Conservation Interns at the Raystown Lake Project, USACE

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has announced a forecasted discretionary funding opportunity titled "Conservation Interns at the Raystown Lake Project, USACE." This grant is part of the Youth Conservation Services program (Assistance Listing 12.010) and aims to enhance environmental stewardship and safety outreach efforts at the Raystown Lake Project in Pennsylvania. The USACE, a key component of the U.S. Department of Defense, is responsible for vital public engineering projects, including flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, and environmental sustainability. Through this initiative, the Corps intends to engage two conservation interns to support critical resource management and public education functions at the site. The program’s primary objectives include wildlife management, monitoring of threatened and endangered species, fisheries management, and forest conservation. Interns will also assist with boundary maintenance and habitat enhancement. An additional focus is promoting water safety through educational programming, community engagement, and public service announcements. Tasks may include roving interpretation, updating educational signage, maintaining life jacket loaner stations, and potentially conducting interviews and news media outreach to support safety initiatives. This opportunity is offered via a cooperative agreement with a single nonprofit recipient organization, specifically one holding 501(c)(3) status that is not an institution of higher education. The intent is to provide educational training and hands-on experience to interns with backgrounds in fish and wildlife, forestry, or education studies. The funding is projected to range between $30,000 and $31,000, with no cost sharing or matching required. The agreement will support two intern positions and the associated program expenses for project execution beginning in May 2026. Applications are not yet open as this is a forecasted opportunity, with an estimated posting date of December 19, 2025. The expected application deadline is January 30, 2026, with award notifications anticipated by March 13, 2026. The selected project is expected to begin on May 11, 2026. No rolling deadlines are permitted, and the opportunity is not recurring. Applicants should monitor Grants.gov for updates when the opportunity transitions from forecasted to active status. The grant is managed by the USACE Baltimore District. Interested applicants may contact Jeffrey B. May, the designated Grants Officer, for more information at 410-962-5617. While no formal pre-application steps or documents are listed at this time, organizations are encouraged to prepare for a formal submission once the grant is officially posted. The Raystown Lake Project serves as a hub for recreation, environmental conservation, and public outreach in the region, making this an excellent opportunity for nonprofit organizations to contribute to meaningful environmental work while providing training for future conservation professionals.