Visitor Services and Operations at Cesar E. Chavez National Monument | P18AS00659

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00659

The grant opportunity titled "Visitor Services and Operations at Cesar E. Chavez National Monument" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00659) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement intended to support day-to-day operations and public services at Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in Keene, California. The purpose is to ensure the public can access and learn from a historically significant site connected to Cesar E. Chavez and the broader farm worker movement, particularly the La Paz area on NPS property and associated locations. The announcement is framed as a continuation of an established partnership, emphasizing that the ongoing cooperative relationship is essential to keeping the park functioning and accessible to visitors.

This opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, under CFDA number 15.954, and it falls under the funding activity category of Education, Employment, Labor and Training. The eligible applicant type listed is a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically signals substantial involvement by the federal agency in carrying out the project, rather than a more hands-off grant relationship.

A key point in the notice is that it is explicitly a "Notice of Intent to Award" and not a request for applications. In practical terms, this means the NPS is not soliciting competitive proposals from the public for this specific funding action. Instead, it is providing transparency that it plans to fund the work through an existing cooperative agreement with the NCC, identified as the primary park partner responsible for supporting the monument across multiple operational areas. The announcement lists an expected number of awards of one, reinforcing that this is a single-recipient continuation action rather than an open competition.

The project scope centers on maintaining and improving the visitor experience and ensuring the monument remains operational. The objectives include providing qualified, professional staffing to run coordinated visitor services efficiently, which can cover front-line visitor contact, orientation, and general on-site operations that help visitors engage meaningfully with the monument. Another major emphasis is staffing to expand and deliver educational and interpretive opportunities, supporting programs that explain the site’s history and relevance and connect visitors to the legacy of Chavez and the farm worker movement.

In addition to program delivery, the project includes editorial and quality-control support for interpretive content. Specifically, it calls for qualified personnel to review and edit interpretive materials, which can include exhibits, brochures, educational handouts, signage, digital content, and other public-facing materials used to communicate historical context accurately and effectively. This component suggests an intent to maintain high standards for clarity, accessibility, and historical integrity in the way the monument’s stories are presented.

The agreement also covers technical and professional assistance for stewardship of both natural and cultural resources. On the natural resource side, the work includes restoration, preservation, and maintenance of historic natural resources and landscapes, reflecting the importance of the site’s setting and grounds as part of its historical character. On the cultural resource side, it similarly includes restoration, preservation, and maintenance of historic cultural resources and structures, which would relate to buildings, built features, and other tangible cultural assets that require specialized care to preserve their historic value.

Finally, the opportunity includes facilities operations and maintenance responsibilities that support the basic functioning of the monument. This includes custodial services, conducting repairs, and performing preventive maintenance for buildings. These elements are critical for visitor safety, accessibility, and reliability of public access, and they also help protect the long-term condition of the site’s physical infrastructure.

The funding details included in the announcement list an award ceiling of $518,100 and an expected single award. The posting shows a creation date of September 9, 2018, and an original closing date of September 22, 2018, but because the announcement is a notice of intent to award under an existing cooperative agreement, those dates function more as public posting milestones than an application window for new applicants. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as formal public notice that the NPS intends to continue funding a nonprofit partner to provide core visitor services, interpretation and education, resource stewardship, and facility maintenance that collectively keep Cesar E. Chavez National Monument open and effectively serving the public.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Visitor Services and Operations at Cesar E. Chavez National Monument" 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 Sep 09, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 22, 2018 NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD. This is not a request for applications. This funding announcement is to provide public notice that the National Park Service will fund the following project under an existing Cooperative Agreement with NCC.. (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 $518,100.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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