Operation of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center at Nebraska City, NE - LECL | NPS NOIP20AC00175

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00175

This grant opportunity, titled Operation of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center at Nebraska City, NE (LECL), is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement aimed at keeping the Lewis and Clark visitor center in Nebraska City operating and effective as a public-facing education and stewardship hub. The overall purpose is to promote, facilitate, and improve public understanding of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, with programming and interpretation that connects visitors to the trail's natural, cultural, and recreational themes. A central emphasis is placed on the flora and fauna associated with the National Historic Trail, using the visitor center as a primary venue to help people understand the landscape Lewis and Clark traveled through and how that environment fits into broader resource stewardship today.

A major element of the project is education for public stewardship. By operating the visitor center and its exhibits, the recipient helps build awareness that the trail is a shared national resource that depends on public support, responsible use, and long-term protection. The opportunity also highlights interpretation related to the American Indian populations encountered by Lewis and Clark, positioning the visitor center as a place where visitors can learn about Indigenous histories and cultures connected to the corridor of the expedition. In practice, this means the center is expected to do more than simply display information; it is intended to actively shape visitor understanding and encourage ethical, informed engagement with cultural and natural resources.

The description specifically calls out exhibits and activities that promote environmental and cultural stewardship, including examples like Undaunted Anglers and upkeep on the Earth Lodge. These kinds of components are framed as ways to translate historical interpretation into present-day responsibility, reinforcing themes such as conservation, respect for cultural heritage, and protection of significant places and stories. The project is also expected to engage recipients, partners, communities, and visitors in shared stewardship, meaning the visitor center's work should extend beyond its walls through collaboration, outreach, events, and other strategies that broaden public awareness and support for historic preservation and the stewardship of cultural and historical heritage.

On the administrative and partnership side, the recipient has several clear obligations. The organization must participate in the Middle Missouri Lewis and Clark River Network (MIDMO), a group intended to keep the Lewis and Clark story active after the bicentennial years while also supporting site protection and coordinated visitor opportunities. The recipient must submit outreach plans for NPS review, meet quarterly with NPS staff to plan specific events, and maintain solid documentation for financial reimbursement, specifically tracking salary, maintenance, and utility costs accurately. In addition, the recipient must maintain visitation and volunteer statistics for reporting, reflecting the expectation that performance and public impact are measured and communicated. The recipient is also responsible for formulating and executing a fee structure for public visitation and use of the MRB Lewis and Clark Center, balancing revenue or cost-recovery needs with continued public access and enjoyment.

In terms of who can apply and what the award looks like, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates more substantial federal involvement than a standard grant, including ongoing coordination, review, and joint planning. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The CFDA listing is 15.935. The opportunity anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $750,000. The posting shows a creation date of February 5, 2020 and an original closing date of February 15, 2020, indicating a short application window for the solicited cycle.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the community development, employment, labor and training, environment, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), natural resources, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Operation of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor Center at Nebraska City, NE - LECL" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.935.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 05, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 15, 2020. (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 $750,000.00 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.

Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00175

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