The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is soliciting applications for its Heritage Interpretive Assistance.
Donor Name: Forest Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/07/2025
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: 5 Years
Details:
This Outreach of Interest (OOI) functions as an outreach mechanism to cultivate relationships and connect with potential partners. This OOI is intended to solicit responses to explore future projects meeting the needs and interests of potential partners through partnership agreements within legislative authority with USDA Forest Service.
USDA Forest Service is looking seeking assistance in the interpretation and education of the Nation’s history, especially perspectives from communities that have been historically marginalized or underserved. This includes but is not limited to Indigenous persons perspectives, as well as presenting the agency’s history of natural resource management. This initiative aims to foster co-stewardship between USDA Forest Service and educational, interpretive and history focused partners to assist the agency to interpret and educate the public on natural and cultural resources issues associated with 193 million acres of lands managed by the agency. The USDA Forest Service works with other land management agencies, local communities, interested publics, and Tribes to ensure agency actions address cultural sensitivities and priorities.
The USDA Forest Service manages 36.6 million acres of wilderness, 158,000 miles of trails, 4,300 campgrounds, 9 national monuments and one national historic site. Many of these resources contain information kiosks, interpretive displays or other information sharing hubs to the public to provide for their safety, enhance their enjoyment and use of the environment and to provide a historical perspective of the area. Interpretive materials are dated, in disrepair or incomplete. Opportunities for partnership participation include the development of text and artwork in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and its consultants and develop materials that adhere to current agency priorities, accurate historical perspectives, and overall goals.
Nationwide, the workload for heritage program activities exceeds capacity. Partnerships benefit the agency by increasing capacity. In addition, they can enhance engagement with community members and help cultivate a vested interest in long term success and shared “ownership” in final outcomes. They can provide opportunities for job training, personal development, conservation service, and natural and cultural resource appreciation while cultivating the next generation of natural resource stewards.
Project Period
Awards under this announcement are typically 1 to 5 years in length. Projects of greater complexity may be awarded for a longer period, not to exceed 5 years.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible responders include for profit; non-profits; institutions of higher education; federal, state, local, and Native American tribal governments; organizations and special purpose districts (public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, school districts, and ports).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
