Natural Resources Training and Education at Mill Creek | W912EF 25 2 RPA 0001

Opportunity Information: Apply for W912EF 25 2 RPA 0001

The Natural Resources Training and Education at Mill Creek opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement being offered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Walla Walla District. The project is built around hands-on outdoor education and workforce development that also supports the day-to-day needs of managing public lands and water-related infrastructure at Mill Creek. In practical terms, USACE is looking for a partner organization that can help deliver training and education experiences in real field settings while contributing to flood control infrastructure maintenance, environmental and recreational resource management, and activities that improve how the public connects with and understands the site.

A central theme of the announcement is building the next generation of water and natural resource professionals. USACE emphasizes interest in organizations that provide challenging education and job-training opportunities for young adults, especially programs that serve as a bridge into formal post-high school education. That can include structured training that develops career-ready skills, supervised work experiences in conservation or land management, and pathways that encourage participants to pursue certificates, college coursework, or other continuing education tied to natural resources. The intent is not only to complete needed work at Mill Creek, but to do it in a way that teaches participants professional practices, safety, stewardship ethics, and real-world problem solving.

The scope described in the notice combines several connected service areas. On the operations side, the partner may assist with flood control infrastructure maintenance, which can involve routine upkeep, basic repairs, monitoring, and related support tasks that help keep facilities functioning as designed. On the natural resources side, the work may include effective environmental management and recreational resource management, which typically means supporting habitat stewardship, maintaining trails or recreation areas, addressing impacts from public use, and helping implement practices that protect land and water resources. Alongside this, USACE wants stronger public engagement, meaning outreach or educational programming that helps community members understand local resources, responsible recreation, and the value of water and flood risk management projects. These elements are meant to reinforce each other: the site benefits from added capacity and care, the public benefits from improved access and understanding, and participants benefit from structured training tied to meaningful public service.

Eligibility is limited to non-federal public entities and nonprofit organizations. The award will be made as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that USACE expects to be actively involved during the project period through coordination, oversight, or collaboration rather than operating at a distance as with a standard grant. The funding opportunity number is W912EF 25 2 RPA 0001, and the listing references CFDA (now Assistance Listing) 12.010 under a natural resources activity category. USACE anticipates making one award, with an award ceiling of $32,000, suggesting a relatively small, focused project or a pilot-scale partnership that delivers specific outputs in training, maintenance support, and public engagement.

Key dates and identifiers in the posting include a creation date of 2025-04-03 and an original closing date of 2025-05-03. Applicants should be prepared to describe how their organization will deliver outdoor education and job-training experiences, how those experiences will be supervised and structured to produce measurable skills, and how the proposed work will directly support Mill Creek needs in infrastructure upkeep, resource management, and public-facing education. The opportunity is authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, specifically Title 33, Part 2339, Section 213(a) (Public Law 106-541), which provides the statutory basis for partnering with non-federal entities on these kinds of resource stewardship and educational efforts.

• The Walla Walla District in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Natural Resources Training and Education at Mill Creek" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.010.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-04-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-05-03. (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 $32,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W912EF 25 2 RPA 0001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: