Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00016
Teaching through Collections (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00016) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement designed to turn museum and park collections into practical classroom resources for teachers and students in central Alaska, with a strong focus on the Denali area. This notice is not an open call for proposals; it is a public announcement that NPS intended to make a non-competitive, single-source award to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), specifically the Museum of the North (UAMN), under an existing cooperative framework (Cooperative Agreement P13AC01025). The project sits under CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs, and is authorized through 54 U.S.C. 101702(a) and (b), which support cooperative agreements and cooperative research and training efforts.
The planned award was up to $27,450 in federal support (with no cost share required), structured as a three-year effort running from December 1, 2016 through September 30, 2019. The central goal is educational outreach: helping elementary and secondary educators use cultural resource collections to teach local history and culture, while also highlighting why museum collections matter and how they can be used as evidence in learning. The partnership aligns with both organizations missions, with Denali National Park and Preserve supporting the effort as a way to broaden public understanding of the region's cultural resources.
The work is organized around three main deliverables. First, UAMN would run a teacher training workshop in the Denali region, either as one two-day session or two one-day sessions, hosted in local communities such as Cantwell, Healy, Anderson, Nenana, and/or Talkeetna. In this training, museum staff would introduce teachers to object-based learning and the cultural history of the Denali area, then guide them in developing standards-based lesson plans and classroom activities connected directly to museum and park collections. Where relevant, the lessons would incorporate the Alaska Cultural Standards for Educators, and the workshop would also provide professional development support, including covering any continuing education credit fees charged by the University of Alaska for participating teachers.
Second, UAMN would build longer-term access to these materials by creating an online portal to host teacher-created and museum-edited lesson plans, activities, and other educational content. A major component of the online resources would be a digital or virtual exhibit using selected cultural resource items from both Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA) and UAMN collections. To help the resource reach beyond the workshop participants, the project also included developing basic promotional materials like a brochure or flyer to point educators and community members to the website.
Third, the project would end with a public outreach event in the Denali Borough meant to connect local residents with the collections and the educational tools built during the agreement. The event concept is hands-on and community-facing, similar to a science night or school-based program, with teachers invited to participate and showcase activities that translate the collections into engaging learning experiences for families and students. In addition to the public-facing products, UAMN was required to submit a final written report to Denali Park by August 31, 2019 documenting the methodology used for the digital exhibit and summarizing completed work.
Roles were clearly split but intentionally collaborative, which is typical of cooperative agreements. UAMN was responsible for delivering the workshops, developing the lesson plans and online portal, producing the digital exhibit alongside NPS cultural resource staff, hosting the final outreach event, and submitting the final report. The agreement also specifies that any relevant equipment purchased would remain the property of NPS Cultural Resources for future use in similar education and digitization efforts. NPS, in turn, would be substantially involved by helping recruit teachers, publicizing the outreach event, assisting with logistics and reservations, providing access to NPS collections, offering staff expertise for review and development (for example, curators and cultural resource specialists), and supplying up to $27,450 in financial assistance. Where feasible, NPS could also allow the project team to use government equipment and infrastructure for tasks like photographing collections or supporting audiovisual needs, subject to standard NPS accountability rules.
Finally, the reason this award was issued without competition is explained through the Department of the Interior single-source policy criteria, specifically "Unique Qualifications." NPS justified the non-competitive approach on the grounds that the relevant museum collections needed for the educational content are jointly held across NPS and the UAF Museum of the North, making UAMN uniquely positioned to work directly with these materials and deliver the intended outcomes. The announcement also notes that applications would only be accepted from UAF under the Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit arrangement tied to the existing cooperative agreement, and that the expected number of awards was one. The listed point of contact for the opportunity was Erica Cordeiro.Apply for P17AS00016
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, environment, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Teaching through Collections" 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 Nov 08, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 17, 2016 Applications will only be accepted from the University of Alaska Fairbanks under their Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit program P13AC01025.. (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 $30,000.00 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.
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Teaching through Collections (P17AS00016) FAQ
What is the Teaching through Collections opportunity (P17AS00016)?
Teaching through Collections (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00016) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement focused on turning museum and park collections into practical classroom resources for teachers and students in central Alaska, with a strong emphasis on the Denali area.
Is this an open grant competition?
No. The notice is not an open call for proposals. It is a public announcement that NPS intended to make a non-competitive, single-source award.
Who was eligible to apply for this award?
Applications were only accepted from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), specifically the University of Alaska Museum of the North (UAMN), under an existing cooperative framework.
Who was the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient was the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), specifically the Museum of the North (UAMN).
How many awards were expected?
The expected number of awards was one.
Why was the award non-competitive (single-source)?
