Opportunity Information: Apply for NOIP17AC01217
This grant opportunity, titled Collaborative Interpretation Partnership for Nicodemus National Historic Site (Funding Opportunity Number NOIP17AC01217), is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to support a close, ongoing partnership focused on how the public experiences and learns about Nicodemus, Kansas. The central goal is to deliver strong visitor orientation and interpretation services both on site in Nicodemus and through outreach beyond the park, using multiple formats such as in-person programming, events, and various media. The work is tied directly to the mission established in federal law, specifically the park's enabling legislation, which directs the partners to preserve, protect, and interpret the remaining buildings and places connected to the town's settlement and growth, and to explain Nicodemus's role during the Reconstruction era within the broader story of westward expansion in the United States. A key context point is that Congress designated five properties as part of Nicodemus National Historic Site, but only one of those properties is federally owned, making collaboration and shared operations especially important.
The statement of work lays out a relationship-driven approach where both parties are expected to maintain active, balanced participation and keep a long-term focus on sustaining a productive partnership that advances the park's mission. The partners are expected to communicate frequently, coordinate visitor service planning, and review interpretive and informational services every year to confirm they remain accurate, appropriate, high-quality, and aligned with the enabling legislation. The agreement also emphasizes practical coordination: working together on tour offerings, educational services, special events, exhibits, and public communications. There is also an intentional capacity-building component, encouraging cross-training, technical assistance exchanges, and coordinated training for staff and volunteers so both organizations become more effective and efficient over time. Public messaging is treated as a shared responsibility, with requirements to notify and review news releases and, when appropriate, issue joint press releases.
The recipient organization is responsible for the day-to-day, front-line visitor service presence. That includes providing and supervising staff (and potentially volunteers) who can deliver good customer service and mission-focused interpretation, operating year-round interpretive and educational services, and helping manage and operate the site in partnership with NPS. Because the recipient will occupy a federally controlled facility and provide access to NPS-owned properties, the agreement also includes operational expectations around visitor safety and maintaining a safe, healthful environment for visitors and personnel. Planning and accountability requirements are spelled out: the recipient must meet annually with the NPS Nicodemus Superintendent to develop an Annual Operational Work Plan by October 31 each year, covering planned programs and events, exhibits, facility changes, and any anticipated departures from normal operations. The recipient must also track visitation carefully and provide monthly visitation data to the Superintendent. Marketing and promotional materials must be developed collaboratively, require NPS pre-approval, and must follow NPS graphic standards; brochure reprints or updates have to be requested through the Superintendent. The recipient also agrees to collaborate with NPS on recruiting and using docents and volunteers.
NPS, in turn, commits to providing broader educational and digital reach that supplements on-site services. This includes educational outreach and distance learning, lesson plans, teacher workshops, and social media and other digital engagement for audiences who are not physically present at the site. NPS will maintain the official Nicodemus National Historic Site web presence, provide technical assistance and regular training to the recipient in interpretation and program media development, and use recipient input to compile and submit required visitation and interpretive reporting. NPS also retains core federal responsibilities such as reviewing and approving or disapproving special use requests, serving as the primary point of contact for media and official inquiries about Nicodemus as a unit of the National Park System, and providing access to NPS technical experts to support the partnership's work. NPS also indicates an intent to look for opportunities to develop complementary programming that can be used not only at Nicodemus but potentially at other national parks and related historical sites.
A notable feature of this opportunity is that it was planned as a single-source award rather than a competitively solicited grant. The justification provided cites Department of the Interior and NPS policy requirements for single-source agreements and explains that full and open competition was considered impracticable because the proposed recipient has unique qualifications. Specifically, the partnering organization includes direct descendants and residents of the Nicodemus community who can provide an authentic community perspective and knowledge, and the partnership builds on a long-standing working relationship with NPS. The justification also points to exclusive historical source material held by the partner, including documentation, photographs, and diaries that are necessary to inform accurate interpretive materials and visitor orientation.
From the funding and administrative details provided, this was a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.954, with an expected single award and an award ceiling of $500,000. The opportunity was posted by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, created September 6, 2017, with an original closing date of September 11, 2017. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the full posting, but the narrative makes clear the intent was to support a specific uniquely qualified partner to deliver interpretation and visitor services that match the site's congressional purpose and on-the-ground operational realities.Apply for NOIP17AC01217
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Interpretation Partnership for Nicodemus National Historic Site" 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 06, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 11, 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 $500,000.00 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Collaborative Interpretation Partnership for Nicodemus National Historic Site (NOIP17AC01217)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement titled Collaborative Interpretation Partnership for Nicodemus National Historic Site (Funding Opportunity Number NOIP17AC01217). It is designed to support a close, ongoing partnership focused on how the public experiences and learns about Nicodemus, Kansas, through visitor orientation, interpretation, and outreach.
2) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
3) What type of award is it?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement (CFDA 15.954).
4) What is the central purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The central purpose is to deliver strong visitor orientation and interpretation services for Nicodemus National Historic Site, both on site in Nicodemus and through outreach beyond the park, using multiple formats such as in-person programming, events, and various media.
5) How is the work connected to federal law or the park's mission?
The work is tied directly to the park's enabling legislation. The partnership is intended to help preserve, protect, and interpret remaining buildings and places connected to the town's settlement and growth, and to explain Nicodemus's role during the Reconstruction era as part of the broader story of westward expansion in the United States.
