Data / Federal grants / P27AS00032
Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
National Park Service (Department of the Interior) is accepting applications until November 4, 2026. It lists awards of up to $50,000, 26 awards expected, $1 million in total.
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Key facts
- Opportunity number
- P27AS00032
- Status
- Posted, open
- Posted
- August 27, 2026
- Closes
- November 4, 2026
- Award ceiling
- $50,000
- Award floor
- $10,000
- Expected awards
- 26
- Total funding
- $1,000,000
- Cost sharing
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
- Community Development
- Assistance listing
- 15.930 Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
- Contact
- National Park Service · [email protected] · 202-697-2035
Who can apply
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- State governments
- County governments
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Small businesses
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
What the agency says
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.
Other open grants from the Department of the Interior
| Opportunity | Status | Closes | Award ceiling | Total funding | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 Implementation of the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) in the Western United States F26AS00107 | Open | Oct 24 | $600,000 | $1,950,000 | grants.gov |
| Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) G27AS00165 | Open | Oct 30 | $330,000 | $330,000 | grants.gov |
| F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants F26AS00071 | Open | Oct 30 | $26,000,000 | $26,000,000 | grants.gov |
| F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round F25AS00332 | Open | Oct 31 | $3,850,000 | $3,850,000 | grants.gov |
| F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round F25AS00379 | Open | Oct 31 | $2,293,362 | $9,173,450 | grants.gov |
| WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2026 (104g General) G27AS00164 | Open | Nov 12 | $120,000 | $462,500 | grants.gov |
All grants open to Special district governments · All grants open to Independent school districts · All grants open to Nonprofits (501(c)(3)) · Everything closing in November 2026
Read from the Grants.gov API, last updated 2026-10-23. The agency's notice on Grants.gov is the official record; check it before you apply.