Water is our common language: spring conservation and community engagement in US-Mexico sister parks | P17AS00328

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00328

The grant opportunity titled "Water is our common language: spring conservation and community engagement in US-Mexico sister parks" (Funding Opportunity Number P17AS00328) was offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service as a discretionary cooperative agreement focused on natural resource conservation. It centers on strengthening and expanding an existing cross-border wildlife conservation partnership connecting six "sister parks" and additional protected areas in Arizona and in northern Mexico, specifically Sonora and Baja California. These sites share comparable ecological communities and natural resources, making them well-suited for coordinated work where information and management lessons can be shared across the international boundary.

The project is motivated by the importance of montane springs across all participating parks and reserves. Springs in mountain environments often act as small but vital water sources that support wildlife, rare plants, and localized wetland habitats, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the Southwest. Despite their significance, the opportunity notes that the hydrology of these springs and their biological value are not well understood across the sister park network. In practical terms, this means managers may not have clear answers about how each spring is fed, how resilient it is during drought, whether multiple springs are connected through shared groundwater systems, or which specific species and habitats are most dependent on them.

The core purpose of the funded work is to improve understanding of spring behavior and vulnerability while building shared capacity among U.S. and Mexican partners. The project aims to study spring dynamics, identify possible groundwater connections, and assess threats affecting spring systems. To do that, the effort would combine hands-on field work with water chemistry analysis, which can help distinguish water sources, detect changes over time, and provide clues about groundwater flow paths or contamination risks. The opportunity also emphasizes international engagement as a central feature, proposing workshops and collaborative activities designed to bring partners together to interpret findings, compare conditions across sites, and coordinate responses to pressing conservation concerns linked to water availability and spring protection.

In terms of who could apply and what was available, eligibility was limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The anticipated funding was relatively modest and targeted: an award ceiling of $33,898 with one expected award. The opportunity was created on June 5, 2017, with an original closing date of June 14, 2017, indicating a short application window and a focused scope. Overall, the grant was designed to support a single, partner-driven project that combines science (hydrology and water chemistry), on-the-ground assessment (field work at springs), and relationship-building (workshops and coordination) to improve spring conservation outcomes across a connected set of U.S.-Mexico protected areas.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Water is our common language: spring conservation and community engagement in US-Mexico sister parks" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 05, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 14, 2017. (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 $33,898.00 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 P17AS00328

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