Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00487
The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) is a National Park Service funding opportunity run out of the NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver that supports projects aimed at protecting and restoring natural and cultural resources in and near national park units along the United States border with Mexico. The program is designed to strengthen day-to-day resource stewardship, encourage international cooperation where it makes sense, improve public interpretation and education, and support scientific research that builds understanding and appreciation of shared borderland heritage. In plain terms, it is meant to help parks and partners respond to real, on-the-ground impacts happening in the desert Southwest and border region, while also improving long-term management and public awareness.
The need driving the program is resource damage linked to illegal cross-border activity, including the movement of drug traffickers and undocumented migrants through parklands. According to the opportunity description, affected areas have seen extensive creation of unauthorized roads and trails, disruption of ecological processes and wildlife movement patterns, vandalism to historic places, and looting of archaeological sites. These impacts can fragment habitat, accelerate erosion, introduce invasive species, degrade sensitive desert soils and riparian zones, and permanently damage irreplaceable cultural resources. SWBRPP funding is positioned as a practical tool to help parks and their partners assess these impacts, monitor changing conditions, and carry out on-the-ground conservation, preservation, and interpretation work to reduce further damage.
Projects supported by the program can include scientific research and monitoring (such as tracking species, habitat conditions, or ecological trends), along with conservation and preservation activities that directly protect resources. The notice also highlights interpretation, meaning projects that help the public understand the natural and cultural significance of the borderlands and the challenges of protecting them. Overall, the program emphasizes work that leads to better-informed management decisions, improved protection of sensitive sites, and stronger public understanding of the region's shared heritage.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to build their proposals in close coordination with at least one of ten NPS units located near the international border. Those parks are Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Big Bend National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Palo Alto National Historic Site, Padre Island National Seashore, Saguaro National Park, Tumacacori National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Coronado National Memorial, and Chiricahua National Monument. This emphasis on collaboration signals that proposals are expected to align with park priorities and be grounded in specific, local resource needs rather than generic regional work.
From the funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.954 through the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The listed award ceiling is $50,000, with an anticipated total of about seven awards. Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments (including special districts), independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category). The opportunity was created July 17, 2017, and originally closed September 1, 2017, reflecting a specific solicitation cycle, though the program concept and partnership model are the key takeaways for understanding what it funds and why.Apply for P17AS00487
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Southwest Border Resource Protection Program" 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 Jul 17, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 01, 2017. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) FAQs
What is the Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP)?
The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) is a National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity run out of the NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver. It supports projects that protect and restore natural and cultural resources in and near national park units along the United States border with Mexico.
What is the main purpose of SWBRPP funding?
The program is meant to strengthen day-to-day resource stewardship in the borderlands. It also encourages international cooperation where appropriate, improves public interpretation and education, and supports scientific research that helps build understanding and appreciation of shared borderland heritage.
What problem or need is SWBRPP designed to address?
SWBRPP is driven by resource damage linked to illegal cross-border activity, including movement of drug traffickers and undocumented migrants through parklands. The opportunity description points to impacts such as unauthorized roads and trails, disrupted ecological processes and wildlife movement patterns, vandalism to historic places, and looting of archaeological sites.
What kinds of resource impacts are mentioned in the opportunity description?
The description notes impacts including habitat fragmentation, accelerated erosion, introduction of invasive species, degradation of sensitive desert soils and riparian zones, and permanent damage to cultural resources like historic places and archaeological sites.
What types of projects can SWBRPP support?
SWBRPP can support scientific research and monitoring (for example, tracking species, habitat conditions, or ecological trends). It can also support conservation and preservation activities that directly protect resources, as well as interpretation projects that help the public understand the significance of the borderlands and the challenges of protecting them.
What does the opportunity mean by "interpretation" projects?
Interpretation refers to work that improves public understanding of the natural and cultural significance of the borderlands and explains the real-world challenges of protecting those resources.
How does SWBRPP describe the intended outcomes of funded projects?
The opportunity emphasizes projects that lead to better-informed management decisions, improved protection of sensitive sites, and stronger public understanding of the region's shared heritage.
Do applicants need to collaborate with a national park unit?
Applicants are strongly encouraged to build proposals in close coordination with at least one of ten NPS units located near the international border. This signals that projects are expected to align with park priorities and address specific local resource needs.
Which national park units are specifically highlighted for coordination?
The opportunity highlights coordination with these ten NPS units near the border: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Big Bend National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Palo Alto National Historic Site, Padre Island National Seashore, Saguaro National Park, Tumacacori National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Coronado National Memorial, and Chiricahua National Monument.
What does SWBRPP suggest about the scope of proposals (local vs. general)?
The emphasis on coordination with specific park units indicates that proposals are expected to be grounded in local, on-the-ground resource needs and park priorities, rather than being broad or generic regional efforts.
What federal agency runs this funding opportunity?
This is a Department of the Interior, National Park Service funding opportunity, administered through the NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver.
What funding instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The notice describes the award as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.954.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $50,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a total of about seven awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. It includes state, county, and local governments (including special districts), independent school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations are included in the eligibility list.
Are nonprofits eligible even if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status, with the note that nonprofits in this category are eligible as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.
Are local governments and special districts eligible?
Yes. State, county, and local governments are included, and the description explicitly notes that this includes special districts.
Are independent school districts eligible?
Yes. Independent school districts are specifically listed as eligible.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible.
What geographic focus does SWBRPP target?
The program targets projects in and near national park units along the United States border with Mexico, with an emphasis on the desert Southwest and border region.
Is the program focused on natural resources, cultural resources, or both?
Both. SWBRPP supports work that protects and restores natural resources (such as habitat and ecological processes) and cultural resources (such as historic places and archaeological sites).
Does the program mention international cooperation?
Yes. The program is designed to encourage international cooperation where it makes sense, consistent with the borderlands context and shared heritage.
What is meant by "day-to-day resource stewardship" in this context?
In the way the opportunity frames it, day-to-day resource stewardship refers to practical, on-the-ground work that helps parks and partners respond to real impacts occurring in border-region parklands, while also supporting longer-term management and public awareness.
What are the opportunity dates listed in the notice?
The opportunity was created July 17, 2017, and originally closed September 1, 2017. The notice reflects a specific solicitation cycle, even though the program concept and partnership model help explain what it funds and why.
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