An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
You've been logged out. Please sign in again.
Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
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...
recreation and natural, historical, and cultural tourism in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.Support projects that link outdoor and heritage tourism to economic impact.Celebrate gateway communities that welcome and invite locals and visitors to explore authentic Chesapeake Gateways Places and stories through outdoor recreation and natural, historical, and cultural experiences.Grant ThemeChesapeake Gateways is a network of places that provide opportunities to explore outdoor recreation and authentic natural, historical, and cultural experiences of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Included in this network are diverse recreational, natural, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, trails, museums, parks, wildlife refuges, interpretive and orientation facilities, and associated programs. These places, and Chesapeake Gateways as a whole, serve as entry points and the key guide for experiencing the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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.
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:
--
Category of Funding Activity:
Community development
Category Explanation:
--
History
Version:
1
Posted date:
August 27, 2026
Archive date:
--
Your account requires additional identity verification.
You must sign in with your government employee ID. Make sure you've set up your Personal Identity Verification (PIV) or Common Access Card (CAC) as a two-factor authentication method.