Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00611
The Groundwork Richmond VA Outdoor Recreation Partnership (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00611) is a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on improving outdoor access, environmental stewardship, and community capacity in Richmond, Virginia, with a particular emphasis on underserved neighborhoods. The opportunity is categorized under community development and is structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the work is carried out in close collaboration with the NPS rather than as a typical independent grant. The listed award ceiling is $60,000 with one expected award. Importantly, this notice is not open for competition: it is a notice of intent to partner with Groundwork Richmond (GW RVA) under an existing agreement, and no applications are being accepted.
A major component of the project is to continue building GW RVA's Urban Trails Program, which aims to create safe pedestrian pathways that link residents from underserved areas to parks, recreation opportunities, and conserved natural resources. The work centers on public outreach and participation, such as attending public venues to promote trail development and to ensure neighborhood trail segments connect into broader citywide trail systems. It also includes hands-on community engagement, where GW RVA and partners educate residents about trail benefits, gather local input on trail routes and connections, and make sure neighborhood perspectives shape what gets built and improved. Another key deliverable is developing a long-term trail stewardship and maintenance approach. GW RVA is expected to research and compile best practices for community-based maintenance models like Adopt-a-Trail programs or Trail Friends groups, then translate that research into practical recommendations tailored to Richmond. The project requires selecting a trail segment or project to serve as a stewardship demonstration site, implementing the maintenance and stewardship strategy with community participation, evaluating results, and producing recommendations for scaling the approach to additional trails.
The partnership also looks beyond trails to Richmond's waterways by assessing opportunities for conservation and restoration of urban tributaries to the James River. This portion begins with convening meetings with city and community partners to identify realistic restoration and conservation opportunities that also serve broader community goals like environmental education, green jobs training, and neighborhood stewardship. GW RVA is expected to research comparable river conservation efforts in other cities, including examples from Groundwork Lawrence and Groundwork Cincinnati, and distill lessons learned into recommendations for Richmond stakeholders. The work then becomes more site-specific: identify an appropriate restoration location, develop a plan, and select an initial phase to implement as a demonstration project. Volunteer engagement is built into the approach, with planning and organizing volunteer opportunities to support restoration activities. After implementing the first phase, GW RVA must assess outcomes and provide guidance on whether and how similar restoration projects should proceed in the future, supported by documented results.
Another central element is building stronger organizational infrastructure through a GW Richmond Volunteer Management System. The intent is to improve how volunteers are recruited, coordinated, supported, and retained across GW RVA projects and programs, while also making volunteer participation easier for residents, partners, and other stakeholders. The tasks include researching volunteer management systems used by other organizations, compiling recommendations for how a system should be designed and maintained in the context of GW RVA's existing volunteer base, and selecting a specific project or program where the system can be piloted. From there, GW RVA develops an implementation plan, explores ways to involve volunteers in building the system itself, launches a first phase, and then evaluates how well it worked. The evaluation is expected to produce recommendations for expansion to additional projects and programs, along with documentation of outcomes and any changes needed.
In addition to local delivery, the agreement includes a technical assistance role. GW RVA is expected to share experience and on-the-ground expertise with other communities working on similar efforts to improve access to parks, recreation, and conserved natural resources, in coordination with the National Park Service. This involves working with NPS to identify community-led projects that would benefit from Groundwork Richmond's support, creating work plans with each selected community project that spell out goals, roles, responsibilities, timelines, and expected outcomes, and then collaborating with those communities and NPS to achieve the stated results.
Across all project areas, the grant places strong emphasis on accountability, documentation, and reporting. GW RVA must track and document leveraged resources such as additional funding, in-kind contributions, volunteer hours, donated materials, and equipment. The organization is also required to maintain a photographic record and a running list of accomplishments for all projects undertaken. Progress is formally reported through quarterly narrative reports submitted to the NPS, describing work completed against the tasks in the agreement, along with final or periodic reporting that highlights accomplishments, assesses outcomes, and recommends adjustments for future efforts.Apply for P18AS00611
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Groundwork Richmond VA Outdoor Recreation Partnership" 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 Aug 29, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of intent to partner with Groundwork RVA under existing agreement. No applications will be accepted.. (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 $60,000.00 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).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Groundwork Richmond VA Outdoor Recreation Partnership (P18AS00611)?
It is a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on improving outdoor access, environmental stewardship, and community capacity in Richmond, Virginia, with a particular emphasis on underserved neighborhoods. The opportunity is categorized under community development.
