Route 66 National Collaboration | NPSNOINTIR1701184

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPSNOINTIR1701184

The Route 66 National Collaboration opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NPSNOINTIR1701184) is a National Park Service notice stating its intent to make a single, non-competitive cooperative agreement award to a specific organization: The Route 66 - The Road Ahead Partnership. It is important to note that this posting is explicitly not a request for applications. Instead, it functions as a formal public notice, issued under federal policy (referenced as 505 DM 2.12), that the agency plans to proceed with a non-competitive award rather than run an open competition.

The purpose of the intended cooperative agreement is to support efforts that revitalize and sustain Route 66 as both a national icon and an international travel destination. The emphasis is on delivering benefits across the full Route 66 corridor, including local communities, travelers, and the businesses and attractions that rely on Route 66-related tourism and heritage travel. The work is framed as collaborative, meaning the National Park Service expects an active partnership arrangement rather than a hands-off grant. In a cooperative agreement structure, the agency typically remains substantially involved in coordinating, guiding, or participating in project activities compared with a standard grant.

Programmatically, the collaboration is described as focusing on several connected areas: promotion, preservation, research, education, and economic development. Promotion can include coordinated marketing and outreach that elevates Route 66 as a destination. Preservation points to protecting and sustaining historic sites, landscapes, and cultural resources associated with the Route 66 story. Research and education suggest documentation, interpretation, and public learning initiatives that help residents and visitors understand the route's history and significance. Economic development reflects the goal of helping corridor communities and Route 66-related enterprises strengthen local economies through heritage tourism, visitor services, and related revitalization strategies.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument type, with the funding activity category listed as natural resources and the CFDA number identified as 15.958. The listing indicates an expected number of awards of one, consistent with the stated intent to make a directed award. The posting also includes an award ceiling of 0, which generally signals that the specific funding amount is not provided in the public synopsis (or is determined outside the synopsis), rather than implying that no funding will be made. The eligibility field notes nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status (excluding institutions of higher education), aligning with the identified partner organization type, although in this case eligibility is largely academic because the notice is not open for competition.

Key dates in the synopsis show a creation date of August 11, 2017, and an original closing date of August 21, 2017. In the context of a notice of intent, the closing date is best understood as the end of the public notice period rather than an application deadline. Overall, the announcement is essentially a transparency step communicating that the National Park Service plans to fund a single partner to coordinate broad, corridor-wide collaboration aimed at preserving Route 66 heritage while strengthening its visibility and economic impact for the places and people connected to the route.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Route 66 National Collaboration" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.958.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 11, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 21, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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