Tsankawi Cavates and Provide Experiential Learning | P19AS00189

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00189

The grant opportunity titled "Tsankawi Cavates and Provide Experiential Learning" (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00189) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, offered through a cooperative agreement. It was created on May 23, 2019, with an original closing date of June 1, 2019. The program sits within the Education and Natural Resources funding activity area (CFDA 15.945) and was designed to support one anticipated award with a maximum federal funding level (award ceiling) of $49,999.

At its core, the project has two closely connected goals. The first is resource-focused: to produce high-quality baseline archaeological documentation of cavate resources at Tsankawi, which is a detached unit of Bandelier National Monument. Cavates are human-modified rock features, often carved or enlarged into cliffs or soft volcanic tuff, and they can include rooms, niches, passageways, and other culturally significant spaces. Because these features are vulnerable to weathering, visitor impacts, and long-term degradation, having accurate baseline documentation is essential. The intent is to create a solid, detailed record of existing conditions that park staff can use to guide preservation decisions, prioritize protection actions, and track change over time. The opportunity notes that Tsankawi has been identified as a critical priority for park management, which suggests the documentation is tied directly to urgent stewardship needs.

The second goal is education-focused and emphasizes experiential learning. The project is structured to provide hands-on field experience and training to undergraduate and graduate students in archaeological documentation methods. In practical terms, this typically means students would participate in supervised fieldwork and learn established techniques for recording and describing cultural resources. While the announcement does not list specific methods, baseline archaeological documentation commonly involves detailed field recording, mapping, measured drawings, photographic documentation, condition assessments, and sometimes non-invasive digital approaches depending on park needs and project scope. The cooperative agreement format reinforces that this is meant to be a collaborative effort, with substantial coordination between the National Park Service and the selected academic partner, rather than a simple pass-through grant.

Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning the intended applicants are universities and similar public academic institutions capable of supporting both the technical documentation work and the student training component. With one expected award and a relatively modest ceiling, the project appears designed as a focused, site-specific effort that produces tangible management value for Bandelier National Monument while also functioning as a structured training opportunity that builds student skills in cultural resource documentation and stewardship.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tsankawi Cavates and Provide Experiential Learning" 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 May 23, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2019. (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 $49,999.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for P19AS00189

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