Framework for Addressing Culture Resource Vulnerabilities, Phase I: Impacts Analysis | P17AS00733

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00733

The National Park Service (NPS), under the U.S. Department of the Interior, offered a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Framework for Addressing Culture Resource Vulnerabilities, Phase I: Impacts Analysis" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00733). The work focuses on the NPS Intermountain Region (IMR) and is designed to put into practice an NPS framework for identifying and addressing how environmental conditions and stressors are making cultural resources more vulnerable across that region's national parks. The emphasis is on producing practical, manager-ready information that supports better stewardship decisions for at-risk cultural assets.

This opportunity represents the first phase of a larger, three-part regional effort. Phase I is the "Impacts Analysis" component, followed by Phase II on developing adaptation strategies and Phase III on scenario planning. In other words, Phase I is meant to establish a clear baseline understanding of what environmental stressors exist, how they are affecting different types of cultural resources, and where the most significant vulnerabilities are likely to be, using existing data sources and established NPS norms and methods. The later phases build on this foundation by identifying response options and planning for different future conditions.

The specific objective of the Phase I task agreement is to complete an environmental stress and impacts analysis of cultural resources in IMR national parks. This includes examining current environmental drivers and stressors (for example, climate-related factors, weather extremes, erosion processes, moisture and temperature changes, wildfire-related impacts, and other environmental pressures) and translating those pressures into a structured understanding of impacts on cultural resources. The analysis is expected to follow NPS standards and accepted practice so that results are comparable across parks and usable within existing NPS planning and resource management workflows.

A key feature is that the project is regional in scope and designed to be completed by a team that combines natural resources and cultural resources expertise. That interdisciplinary structure matters because cultural resource vulnerability is often tied to environmental processes typically assessed by natural resource specialists, while the significance, integrity, and treatment needs of historic structures, archeological sites, cultural landscapes, and museum collections require cultural resource expertise. By integrating both perspectives, the phase aims to produce a more realistic picture of risk and impact pathways rather than treating cultural resources as isolated from their surrounding environmental systems.

The anticipated deliverables are information products that can be shared and used by park managers and program staff. The announcement highlights that the results will be produced and disseminated in a way that supports planning and stewardship improvements for vulnerable cultural resources. The work is intended to align with and support the Intermountain Region Vanishing Treasures (VT) Program as well as the NPS Washington Support Office (WASO), indicating that the outputs should be useful both for on-the-ground park decision-making and for broader program-level prioritization and coordination.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means NPS expects substantial involvement during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The opportunity was limited to eligible applicants that are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, reflecting an intent to partner with universities or similar public academic entities. The award ceiling was $99,782, with one award expected. The opportunity was posted on August 25, 2017, with an original closing date of September 2, 2017. The funding activity category is Natural Resources, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.945.

Overall, the opportunity funds a tightly scoped, first-step assessment meant to clarify how current environmental stressors are affecting cultural resources across the Intermountain Region's national parks. The value of Phase I is that it creates a credible, standardized impacts baseline that can guide later adaptation planning and scenario development, while also giving park managers immediately usable insights for protecting vulnerable cultural resources in coordination with NPS regional and national programs.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Framework for Addressing Culture Resource Vulnerabilities, Phase I: Impacts Analysis" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 25, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 02, 2017. (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 $99,782.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for P17AS00733

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