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Federal Open GRANTS-GOV-363728

Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

National Park Service (DOI) · Competitive · Science & Technology

At a glance

Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is a federal competitive grant from National Park Service for the science & technology sector. Funding is $10K–$50K. Eligible applicants: Private institutions of higher education; Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutio. The application deadline is November 4, 2026. Apply via the official listing at www.grants.gov.

Amount
$10K–$50K
Deadline
Nov 4, 2026
Type
Competitive
Status
Open

About this program

Goal: Encourage outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism that expands access to and awareness of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and fosters economic development of communities.ObjectivesNPS Chesapeake Gateways is offering this competitive grant opportunity to strengthen a community's ability to offer or enhance outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism that connects visitors and residents to the Chesapeake Bay watershed as detailed in the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998.Through this grant opportunity, NPS Chesapeake Gateways will:Enhance outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.Support projects that link outdoor and heritage tourism to economic impact.Celebrate gateway communities that welcome and invite locals and visitors to explore authentic Chesapeake Gateways Places and stories through outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural experiences.Grant ThemeChesapeake Gateways is a network of places that provide opportunities to explore outdoor recreation and authentic natural, historical, and cultural experiences of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Included in this network are diverse recreational, natural, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, trails, museums, parks, wildlife refuges, interpretive and orientation facilities, and associated programs. These places, and Chesapeake Gateways as a whole, serve as entry points and the key guide for experiencing the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Who can apply

Private institutions of higher education; Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; For profit organizations other than small businesses; Independent school districts; State governments; Public and State controlled institutions of higher education; County governments; Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments); Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Special district governments; Small businesses; City or township governments. PLEASE NOTE: Projects that take place outside the watershed are not eligible for consideration. A link to all the counties in the watershed can be found in Appendix A. A full map can be found here.Chesapeake Gateways Network Requirement: The applicant must be a non-federal Chesapeake Gateways Network member (Place, Experience, Community, or Programmatic Partner). To become a Chesapeake Gateways Network member, prospective applicants need to submit a self-nomination through the Chesapeake Gateways Network portal: Join the Chesapeake Gateways Network - Chesapeake Bay Watershed (U.S. National Park Service). Foreign Entities or Projects: This program does not provide funding to foreign entities or for projects conducted outside the United States.Excluded Parties:NPS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The NPS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

How to apply

Apply through Grants.gov using funding opportunity number P27AS00032. Register your organization (SAM.gov + Grants.gov) before the deadline, then submit the application package listed in the official notice.

Apply at official source