Which federal agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The opportunity is sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS), which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What type of funding mechanism is this?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement. That means the work is expected to be carried out in close collaboration with the National Park Service rather than as a typical independent grant where the recipient operates largely on its own.
Is this opportunity open for competition or accepting applications?
No. This notice is not open for competition. It is a notice of intent to partner with Groundwork Richmond (GW RVA) under an existing agreement, and no applications are being accepted.
Who is the intended partner/recipient named in the notice?
The notice identifies Groundwork Richmond (GW RVA) as the partner under an existing agreement.
What is the award ceiling and how many awards are expected?
The listed award ceiling is $60,000, and one award is expected.
What are the main focus areas of the partnership work?
The work described includes: (1) building the Urban Trails Program and expanding safe pedestrian connections to parks and natural resources, (2) assessing and advancing urban tributary conservation/restoration opportunities connected to the James River, (3) building organizational infrastructure through a Volunteer Management System, and (4) providing technical assistance to other communities in coordination with NPS.
What is the Urban Trails Program trying to achieve?
The Urban Trails Program aims to create safe pedestrian pathways that link residents from underserved areas to parks, recreation opportunities, and conserved natural resources, while also ensuring neighborhood trail segments connect into broader citywide trail systems.
What kinds of outreach and community engagement activities are included for trail work?
The partnership includes public outreach and participation such as attending public venues to promote trail development, educating residents on trail benefits, gathering local input on trail routes and connections, and ensuring neighborhood perspectives shape what gets built and improved.
Does the project include trail maintenance and stewardship planning?
Yes. A key deliverable is developing a long-term trail stewardship and maintenance approach tailored to Richmond.
What best-practice models are mentioned for trail stewardship?
The notice references community-based maintenance models such as Adopt-a-Trail programs and Trail Friends groups as examples of approaches GW RVA is expected to research and compile.
Is there a requirement to test the stewardship approach on an actual trail segment?
Yes. The work requires selecting a trail segment or project as a stewardship demonstration site, implementing the maintenance and stewardship strategy with community participation, evaluating results, and producing recommendations for scaling the approach to additional trails.
How does the partnership address waterways and the James River?
The project includes assessing opportunities for conservation and restoration of urban tributaries to the James River, starting with partner convenings to identify realistic opportunities that align with community goals.
What community goals are tied to the tributary conservation and restoration work?
The notice notes goals such as environmental education, green jobs training, and neighborhood stewardship in connection with identifying and pursuing restoration and conservation opportunities.
Are examples from other cities part of the required research?
Yes. GW RVA is expected to research comparable river conservation efforts in other cities, including examples from Groundwork Lawrence and Groundwork Cincinnati, and distill lessons learned into recommendations for Richmond stakeholders.
Does the tributary work include implementing a demonstration project?
Yes. The work includes identifying an appropriate restoration location, developing a plan, selecting an initial phase to implement as a demonstration project, and then assessing outcomes after implementation.
Are volunteers expected to be involved in restoration activities?
Yes. Volunteer engagement is built in, including planning and organizing volunteer opportunities to support restoration activities.
What is the GW Richmond Volunteer Management System, and why is it included?
It is an organizational infrastructure effort intended to improve how volunteers are recruited, coordinated, supported, and retained across GW RVA projects and programs, while making participation easier for residents, partners, and other stakeholders.
What steps are described for building and testing the Volunteer Management System?
The tasks include researching volunteer management systems used by other organizations, compiling recommendations for designing and maintaining a system suited to GW RVA, selecting a project or program for a pilot, developing an implementation plan, exploring ways to involve volunteers in building the system, launching a first phase, and evaluating performance to guide expansion and improvements.
Does the agreement include work that supports other communities outside Richmond?
Yes. The agreement includes a technical assistance role where GW RVA shares experience and on-the-ground expertise with other communities working to improve access to parks, recreation, and conserved natural resources, in coordination with NPS.
How is the technical assistance expected to be organized?
GW RVA is expected to work with NPS to identify community-led projects that would benefit from support, create work plans with each selected community project (including goals, roles, responsibilities, timelines, and expected outcomes), and collaborate with those communities and NPS to achieve results.
What accountability and reporting requirements are emphasized?