NPS cited the Department of the Interior single-source policy criteria under "Unique Qualifications." The justification was that the museum collections needed for the educational content are jointly held across NPS and the UAF Museum of the North, making UAMN uniquely positioned to work directly with these materials and achieve the project outcomes.
What type of agreement is this?
This is a cooperative agreement, which is designed for intentional collaboration and substantial involvement by the federal agency (NPS) during the project.
What is the underlying cooperative framework referenced in the notice?
The planned award was to be made under an existing cooperative framework: Cooperative Agreement P13AC01025.
What is the CFDA program associated with this project?
The project sits under CFDA 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs.
What legal authority supports this cooperative agreement?
The authorization cited is 54 U.S.C. 101702(a) and (b), which supports cooperative agreements and cooperative research and training efforts.
What was the planned federal funding amount?
The planned award provided up to $27,450 in federal support.
Was a cost share or match required?
No cost share was required.
What was the project period of performance?
The effort was structured as a three-year project running from December 1, 2016 through September 30, 2019.
What is the main goal of the project?
The central goal is educational outreach: helping elementary and secondary educators use cultural resource collections to teach local history and culture, while highlighting why museum collections matter and how collections can be used as evidence in learning.
What geographic area is the project focused on?
The project is focused on central Alaska, with a strong focus on the Denali area and the Denali region more broadly.
What are the three main deliverables described in the notice?
The work is organized around three deliverables: (1) a teacher training workshop in the Denali region, (2) an online portal with lesson plans and a digital/virtual exhibit plus basic promotional materials, and (3) a public outreach event in the Denali Borough, along with a final written report documenting the digital exhibit methodology and completed work.
What is included in the teacher training workshop deliverable?
UAMN would run a teacher training workshop in the Denali region, offered either as one two-day session or as two one-day sessions. Museum staff would introduce object-based learning and the cultural history of the Denali area, and guide teachers in developing standards-based lesson plans and classroom activities tied directly to museum and park collections.
Where would the teacher training workshop be hosted?
The workshop would be hosted in local Denali-region communities such as Cantwell, Healy, Anderson, Nenana, and/or Talkeetna.
How would lesson plans be developed during the workshop?
Teachers would be guided to develop standards-based lesson plans and classroom activities connected directly to museum and park collections, with museum staff providing instruction in object-based learning and regional cultural history.
Would the workshop incorporate Alaska Cultural Standards for Educators?
Yes. Where relevant, lessons would incorporate the Alaska Cultural Standards for Educators.
Would the project cover professional development or continuing education credit fees?
Yes. The workshop would provide professional development support, including covering any continuing education credit fees charged by the University of Alaska for participating teachers.
What is the online portal deliverable?
UAMN would create an online portal to host teacher-created and museum-edited lesson plans, activities, and other educational content to provide longer-term access beyond the workshop participants.
What is the digital or virtual exhibit component?
A major part of the online resources would be a digital/virtual exhibit using selected cultural resource items from both Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA) and UAMN collections, developed with NPS cultural resource staff.
How would the project promote the online portal?
The project included developing basic promotional materials such as a brochure or flyer directing educators and community members to the website.
What is the public outreach event deliverable?
The project would conclude with a public outreach event in the Denali Borough intended to connect local residents with the collections and the educational tools developed through the agreement.
What would the public outreach event look like?
The event concept is hands-on and community-facing, similar to a science night or school-based program. Teachers would be invited to participate and showcase activities that translate the collections into engaging learning experiences for families and students.
Was a final report required?
Yes. UAMN was required to submit a final written report to Denali Park documenting the methodology used for the digital exhibit and summarizing completed work.
When was the final report due?
The final written report was due by August 31, 2019.
What were UAMN's responsibilities under the cooperative agreement?
UAMN was responsible for delivering the workshops, developing the lesson plans and online portal, producing the digital exhibit alongside NPS cultural resource staff, hosting the final outreach event, and submitting the final report.
What was NPS expected to do during the project?
NPS was expected to be substantially involved by helping recruit teachers, publicizing the outreach event, assisting with logistics and reservations, providing access to NPS collections, offering staff expertise (such as curators and cultural resource specialists) for review and development, and providing up to $27,450 in financial assistance.
Could NPS equipment or infrastructure be used for the project?
Where feasible, NPS could allow the project team to use government equipment and infrastructure for tasks like photographing collections or supporting audiovisual needs, subject to standard NPS accountability rules.
Who would own equipment purchased for the project?
Any relevant equipment purchased would remain the property of NPS Cultural Resources for future use in similar education and digitization efforts.
How does Denali National Park and Preserve fit into the project?
Denali National Park and Preserve supported the effort as a way to broaden public understanding of the region's cultural resources, and its collections would be among those used for the educational content and digital exhibit.
Who was the point of contact listed for this opportunity?
The listed point of contact was Erica Cordeiro.
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