6) Why is collaboration emphasized for Nicodemus National Historic Site?
Congress designated five properties as part of Nicodemus National Historic Site, but only one of those properties is federally owned. Because multiple properties are not federally owned, collaboration and shared operations are especially important to delivering consistent visitor services and interpretation.
7) What kinds of visitor experiences and services are supported under this agreement?
The agreement supports visitor orientation and interpretation services delivered through formats such as:
- In-person programming
- Special events
- Educational services
- Tours
- Exhibits
- Public communications and various media
8) What does "relationship-driven partnership" mean in the statement of work?
It means both parties are expected to maintain active, balanced participation; communicate frequently; coordinate visitor service planning; and keep a long-term focus on sustaining a productive partnership that advances the park's mission.
9) Are interpretive services reviewed regularly?
Yes. The partners are expected to review interpretive and informational services every year to confirm the content remains accurate, appropriate, high-quality, and aligned with the enabling legislation.
10) What coordination activities are specifically mentioned?
The agreement emphasizes practical coordination on:
- Tour offerings
- Educational services
- Special events
- Exhibits
- Public communications
11) Is staff and volunteer development part of the agreement?
Yes. The agreement includes capacity-building through cross-training, technical assistance exchanges, and coordinated training for staff and volunteers so both organizations become more effective and efficient over time.
12) How are news releases and public messaging handled?
Public messaging is treated as a shared responsibility. The agreement includes requirements to notify and review news releases and, when appropriate, to issue joint press releases.
13) What is the recipient organization responsible for day-to-day?
The recipient is responsible for the day-to-day, front-line visitor service presence. This includes providing and supervising staff (and potentially volunteers) who deliver customer service and mission-focused interpretation, operating year-round interpretive and educational services, and helping manage and operate the site in partnership with NPS.
14) Does the recipient have facility or site-operation responsibilities?
Yes. Because the recipient will occupy a federally controlled facility and provide access to NPS-owned properties, the agreement includes operational expectations around visitor safety and maintaining a safe, healthful environment for visitors and personnel.
15) What planning requirements does the recipient have each year?
The recipient must meet annually with the NPS Nicodemus Superintendent to develop an Annual Operational Work Plan by October 31 each year.
16) What must be included in the Annual Operational Work Plan?
The plan covers planned programs and events, exhibits, facility changes, and any anticipated departures from normal operations.
17) Are there visitation tracking and reporting requirements?
Yes. The recipient must track visitation carefully and provide monthly visitation data to the Superintendent.
18) Are there rules for marketing and promotional materials?
Yes. Marketing and promotional materials must be developed collaboratively, require NPS pre-approval, and must follow NPS graphic standards.
19) How are brochure reprints or updates handled?
Brochure reprints or updates must be requested through the Superintendent.
20) Does the agreement address docents and volunteers?
Yes. The recipient agrees to collaborate with NPS on recruiting and using docents and volunteers.
21) What does NPS provide as part of the partnership?
NPS commits to providing broader educational and digital reach that supplements on-site services. This includes educational outreach and distance learning, lesson plans, teacher workshops, and social media and other digital engagement for people who are not physically present at the site.
22) Who maintains the official Nicodemus National Historic Site website?
NPS will maintain the official Nicodemus National Historic Site web presence.
23) Does NPS provide training or technical assistance to the recipient?
Yes. NPS will provide technical assistance and regular training to the recipient in interpretation and program media development.
24) Who handles official media inquiries about Nicodemus as a unit of the National Park System?
NPS serves as the primary point of contact for media and official inquiries about Nicodemus as a unit of the National Park System.
25) Who reviews and decides on special use requests?
NPS retains responsibility for reviewing and approving or disapproving special use requests.
26) Does NPS support the partnership with subject-matter expertise?
Yes. NPS will provide access to NPS technical experts to support the partnership's work.
27) Is there an intention to create programming usable beyond Nicodemus?
Yes. NPS indicates an intent to look for opportunities to develop complementary programming that could be used not only at Nicodemus but potentially at other national parks and related historical sites.
28) Was this opportunity intended to be competitive?
No. This opportunity was planned as a single-source award rather than a competitively solicited grant.
29) Why was a single-source award justified?
The justification states that full and open competition was considered impracticable because the proposed recipient has unique qualifications, including direct descendants and residents of the Nicodemus community who can provide authentic community perspective and knowledge. It also cites a long-standing working relationship with NPS and exclusive historical source material held by the partner (documentation, photographs, and diaries) needed for accurate interpretive materials and visitor orientation.
30) How many awards were expected?
The posting indicates an expected single award.
31) What is the maximum funding amount mentioned?
The award ceiling listed is $500,000.
32) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 15.954.
33) When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on September 6, 2017, with an original closing date of September 11, 2017.
34) Who was eligible to apply based on the posting?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others", with additional clarification expected in the full posting. The narrative also makes clear the intent was to support a specific uniquely qualified partner.
35) What makes this agreement a "cooperative" agreement in practice?
Based on the statement of work, the cooperative nature is reflected in ongoing joint planning, frequent communication, shared review of interpretive accuracy and quality, collaborative development and approval of public-facing materials, coordinated training and capacity-building, and shared responsibility for public messaging.
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