National Coal Heritage Area | NPS 19 NERO 0137

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): National Coal Heritage Area (NPS 19 NERO 0137)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary funding notice from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) related to activities connected to the National Coal Heritage Area. The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is NPS 19 NERO 0137, and it is associated with CFDA program number 15.939 under the activity area of Regional Development.

2) Is this a request for applications (RFA) or an open competitive grant?

No. The notice is explicitly described as not being a request for applications. It is not an open competition where organizations submit proposals for consideration.

3) If it is not a request for applications, what is the purpose of the notice?

The notice functions as a public, transparency-focused announcement that the NPS intends to award financial assistance for certain project activities tied to the National Coal Heritage Area.

4) What type of funding instrument will be used?

The funding instrument identified is a cooperative agreement.

5) What does it mean that the award will be a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically means the NPS expects substantial involvement in the project’s execution. Examples noted in the opportunity description include collaboration on work plans, coordination, and/or oversight, rather than issuing a simple pass-through grant.

6) How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?

The listing indicates an anticipated total of one award (Expected Awards: 1).

7) Does “Expected Awards: 1” mean there is likely a pre-identified recipient?

It suggests the intended recipient may be pre-identified, or that the award is being made through a process that does not involve a general call for proposals, since this is not an application-driven opportunity.

8) What is the creation date for this notice?

The creation date is October 25, 2019.

9) What is the closing date, and does it represent an application deadline?

The original closing date is November 4, 2019. Because this notice is not a request for applications, the “closing date” often reflects the end of the public notice period rather than a deadline for submitting applications.

10) What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?

The listed award ceiling is $0.

11) Why would the award ceiling be listed as $0?

This commonly indicates that the public notice record does not specify a maximum amount in the posting, or that the final funding level is defined elsewhere (for example, in internal documentation or a separate agreement package) rather than in the public synopsis.

12) What is the CFDA program number associated with this notice?

The CFDA program number listed is 15.939.

13) What activity area/category is this opportunity associated with?

The opportunity is categorized under the activity area of Regional Development.

14) Who is eligible to receive this award?

Eligibility is broadly labeled as “Others,” and the notice references an additional eligibility clarification field that is not included in the information provided here.

15) What does “Eligibility: Others” usually mean in notices like this?

In practice, this type of label often points to a specific category of partner organization (such as a particular local entity, nonprofit, or heritage area management organization) that is eligible under enabling legislation or program rules. The exact eligible entity cannot be confirmed from the provided text because the eligibility clarification details are missing.

16) Can the general public apply for this funding?

Based on the notice language provided, no. The notice states it is not a request for applications and appears to be an informational notice about NPS’s intent to make a single cooperative agreement award.

17) What is the main takeaway from this opportunity posting?

The most important point is that this is an informational public notice about NPS’s intent to make a single cooperative agreement award connected to National Coal Heritage Area activities, not an invitation for organizations to submit applications for funding.