FY2025 ABPP - Battlefield Interpretation Grant

Historic battlefields and sites of armed conflict are powerful reminders of the shared heritage of all Americans. As an ongoing effort to engage all Americans in the preservation of cultural resources beyond our park boundaries, the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS ABPP) promotes the preservation and interpretation of these important places. NPS ABPP awards financial assistance to support community-driven stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict through four grant opportunities: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Restoration, Battlefield Interpretation, and Battlefield Land Acquisition.NPS ABPP administers Battlefield Interpretation Grants to provide assistance for projects that deploy technology to modernize and enhance battlefield interpretation and education at Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield sites eligible for assistance under the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program established under 54 U.S.C. §308103(b). These grants are funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve history and protect the national endowment of lands and waters. Funding will support scoping and implementation activities for historic preservation projects at eligible sites and will be awarded competitively. Grants require a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match. State, local, and tribal governments, as well as nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.Battlefield Interpretation Grants empower recipients to modernize and enhance battlefield education and interpretation - to inspire wonder, understanding and empathy at the places that witnessed some of our nation's most challenging events. This grant program encourages the use of technology to connect with visitors through videos, mobile apps, interpretive signs, augmented reality and more. Battlefield Interpretation Grants seek an enhanced user experience where the application of "technology" and understanding of "modernize" is keyed to the user. Who is the audience, and how do these elements engage them? The user experience also relates to the narratives shared that can be "modernized." What audiences are missing, and how might these elements engage them?Two categories of grants are available for battlefield interpretation projects in different stages: Scoping Grants: These are available to fund the early stages of project development, such as research and content creation, consultation with stakeholders, exploration of available technologies, audience research, and development of technical proposals. The federal share for these grants should range from $20,000-$50,000 and have a period of performance of 1-2 years.Implementation Grants: These are available to applicants who have completed interdisciplinary scoping prior to the application and can provide draft content and design plans. The federal share for these grants should range from $50,000-$200,000 and have a period of performance of 2-3 years. It is not necessary for an applicant to receive or complete a Scoping Grant prior to applying for an Implementation Grant, but their Implementation Grant application must show that the prerequisite steps of project development have been completed to be viable. On a case-by-case basis, the length of a project period of performance may differ from the above recommendations. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, NPS ABPP encourages projects that promote and expand preservation as well as enhance our understanding of the origins of the United States.

Historic battlefields and sites of armed conflict are powerful reminders of the shared heritage of all Americans. As an ongoing effort to engage all Americans in the preservation of cultural resources beyond our park boundaries, the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (NPS ABPP) promotes the preservation and interpretation of these important places. NPS ABPP awards financial assistance to support community-driven stewardship of battlefields and sites of armed conflict through four grant opportunities: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Restoration, Battlefield Interpretation, and Battlefield Land Acquisition.NPS ABPP administers Battlefield Interpretation Grants to provide assistance for projects that deploy technology to modernize and enhance battlefield interpretation and education at Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield sites eligible for assistance under the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program established under 54 U.S.C. §308103(b). These grants are funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help strengthen communities, preserve history and protect the national endowment of lands and waters. Funding will support scoping and implementation activities for historic preservation projects at eligible sites and will be awarded competitively. Grants require a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match. State, local, and tribal governments, as well as nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply.Battlefield Interpretation Grants empower recipients to modernize and enhance battlefield education and interpretation - to inspire wonder, understanding and empathy at the places that witnessed some of our nation's most challenging events. This grant program encourages the use of technology to connect with visitors through videos, mobile apps, interpretive signs, augmented reality and more. Battlefield Interpretation Grants seek an enhanced user experience where the application of "technology" and understanding of "modernize" is keyed to the user. Who is the audience, and how do these elements engage them? The user experience also relates to the narratives shared that can be "modernized." What audiences are missing, and how might these elements engage them?Two categories of grants are available for battlefield interpretation projects in different stages: Scoping Grants: These are available to fund the early stages of project development, such as research and content creation, consultation with stakeholders, exploration of available technologies, audience research, and development of technical proposals. The federal share for these grants should range from $20,000-$50,000 and have a period of performance of 1-2 years.Implementation Grants: These are available to applicants who have completed interdisciplinary scoping prior to the application and can provide draft content and design plans. The federal share for these grants should range from $50,000-$200,000 and have a period of performance of 2-3 years. It is not necessary for an applicant to receive or complete a Scoping Grant prior to applying for an Implementation Grant, but their Implementation Grant application must show that the prerequisite steps of project development have been completed to be viable. On a case-by-case basis, the length of a project period of performance may differ from the above recommendations. As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, NPS ABPP encourages projects that promote and expand preservation as well as enhance our understanding of the origins of the United States.

Eligible activities must involve education about or interpretation of Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields and associated sites eligible for assistance under the battlefield acquisition grant program established under 54 U.S.C. §308103(b). These sites are listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields and the Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States, available online at: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/2287/resources.htm.Eligible activities must enhance interpretation and education at eligible battlefields and associated sites using technology. Proposals should clearly explain the role of technology in the context of the specific project, which may include a mix of traditional and innovative media and methods. Activities may include content development, consultation with stakeholders and subject matter experts, audience research and evaluation, technical scoping and development, prototyping, fabrication and installation, production and implementation, and costs associated with Section 106 identification and evaluation requirements for eligible project activities. Successful applicants typically provide straightforward answers to the Merit Review Criteria, backed by clear and concise supporting documentation, including but not limited to GIS maps, resumes/CVs, charts, graphs, spreadsheets, summary tables, and other relevant information. Successful applicants also have a plan for making contact, or have already established contact, with landowners or organizations with an economic or legal interest in the proposed project sites. NPS American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) encourages all applicants to consider forming inclusive preservation partnerships with these landowners/organizations as well as descendant communities, Native American Tribes, state and/or tribal historic preservation offices, and other nonprofit organizations that may help guide, or want to actively participate in, the proposed project.