Alaska Rural Village Outreach | P20AS00021

Opportunity Information: Apply for P20AS00021

The Alaska Rural Village Outreach grant opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior cooperative agreement focused on expanding high-quality marine science and broader STEM education for K-12 students in Alaska's rural and remote communities. The core problem it addresses is the reality that many Alaska village schools are isolated from the road system, have limited staffing and materials, and often operate as multi-grade classrooms where teachers must cover a wide range of subjects, sometimes outside their training. In that environment, STEM subjects tend to be the first to get less attention, even though they are critical for long-term career readiness and informed decision-making about natural resources.

The project is built around the Alaska SeaLife Center's (ASLC) mission to generate and share scientific knowledge that promotes understanding and stewardship of Alaska's marine ecosystems. The outreach model is hands-on and travel-based: ASLC education staff fly by small plane to off-the-road villages to deliver engaging science programming that brings marine research to life in a way that local schools typically cannot replicate with their available resources. The emphasis is not only on improving science learning outcomes, but also on supporting a stewardship ethic by helping students understand the ecosystems that sustain their communities. The opportunity highlights that this work has already been successfully carried out for about a decade, suggesting a mature program with established lessons, logistics, and community relationships.

A key feature of the effort is its connection to communities bordering Alaska national parks. Many of the participating villages are predominantly Alaska Native and may hold traditional lands and subsistence rights in nearby park areas. Because these villages are often seats of Tribal governments that maintain formal relationships with NPS, the outreach is positioned as a service that Tribal partners value while also strengthening long-term relationships between NPS and the next generation of local resource stewards. Programming is expected to reach roughly 6 to 10 villages each school year, serving about 1,100 students annually. NPS staff are also expected to contribute by delivering complementary, park-specific educational programs alongside ASLC educators, tying marine and STEM learning to the local park context and conservation priorities.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P20AS00021) is categorized as discretionary and uses a cooperative agreement instrument, reflecting active involvement by the federal agency in implementing the project. The listed CFDA number is 15.945, and the eligible applicant category is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education. The notice is explicitly a notice of intent to award to the Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science, doing business as the Alaska SeaLife Center, which means it is not presented as an open competition but rather a targeted award. The expected award count is one, with an award ceiling of $150,000. The original posting dates indicate it was created on December 16, 2019, with an original closing date of December 27, 2019.

Finally, the opportunity signals that this is intended to be ongoing work rather than a one-time effort. It notes that the agreement may be modified in future years to provide additional funds based on performance, progress, and the availability of funds, which suggests a pathway for continuation if the outreach demonstrates strong results and continued community benefit.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alaska Rural Village Outreach" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 16, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 27, 2019 This is a notice of intent to award to the Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science, dba the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC). (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 $150,000.00 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.

Apply for P20AS00021

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