Veterans Fire Corps (VFC) Program | P18AS00463

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00463

The Veterans Fire Corps (VFC) Program is a National Park Service funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on reducing wildfire risk in and around national parks in the Intermountain Region. The program is designed to engage 12 military veterans in hands-on fuels reduction and related wildfire mitigation work carried out in partnership with selected national parks. The central purpose is practical and preventative: veterans will help complete projects that lower the likelihood and potential severity of wildfire, protecting National Park Service resources and values while also helping safeguard nearby wildland-urban interface communities where homes and infrastructure meet fire-prone landscapes.

This opportunity was published as a discretionary award and is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the National Park Service expects to be substantially involved in guiding, coordinating, or supporting the project rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal oversight. The funding activity is categorized under Education, which aligns with the workforce development and training-like nature of the corps model: participants gain experience, skills, and exposure to land and fire management work while delivering on real conservation and hazard reduction outcomes.

The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00463; CFDA 15.931) lists eligibility broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the original notice. However, the key practical detail is that this announcement is not open for competition. The notice states the agency intent to partner with Conservation Legacy under an existing cooperative agreement (P15AC00024) and explicitly says no applications will be accepted. In other words, it functions as a formal public notice of a planned, non-competitive cooperative agreement action rather than a solicitation where multiple organizations can apply.

Financially, the award ceiling is listed as $157,000 with an expected number of awards of one. That indicates a single funded partner would receive up to that amount to carry out the Veterans Fire Corps effort as described, including organizing the veteran crew(s), coordinating with participating national parks, and implementing fuels reduction projects intended to reduce fire risk and enhance protection for park resources and adjacent communities. The opportunity record was created on July 23, 2018, and the original closing date field reflects the non-competitive intent notice rather than an application deadline.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Veterans Fire Corps (VFC) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 23, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Notice of Intent to partner with Conservation Legacy under existing cooperative agreement P15AC00024 without additional competition. No applications will be accepted.. (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 $157,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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