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Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Agency: National Park Service

Assistance Listings: 15.930 -- Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network

Last Updated: August 27, 2026
Goal: Encourage outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism that expands access to and awareness of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and fosters economic development of communities.ObjectivesNPS Chesapeake Gateways is offering this competitive grant opportunity to strengthen a community's ability to offer or enhance outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism that connects visitors and residents to the Chesapeake Bay watershed as detailed in the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998.Through this grant opportunity, NPS Chesapeake Gateways will:Enhance outdoor...

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Education

  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Independent school districts
  • Public and state institutions of higher education

Business

  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Small businesses

Nonprofit

  • Nonprofits non-higher education without 501(c)(3)
  • Other Native American tribal organizations
  • Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)

Government

  • Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
  • City or township governments
  • State governments
  • County governments
  • Public and Indian housing authorities
  • Special district governments

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: Projects that take place outside the watershed are not eligible for consideration. A link to all the counties in the watershed can be found in Appendix A. A full map can be found here.Chesapeake Gateways Network Requirement: The applicant must be a non-federal Chesapeake Gateways Network member (Place, Experience, Community, or Programmatic Partner). To become a Chesapeake Gateways Network member, prospective applicants need to submit a self-nomination through the Chesapeake Gateways Network portal: Join the Chesapeake Gateways Network - Chesapeake Bay Watershed (U.S. National Park Service). Foreign Entities or Projects: This program does not provide funding to foreign entities or for projects conducted outside the United States.Excluded Parties:NPS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The NPS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

Grantor contact information

Description

Monica Marcus monica_marcus@ios.doi.gov

Email

Awarding Officer Email

monica_marcus@ios.doi.gov

Documents

File nameDescriptionLast updated
01-P27AS00032-Full_Announcement.pdf
01-P27AS00032-Full Announcement.pdf
Aug 27, 2026 06:57 PM UTC
02-P27AS00032-Announcement_Appendices.pdf
02-P27AS00032-Announcement Appendices.pdf
Aug 27, 2026 06:58 PM UTC

Link to additional information

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Closing: November 4, 2026

Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.

Application process

This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates.

Award

$1,000,000

Program Funding

26

Expected awards

$10,000

Award Minimum

$50,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

P27AS00032

Cost sharing or matching requirement:

No

Funding instrument type:

Grant

Opportunity Category:

Discretionary

Opportunity Category Explanation:

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Category of Funding Activity:

Community development

Category Explanation:

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History

Version:

1

Posted date:

August 27, 2026

Archive date:

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