Invasive Plant Management Internships | P19AS00453

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00453

The "Invasive Plant Management Internships" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00453) is a National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior funding action to support a set of internship positions focused on invasive plant management in national parks within the National Capital Region. The work is designed to give interns practical, career-building experience while directly supporting NPS natural resource priorities, especially the control of invasive plants and the related planning, data, and reporting that make those efforts effective over time.

This notice is a Notice of Intent to Award, meaning it is not an open call for applications. Instead, it serves as public notification that NPS plans to fund the project under an existing cooperative agreement with Conservation Legacy. The instrument type is a Cooperative Agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency in the project’s implementation, such as coordination, technical guidance, training opportunities, or shared decision-making on project details. The opportunity was created on July 31, 2019, with an original closing date of August 9, 2019, and it anticipated a single award with an award ceiling of $60,000.

The internships blend office-based and field-based assignments, with supervision and mentoring built into the experience. On the technical and administrative side, interns are expected to work with GIS and a Microsoft Access database, while also handling paper and electronic files. The mentoring and professional development components can include supporting research used to rank invasive plant threats, evaluating mobile data collection tools, collecting data in the field, performing data analysis, helping draft or refine reports, and assisting with communication materials that explain the program’s work to internal and external audiences. In practical terms, this means interns are not only doing field removal or treatment work, but also learning how land management decisions are guided by data systems, prioritization frameworks, and clear documentation.

Field duties are a major component and may be physically demanding. The description explicitly notes that field activities can involve strenuous work under harsh conditions, including high heat and humidity as well as exposure to biting insects. This signals that applicants and host organizations should treat the positions as true outdoor natural resource internships, where safety planning, appropriate gear, and readiness for uncomfortable conditions are part of day-to-day expectations. Alongside hands-on work, interns receive training in invasive plant identification and management and in mid-Atlantic ecology, giving them a stronger scientific and regional foundation for work in park resource management.

NPS also emphasizes that interns are encouraged to participate in NPS-sponsored trainings and to engage with other natural resource programs, which can broaden their exposure beyond invasive plants into related areas such as vegetation monitoring, wildlife, water resources, or cultural landscape considerations. NPS will assist the cooperating partner with intern selection, and selection criteria will be jointly determined, reflecting the collaborative nature of a cooperative agreement. The announcement also notes a modification that adds four additional intern positions focused on specific needs such as site prioritization, development or application of Best Management Practices, field work, and document preparation, suggesting an expansion of capacity and a stronger emphasis on planning and standardized methods.

Eligibility for the partner organization is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The assistance listing is CFDA 15.931, and the activity category is Employment, Labor and Training, aligning with the internship and workforce development purpose. A notable requirement is a 25% non-federal match, mandated by the authorizing legislation (16 USC Chapter 37, Subchapter II, Public Lands Corps). Practically, this means the non-federal partner must contribute cost share equal to 25% of the total project cost through allowable cash or in-kind contributions, consistent with the governing agreement and federal cost principles.

Overall, this funding supports a structured internship program where participants gain real-world experience in invasive plant control and the supporting data and planning work that NPS relies on to prioritize sites, track treatments, and communicate outcomes. The project is structured to build early-career capacity in conservation while delivering tangible management benefits to national parks in the mid-Atlantic region.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Invasive Plant Management Internships" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 31, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 09, 2019 Notice of Intent to Award. This is NOT a request for application. This funding announcement is to provide public notice that the National Park Service will fund the following project under an existing Cooperative Agreement with Conservation Legacy.. (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 $60,000.00 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.

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