The National Park Service (NPS) is offering a funding opportunity titled "Creating Opportunities for Relevant Experience (CORE) Wildland Fire Training Crews," aimed at supporting the development of wildland fire training crews composed of women, veterans, and youth. The program's objective is to recruit and train a diverse workforce capable of managing wildland fire risks while promoting ecological health and community safety through practical training and skills development in wildland firefighting and resource management. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations compliant with Section 501(c)(3), state governments, and federally recognized Tribal governments, with funding amounts ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 and a total estimated program funding of $5 million. Interested parties must submit their applications by May 24, 2029, and can direct inquiries to the NPS Wildland Fire Financial Assistance Program Office at wildland_fire_financial_assistance@nps.gov.

FAMD-1443-001 Notice of Funding Opportunity v. 2023-01_CORE Crews__Final_04262024_SV.pdf

The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service (NPS) has announced a funding opportunity aimed at supporting the CORE Wildland Fire Training Crews, which focus on enhancing workforce development and training in wildland fire management, particularly for women, veterans, and youth. The application period is open until May 21, 2029, and eligible entities include non-profit organizations and state or tribal governments, with a 25% cost-match requirement for specific projects. Funding will be allocated through Master Cooperative Agreements, with subsequent Task Agreements determined by individual project needs and available appropriations.

FAMD-1443-001.pdf

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Creating Opportunities for Relevant Experience (CORE) Wildland Fire Training Crews." Issued on May 24, 2024, this grant aims to support wildland fire training crews composed of women, veterans, and youth. The overarching goal is to recruit and train a diverse workforce capable of managing wildland fire risks while ensuring ecological health and community safety. 

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) compliant), state governments, and federally recognized Tribal governments. The funding can cover projects for up to five years, contingent on the availability of federal funds. The CORE program includes practical training and skills development in wildland firefighting and resource management. Applicants must demonstrate their capabilities in recruiting diverse crews, organizational structure, and past performance on related projects. 

The application process requires compliance with the System for Award Management (SAM) and entails submitting a project narrative detailing how the applicant meets the review criteria. The initiative exemplifies a commitment to workforce development in line with federal regulations for environmental and resource management efforts.

The Creating Opportunities for Relevant Experience Crews (CORE Crews) are wildland fire training crews comprised of women, veterans, or youth. CORE crews offer participants job experience and wildland fire specific training that serves as a developmental opportunity for participants and an opportunity for parks build relationships with the next generation of fire managers. The CORE crews&#8217; goal is to engage with women, veterans, and youth to begin development of the next generation of the wildland firefighters, managers and scientists contributing to the mission of the NPS wildland fire program by offering relevant work experience. The CORE Crew program seeks to offer basic training, knowledge and experience that will inspire interest in future career opportunities for participants while working to support the NPS wildland fire mission. CORE crewmembers will work with trained professional fire staff with the NPS and gain on-the-job skills and experience. They will also be coached and mentored in wildland fire and NPS operations. Job experience will vary and include a wide array of activities such as work on fuels management projects, wildfire preparedness activities, fire effects monitoring, and potentially wildfire suppression. Training will cover numerous topics including employee and agency orientation, basic firefighter training, chainsaw training, and incident management and response overview. See full announcement for more details.

NPS Wildland Fire Financial Assistance Program Office

National Park Service &lt;br/&gt;Wildland Fire Financial Assistance Program

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