Natural Resource Management (NRM) Education and Training of Eugene, OR, Area Youth
🏛 USACE Portland District
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations seeking to support natural resource management (NRM) education and training programs for youth in the Eugene, Oregon area. The program supports nonprofits, educational institutions, youth-serving organizations, and community-based programs that can demonstrate capacity to deliver hands-on environmental education, conservation training, and outdoor skills development to young people. Activities typically include field-based instruction in forest management, water resources, wildlife conservation, restoration ecology, and related NRM topics. The grant is geographically restricted to the Eugene metropolitan area and surrounding regions within the USACE Portland District jurisdiction. Applicants should have experience with youth programming, access to natural resource sites, and qualified instructors or partners with NRM expertise.
Program description
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District (NWP) intends to enter into a cooperative agreement with a non-Federal public agency, nonprofit entity, qualified youth service, or conservation corps organization for land stewardship and restoration services on USACE land in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. These cooperative agreements will assist NWP in fulfilling environmental stewardship responsibilities consisting of restoration and management of native prairie landscapes and wildlife habitat primarily at Fern Ridge Lake while providing education and training to at-risk youth from the nearby community. The recipient’s participating students (participants) will gain experience with project planning, development, and implementation. Projects will mainly focus on land stewardship, prairie and habitat restoration, and nursery and greenhouse maintenance.
This cooperative agreement assists NWP in fulfilling environmental stewardship responsibilities at Willamette Valley Projects, while providing education and training to students enrolled in Kalapuya High School. The program is focused on land stewardship and prairie and habitat restoration around the Fern Ridge Lake area.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- Community College
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Public K-12 School
- State Government
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative (typically 10-15 pages) describing program goals, activities, youth outcomes, and NRM content
- Detailed budget and budget narrative
- Letters of support from community partners, schools, or host sites
- Organizational capacity documentation (staff resumes, past program evaluations)
- Youth recruitment and retention plan
- Program evaluation methodology and timeline
- Letters of commitment from schools or youth-serving organizations confirming participant recruitment
- Indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Melanie A Barrett Grantor
- 📧 melanie.a.barrett@usace.army.mil
- 📞 503-808-4623
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.010 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$1,839,885
-
$960,787
-
$488,596
-
$404,088
-
$394,961
-
$391,685
-
$307,029
-
$307,000
-
$265,998
-
$249,025
Top States by Funding
- OR 16 awards $3.2M
- WA 14 awards $0.9M
- ID 12 awards $0.8M
- MD 1 awards $0.5M
- MT 4 awards $0.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.010). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,726,952 | |
| 2025 | $1,395,576 | |
| 2026 est. | $2,200,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this NRM Education and Training grant?
Nonprofits, schools, colleges, youth organizations, and community-based organizations operating in the Eugene, OR area are typically eligible. The applicant should demonstrate experience in youth education, environmental programming, or natural resource management.
What is the application deadline and timeline?
Applications open April 20, 2026, and are due May 20, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, so late submissions are not accepted. Plan to complete your application well in advance.
What types of activities does this grant support?
The grant supports education and training programs that teach youth about natural resource management, conservation practices, ecosystem restoration, forest stewardship, water quality, and outdoor skills. Programming should involve hands-on, field-based learning experiences.
How competitive is this grant?
USACE education grants are moderately to highly competitive. Successful applications clearly demonstrate community need, youth engagement capacity, alignment with USACE resource management priorities, and measurable learning outcomes for participants.
What is the typical funding range?
While specific amounts vary, USACE grants of this type typically range from $25,000 to $100,000 per award. Confirm current funding levels by reviewing the full NOFO or contacting the Portland District directly.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Connect your program directly to USACE priorities: Emphasize how your NRM education activities align with watershed management, ecosystem restoration, or other USACE strategic objectives in the Portland District.
- Show youth outcomes and engagement metrics: Document projected participation numbers, learning objectives, and concrete ways you'll measure student knowledge gains and interest in NRM careers.
- Demonstrate local partnerships: Include letters of support from schools, nature centers, land trusts, or other organizations in the Eugene area that can provide sites, expertise, or co-teaching capacity.
- Build a realistic and detailed budget: Break down instructor time, materials, field site access fees, transportation, and evaluation costs. USACE reviewers scrutinize federal education budgets carefully.
- Plan for sustainability beyond the grant period: Explain how the program will continue or scale after initial USACE funding ends, including potential revenue streams or institutional commitments from host organizations.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack clear alignment with USACE's resource management mission—focus your program description on how youth learning directly supports real conservation goals, not just generic outdoor education. Weak youth recruitment and retention plans also hurt competitiveness; reviewers want evidence that you can consistently engage participants and document their progress. Many applicants underestimate the administrative and evaluation burden; build in sufficient budget and staffing for robust program documentation and outcome reporting.
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