Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00163
The Create Career Connections through Youth Employment Opportunities grant (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00163) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, offered through a cooperative agreement. It focuses on creating paid, hands-on youth employment experiences at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL), using internship-style positions to connect young adults to careers in public lands and public service. The overall goal is to introduce participants ages 18 to 35 to practical work in resource stewardship and visitor services inside a national park setting, supporting the park's broader priority of remaining relevant and welcoming to all audiences in the coming decades.
The project places interns within CARL's Interpretation and Visitor Services division, where they would learn directly alongside experienced professional interpreters and educators. The emphasis is on building real-world skills in public communication, education, and site operations while helping the park deliver everyday visitor services. Interns are expected to strengthen their ability to share CARL's stories with diverse audiences through structured mentorship, training, and on-the-job experience, rather than classroom-only learning.
Intern duties are centered on frontline visitor engagement. Interns would provide scheduled interpretive tours of the Sandburg Home, give informal interpretation at the visitor information area, and help deliver interpretive programming that collectively reaches more than 2,000 visitors. They would also operate the visitor shuttle, a key service that supports access for more than 5,500 visitors each year. In addition, interns would assist with the ParKids summer program, giving them experience working with youth groups and supporting education-focused programming during a busy season.
From a workforce development perspective, the opportunity is designed to build career pathways by combining skill development with direct service. Participants would gain practice in public speaking, interpretive storytelling, visitor assistance, safe and professional operations, and program facilitation. Just as importantly, the project aims to develop confidence and professional readiness through mentoring and repeated hands-on interactions with both general visitors and organized youth groups.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and other entities as allowed under the opportunity's additional eligibility language. The funding activity category is Natural Resources under CFDA 15.931. The award ceiling listed is $61,300. The opportunity was created on April 4, 2017, with an original closing date of April 14, 2017. Expected awards are listed as 0, which typically signals that awards may depend on available funding, partner selection, or internal agency decisions at the time rather than guaranteeing a set number of awards.Apply for P17AS00163
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Create Career Connections through Youth Employment Opportunities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 04, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 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 $61,300.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Create Career Connections through Youth Employment Opportunities grant?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), offered through a cooperative agreement. The project focus is to create paid, hands-on youth employment experiences at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL) using internship-style positions.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is P17AS00163.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
What type of award is this (grant or cooperative agreement)?
It is offered through a cooperative agreement.
What is the project location or site where activities take place?
The hands-on youth employment experiences are centered at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL).
What is the overall goal of the project?
The goal is to introduce participants ages 18 to 35 to practical work in resource stewardship and visitor services within a national park setting, while supporting the park priority of remaining relevant and welcoming to all audiences over the coming decades.
Who is the intended participant group?
The project is designed for young adults ages 18 to 35 who would participate in paid, internship-style positions.
Are the youth positions paid?
Yes. The opportunity specifically emphasizes creating paid, hands-on youth employment experiences.
What kind of youth employment experiences are supported?
The project uses internship-style positions focused on hands-on, practical work inside a national park setting, especially in visitor services and interpretive/educational activities.
Which division at CARL would interns be placed in?
Interns are placed within CARL's Interpretation and Visitor Services division.
What will interns learn through the placement?
Interns learn alongside professional interpreters and educators, with an emphasis on real-world skills in public communication, education, interpretive storytelling, and site operations through mentorship, training, and on-the-job experience.
Is the learning experience primarily classroom-based?
No. The emphasis is on structured mentorship, training, and on-the-job experience rather than classroom-only learning.
What are the main duties expected of interns?
Intern duties focus on frontline visitor engagement, including providing scheduled interpretive tours of the Sandburg Home, offering informal interpretation at the visitor information area, and helping deliver interpretive programming.
How many visitors are expected to be reached through interpretive tours and programming?
The interpretive tours and programming are described as collectively reaching more than 2,000 visitors.
What is the visitor shuttle role in this project?
Interns would operate the visitor shuttle, described as a key access service that supports more than 5,500 visitors each year.
Will interns work with youth programs?
Yes. Interns would assist with the ParKids summer program, gaining experience working with youth groups and supporting education-focused programming during a busy season.
What workforce development outcomes does this opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity is designed to build career pathways by combining skill development with direct service, and to develop confidence and professional readiness through mentoring and repeated hands-on interactions with visitors and organized youth groups.
What specific skills are participants expected to practice and build?
Participants would gain practice in public speaking, interpretive storytelling, visitor assistance, safe and professional operations, and program facilitation.
How does this project connect participants to careers?
It is intended to connect young adults to careers in public lands and public service by placing them in hands-on roles within a national park environment and pairing skill-building with direct visitor service and mentorship.
Who is eligible to apply as the applicant organization?
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and other entities as allowed under the opportunity's additional eligibility language.
Are institutions of higher education eligible under the nonprofit category described?
No. The eligibility language specifies 501(c)(3) nonprofits excluding institutions of higher education.
What is the CFDA number and activity category for this funding?
The funding activity category is Natural Resources under CFDA 15.931.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $61,300.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 4, 2017.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was April 14, 2017.
How many awards are expected?
Expected awards are listed as 0. This typically signals that awards may depend on available funding, partner selection, or internal agency decisions at the time rather than guaranteeing a set number of awards.
What kind of visitor service impact is described for the project?
The project describes service activities that include interpretive tours and programming reaching more than 2,000 visitors, operation of a shuttle supporting more than 5,500 visitors annually, and support for a summer youth program (ParKids).
What is the intended public benefit of the project for the park?
The project supports CARL's ongoing visitor services and interpretive operations while helping the park stay relevant and welcoming to all audiences in the coming decades.
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