community_development · DOI-NPS
Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
National Park Service · P27AS00032
25 days left
Award Range
$10K – $50K
Total Program Funding
$1.0M
Expected Awards
26
Deadline
November 4, 2026
What This Grant Funds
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.
Attachments
Who Can Apply
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.
Eligible Applicant Types
Private Colleges & UniversitiesFor-Profit OrganizationsNonprofits without 501(c)(3)Other Tribal OrganizationsFederally Recognized Tribal GovernmentsIndependent School DistrictsCity/Township GovernmentsState GovernmentsPublic Colleges & Universities501(c)(3) NonprofitsSmall BusinessesCounty GovernmentsPublic And Indian Housing AuthoritiesSpecial District Governments
Funding Details
- Minimum Award
- $10K
- Maximum Award
- $50K
- Total Program Funding
- $1.0M
- Expected Number of Awards
- 26
- Cost Sharing Required?
- No
- Funding Instrument
- grant
Key Dates
Posted: August 27, 2026
Application Deadline: November 4, 2026 (25 days remaining)
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.
Agency Contact
Monica Marcus monica_marcus@ios.doi.gov
monica_marcus@ios.doi.govReady to apply?
View the full NOFO and submit your application on Grants.gov