is meant to sustain an integrated program that connects sites, communities, and partners under a single Lincoln-centered narrative while also protecting the physical and cultural assets that make that narrative meaningful.
Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, the NPS expects to have substantial involvement in the funded work. The opportunity description emphasizes ongoing federal support and oversight as part of Congressional intent for National Heritage Areas. Within the NPS Midwest Region, key staff including the Chief of Heritage Areas and Partnerships, a Historian, and a Financial Assistance Manager provide routine guidance on both programmatic direction and compliance matters. The relationship is described as highly collaborative, with frequent communication by email and phone and close review of the annual work plan. NPS involvement includes reviewing and approving that annual plan to ensure it remains consistent with federal requirements and the purposes of the National Heritage Area legislation, effectively positioning NPS and ABEL as partners jointly carrying out the heritage area mission.
From an applicant and eligibility standpoint, the opportunity is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and is associated with CFDA number 15.939. The funding activity categories are broad and reflect the cross-cutting nature of heritage area work, spanning business and commerce, community and regional development, education, employment and training, environmental efforts, and humanities/cultural affairs. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $1,500,000 with one expected award, reinforcing that this was designed as a continuation award to support an established coordinating entity rather than a competition intended to fund multiple unrelated projects.
Key dates and administrative details in the source data show the opportunity was created on February 19, 2019, with an original closing date of March 1, 2019. Overall, the grant is best understood as federal support for a mature, place-based partnership effort in central Illinois, with NPS playing an active role in shaping, monitoring, and ensuring the continuity of a comprehensive program that preserves resources, improves public understanding, expands educational and recreational engagement, supports conservation, and encourages heritage-themed economic benefits tied to the Lincoln story.Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00018
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the business and commerce, community development, education, employment, labor and training, environment, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.939.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 19, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 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 $1,500,000.00 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): Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Cooperative Agreement
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area grant opportunity, a discretionary National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to continue and support the ongoing work of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition across the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ABEL).
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS NOIP19AC00018.
3) Which federal agency is offering the award?
The award is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
4) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.939.
5) What is the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ABEL)?
ABEL is a National Heritage Area spanning roughly 25,000 square miles in central Illinois. It was formally established by an Act of Congress in 2008 to preserve and promote cultural and natural resources and landscapes connected to Abraham Lincoln's life in Illinois prior to his presidency.
6) What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The core purpose is to preserve and promote the region's cultural and natural resources and the landscapes tied to Abraham Lincoln's Illinois story, in direct alignment with the mission Congress set out when it established the National Heritage Area.
7) Is this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?
This is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. That structure means the NPS expects to have substantial involvement in the funded work and to act as an active partner in carrying out the heritage area mission.
8) What does "substantial involvement" by NPS mean in this opportunity?
NPS involvement includes ongoing federal support and oversight, frequent communication (such as by email and phone), close review of the annual work plan, and review/approval of that annual plan to ensure consistency with federal requirements and the purposes of the National Heritage Area legislation.
9) Which NPS staff roles are described as providing guidance and oversight?
Within the NPS Midwest Region, key staff include the Chief of Heritage Areas and Partnerships, a Historian, and a Financial Assistance Manager. They provide routine guidance on programmatic direction and compliance matters.
10) Who is this opportunity intended to support?
The opportunity is designed to continue and support the long-running work of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition as the coordinating entity carrying out integrated heritage area programming across ABEL.
11) What are the six major objectives that guide the recipient's work?
The agreement is structured around six major objectives:
- Preservation of historic and cultural resources
- Interpretation to help the public understand Lincoln-related stories and places
- Education initiatives for schools and learners
- Recreation opportunities encouraging people to experience the landscape and sites
- Conservation of natural and scenic resources that contribute to the heritage area's character
- Appropriately scaled, theme-based economic development that supports local communities while staying consistent with the heritage area's interpretive focus
12) What types of activities is the funding meant to sustain?
The funding is intended to sustain an integrated program that connects sites, communities, and partners under a single Lincoln-centered narrative while also protecting the physical and cultural assets that make that narrative meaningful.
13) How does interpretation fit into the purpose of the award?
Interpretation is one of the stated major objectives and focuses on helping the public understand Lincoln-related stories and places across the heritage area, linking sites and landscapes to the broader narrative of Lincoln's life in Illinois.
14) How does education fit into the purpose of the award?
Education is a major objective and includes initiatives that bring the relevant history and context to schools and learners, supporting public understanding of the heritage area's themes.
15) How do recreation and conservation fit into the purpose of the award?
Recreation is included as an objective to encourage people to experience the landscape and sites, while conservation focuses on protecting natural and scenic resources that contribute to the character of the heritage area.
16) What does "theme-based economic development" mean in this opportunity?
The opportunity describes economic development as appropriately scaled and tied to the heritage area's interpretive focus, supporting local communities while remaining consistent with the Lincoln-centered narrative and heritage area mission.
17) What is the geographic scope of the work?
The work spans the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area in central Illinois, covering roughly 25,000 square miles.
18) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education are explicitly excluded.
19) Are institutions of higher education eligible?
No. The opportunity excludes institutions of higher education, even if they otherwise operate as nonprofit entities.
20) How many awards are expected under this opportunity?
The posting indicates one expected award.
21) What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $1,500,000.
22) Is this opportunity designed to fund multiple unrelated projects?
No. The single expected award and the description indicate it is structured as a continuation award to support an established coordinating entity and its integrated, heritage area-wide program.
23) What are the funding activity categories associated with this opportunity?
The funding activity categories are broad and include: business and commerce; community and regional development; education; employment and training; environmental efforts; and humanities/cultural affairs.
24) When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on February 19, 2019, and the original closing date was March 1, 2019.
25) Why does the opportunity emphasize collaboration with NPS?
The opportunity states that ongoing federal support and oversight are part of Congressional intent for National Heritage Areas. As a cooperative agreement, it is designed to be highly collaborative, with NPS and ABEL positioned as partners jointly carrying out the heritage area mission.
26) What role does the annual work plan play in the cooperative agreement?
The annual work plan is closely reviewed and is subject to NPS review and approval to ensure it remains consistent with federal requirements and the purposes of the National Heritage Area legislation.
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