FY2025 ABPP - Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant

The National Park Service, through its American Battlefield Protection Program, is offering the Fiscal Year 2025 Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant, funding opportunity number P25AS00478. This program is supported by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and is authorized under 54 U.S.C. 308103. The purpose of the program is to help preserve eligible Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields by providing financial assistance to state and local governments for the acquisition of fee-simple or less-than-fee property interests. Nonprofit organizations may also participate, but only through a partnership with an eligible governmental applicant. The National Park Service administers these grants to promote conservation, ensure public access, and preserve these lands in perpetuity. The estimated total program funding for this opportunity is $17,400,000, with approximately 24 awards expected. There is no set minimum or maximum award amount, though past awards have ranged from $30,000 to $2,000,000, and some awards have exceeded this range. All grants require a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal cost share, meaning recipients must provide at least 50 percent of project costs through cash or in-kind contributions. Funds may not be used to acquire lands within the legislative boundary of units of the National Park System, and all acquired lands must remain protected in perpetuity, subject to easements or covenants that ensure long-term stewardship and public benefit. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year until December 31, 2025. Applicants must submit proposals electronically through Grants.gov and complete required registrations, including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and maintaining an active SAM.gov registration. Required application documents include SF-424 forms, budget narratives, project abstracts, and project narratives that address battlefield significance, preservation strategy, threats, proposed activities, and applicant capacity. Additional supporting documents such as maps, photographs, letters of easement holder commitment, and cost-share commitment letters must also be included. A pre-application consultation with NPS staff is strongly encouraged. Applications will undergo an eligibility review, followed by a merit review scored on four criteria: historical significance and integrity, resource analysis and proposed activities, statement of threat and preservation strategy, and qualifications and capacity of the applicant and partners. Each criterion is worth up to two points, and proposals are categorized into three funding priority levels. Proposals meeting or exceeding program interests and demonstrating strong applicant qualifications are most likely to be funded. Applications may also undergo risk review and budget evaluation before final selection. Awards will be announced on a rolling basis, with an anticipated earliest start date of June 1, 2025, and projects may extend up to three years. Award recipients will receive formal Notices of Federal Award through GrantSolutions or email, outlining terms, conditions, and reporting requirements. Post-award obligations include compliance with federal acquisition and preservation standards, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, reporting on financial and programmatic progress, and maintaining public access consistent with preservation goals. Lands acquired must comply with non-conversion restrictions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act and must be managed according to perpetual preservation standards. All inquiries should be directed to the program via email at ABPP_BLAG@nps.gov. The grant program represents an ongoing federal effort to ensure that historic battlefields remain protected as enduring reminders of America’s shared heritage, while also promoting local stewardship, public access, and opportunities for education and interpretation.