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Exploring and Enhancing Outdoor and Heritage Tourism in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

National Park Service, Department of the Interior

Deadline
November 4, 2026in 15 daysElectronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.
Award size
$10,000 to $50,000About 26 awards
Matching funds
Not required
Fit for small groups
Good fit for small groups

In plain language

This grant helps pay for projects that improve outdoor recreation and tourism in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It supports efforts that connect people to the area's natural, historical, and cultural sites. It is meant to help local communities and organizations that work in this area.

The money can pay for

  • Improving outdoor recreation opportunities
  • Promoting natural and cultural tourism
  • Supporting projects that connect people to the Chesapeake Bay watershed
  • Fostering economic development in local communities

Who can apply

Organizations such as nonprofits, schools, governments, and small businesses that are part of the Chesapeake Gateways Network and located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed can apply.

Is it a fit for a small group?

Good fit for small groups. This grant is a good fit for small community nonprofits that work in the Chesapeake Bay area and want to improve outdoor and heritage tourism.

Before you apply

  • Must be a member of the Chesapeake Gateways Network
  • Projects must take place within the Chesapeake Bay watershed
  • No matching funds are required
  • Federal applicants need an active registration at SAM.gov and a Grants.gov account. Registration can take several weeks, so start early.

This summary was written by GrantGather with AI, based on the official listing. It can contain mistakes. Check the official listing on Grants.gov before you apply.

From the official listing

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…

Read the full 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.

Opportunity number
P27AS00032
Posted
August 27, 2026
Total funding
$1 million
Eligible applicants
City or township governments
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Independent school districts
Small businesses
Special district governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
State governments
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
For profit organizations other than small businesses
County governments
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Eligibility details
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.
Assistance listing
15.930 Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
Agency contact
National Park Service
monica_marcus@ios.doi.gov
202-697-2035
Open the official listing on Grants.gov