The agreement emphasizes accountability, documentation, and reporting. GW RVA must track and document leveraged resources (such as additional funding, in-kind contributions, volunteer hours, donated materials, and equipment), maintain a photographic record, keep a running list of accomplishments, submit quarterly narrative reports to NPS describing progress against tasks, and provide final or periodic reporting that highlights accomplishments, assesses outcomes, and recommends adjustments for future efforts.
What types of leveraged resources must be tracked?
The notice specifically mentions additional funding, in-kind contributions, volunteer hours, donated materials, and equipment as leveraged resources that must be documented.
How often are progress reports required, and what do they include?
Progress is reported through quarterly narrative reports submitted to the National Park Service. These reports describe work completed against the tasks in the agreement.
Is photographic documentation required?
Yes. GW RVA is required to maintain a photographic record for projects undertaken.
What is expected at the end of demonstration efforts (trails, restoration, volunteer system)?
Across these areas, the notice consistently expects evaluation of results and documented recommendations for scaling, expansion, or future direction based on outcomes.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Community Development
Next opportunity: Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- Henderson, Knox, and Warren Counties, Illinois
Previous opportunity: Ethnic Cultural Events at Lowell National Historical Park
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for P18AS00611
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (P18AS00611) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Annual Program Statement (APS) for Colombia’s Ethnic Communities “Strengthening Ethnic Communities for Inclusive Peace” Apply for 72051418APS00001 Funding Number: 72051418APS00001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Colombia USAID-Bogota Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Groundwork Hudson Valley Outdoor Recreation Partnership Apply for P18AS00638 Funding Number: P18AS00638 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| Media Initiatives and Partnerships Support Apply for 72016918RFA00008 Funding Number: 72016918RFA00008 Agency: Agency for International Development, Serbia USAID-Belgrade Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Community Development Block Grant Program for Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages Apply for FR 6200 N 23 Funding Number: FR 6200 N 23 Agency: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| Copilaria Mea (My Childhood) Apply for 72011719RFA00001 Funding Number: 72011719RFA00001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Moldova USAID-Chisinau Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Notice of Funding Availability for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Homeless Management Information System Capacity Building Project Apply for FR 6100 N 40 Funding Number: FR 6100 N 40 Agency: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Ambassadors' Special Self Help Fund Apply for DOS CONAK FY18 01 Funding Number: DOS CONAK FY18 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Guinea Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $12,000 |
| Countering Violent Extremism in the Philippines through Targeted, Networked, and Effective Initiatives Apply for SFOP0005506 Funding Number: SFOP0005506 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $1,678,750 |
| Localworks Pre-Award Survey Option Apply for 72016819RFI001 Funding Number: 72016819RFI001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Bosnia USAID-Herzegovina Category: Community Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ambassador’s Special Self Help Program – Annual Program Statement Apply for AFREO 19 GR 002 AF 121919 Funding Number: AFREO 19 GR 002 AF 121919 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Botswana Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| The USAID/Eastern and Southern Caribbean’s Community Resilience Initiative Broad Agency Announcement Apply for BAA ESC GDO 2019 Funding Number: BAA ESC GDO 2019 Agency: Agency for International Development, Dominican Republic USAID-Santo Domingo Category: Community Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Julia Taft Refugee Fund FY 2019 Apply for DOS ABJ FY19 01 Funding Number: DOS ABJ FY19 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Cote d Ivoire Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Julia Taft Refugee Fund 2019 Apply for DOS HAR FY2019 Funding Number: DOS HAR FY2019 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| DRL FY18 IRF Addressing Societal Constraints on Religious Freedom in Pakistan Apply for SFOP0005584 Funding Number: SFOP0005584 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $987,650 |
| Nigeria Defections Promotion Messaging Program Apply for SFOP0005577 Funding Number: SFOP0005577 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $760,000 |
| DRL Supporting Civil Society to Address Corruption in Kyrgyzstan Apply for SFOP0005587 Funding Number: SFOP0005587 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $592,590 |
| Guinea, Julia Taft Refugee Fund for FY 2019 Apply for DOS CNK FY19 02 Funding Number: DOS CNK FY19 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Guinea Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Apply for FR 6200 N 35 Funding Number: FR 6200 N 35 Agency: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
| Reduce Deferred Maintenance at Historic Sites within Cane River NHA Apply for P19AS00058 Funding Number: P19AS00058 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $115,500 |
| USAID/BiH Localworks (Snaga lokalnog) Activity Apply for 72016819APS00001 Funding Number: 72016819APS00001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Bosnia USAID-Herzegovina Category: Community Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "P18AS00611", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.