Natural Families: Engaging Community-Based Organizations to Improve Park Access and Use | P18AS00693

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00693

Natural Families: Engaging Community-Based Organizations to Improve Park Access and Use (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00693) is a discretionary National Park Service cooperative agreement focused on expanding and deepening community engagement in national parks, particularly among minority families and other groups that have not traditionally been frequent park visitors. The project is led by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, within the National Capital Region through its Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. At its core, the opportunity centers on developing a new, innovative "Natural Families" plan that strengthens partnerships with community-based organizations and uses those relationships to reduce barriers to park access, increase participation, and build lasting connections between families and public lands.

A key foundation for this work is the Family Nature Club model, which already operates at substantial scale nationwide. The recipient organization referenced in the notice supports more than 250 Family Nature Clubs across the United States and reaches as many as 50,000 families. These clubs are generally organized around trusted community leaders who plan and coordinate recurring family outings to nearby parks and natural areas. By relying on familiar local leadership and group-based participation, the model helps families try outdoor experiences they may not have had before and visit places they might not otherwise feel comfortable accessing, whether due to unfamiliarity, transportation challenges, cultural perceptions, or lack of information about what parks offer.

The National Park Service frames this approach as a way to expand the capacity of the National Park System to engage communities through practical, partner-driven methods. Rather than relying solely on traditional outreach and programming delivered directly by park staff, the cooperative agreement emphasizes leveraging the relationships, trust, and on-the-ground knowledge of community-based organizations. When Family Nature Clubs are propelled through these partners, the model is intended to reach into nontraditional park-goer communities more effectively, create new and sustained relationships with residents, and support experiences that span generations. The program also highlights an empowerment goal: helping families become change agents within their own communities by normalizing park participation, building outdoor confidence, and encouraging ongoing involvement with national parks in the region.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.954 and categorized under community development and humanities/cultural affairs. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in the project beyond what is common in a standard grant, such as collaboration on planning, coordination, or technical support. The posting indicates one expected award with an award ceiling of $55,000. The opportunity record was created on September 14, 2018, and it explicitly states that no applications will be accepted, suggesting it may have been intended for a specific recipient or was otherwise not open for competitive submission at the time it was posted. Eligible applicants are broadly labeled as "Others," with the full eligibility details referenced as being in an additional information field not included in the text provided.

Overall, the grant opportunity is about designing and implementing a structured, partnership-based strategy to connect more families, especially minority families, with national parks through repeatable, community-led outings and sustained local relationships. It positions Family Nature Clubs as a proven mechanism for overcoming participation gaps and building long-term community ties to parks, while also helping the National Park Service modernize and broaden how it approaches equitable access and community engagement.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the community development, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Natural Families: Engaging Community-Based Organizations to Improve Park Access and Use" 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 Sep 14, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. (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 $55,000.00 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).

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