The National Park Service (NPS), the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency (DoD) have a partnership focused on promoting the health and wellness of active-duty military service members and their families through positive engagement experiences with national parks, public lands, and waterways.
Donor Name: National Park Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/15/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 5-10 Years
Details:
Nature-based health promotion programs may include a focus on education, recreation, outdoor skills-building, or outdoor conservation projects. The total menu of program opportunities offered should work together to build confidence in participants to engage with national parks throughout their lifetimes.
Types of programming offered should fit into four main stages:
- Invitation – participants learn about opportunities through strategic communications.
- Introduction – participants experience a “short dose” of nature through opportunities such as drop-in events or day trips to nearby national parks.
- Engagement – participants experience a “deep dose” of nature through opportunities such as multi-day and overnight national park trips.
- Empowerment – participants embrace the health benefits of nature and feel confident incorporating outdoor experiences into their lifestyle independently through self-guided trips, volunteerism, employment, or other means.
Major objectives of this program include:
- Address high priority public health issues impacting the physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing of active-duty military service members and their families using an evidence-based approach.
- Provide a continuum of park- and nature-based health promoting activities to improve the health and wellbeing of active-duty military servicemembers and their families that will:
- Increase awareness of and access to park and nature-based health resources and opportunities.
- Increase access to health benefits of parks and public lands among underserved active-duty military communities through communications, community engagement, and partnerships.
- Empower active-duty military families to independently take advantage of the health benefits of National Parks and nature experiences.
- Enhance knowledge and build the capacity of the National Park Service, DOD Defense Health Agency, and partner organizations to improve overall health outcomes for active duty servicemembers and their families
- Design and implement an evaluation plan, to monitor the effectiveness of different types of programming, recruitment, and health outcomes in participants.
- Prepare a final report with lessons learned and recommendations to support a national sustainable program.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $100,000 to $5 million.
- September 30, 2024– December 31, 2029.
Eligibility Criteria
State, local, and tribal governments, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
