Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Updated
Grant from the National Park Service, open to small businesses. Closes Nov 4, 2026, 15 days left.
| Opportunity number | P27AS00032 |
|---|---|
| Agency | National Park Service |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Field | Community development |
| Award ceiling | $50,000 |
| Award floor | $10,000 |
| Expected number of awards | 26 |
| Total program funding | $1.0 million |
| Cost sharing or matching | Not required |
| Assistance listing | 15.930 |
| Posted | Aug 27, 2026 |
| Closes | Nov 4, 2026 (15 days left) |
| Add the deadline to | Google Calendar |
Who can apply
- 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 and Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- 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 condition applies to this Federal program.
Description
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.
Full announcement and how to apply on Grants.gov
Who has won this program before
- Chesapeake Conservancy, Inc. $150,000 · from Aug 30, 2024
- Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society $115,030 · from Aug 15, 2024
- Nature Forward, Inc. $49,787 · from Jul 10, 2024
- Lancaster County Conservancy $25,000 · from Sep 17, 2025
- Chesapeake Conservancy, Inc. $24,936 · from Sep 19, 2025
The largest grants and cooperative agreements under assistance listing 15.930 with payments since Oct 1, 2025, from USAspending.gov. Amounts are each award's total.