Conservation Interns at the Raystown Lake Project, USACE

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity through its Raystown Lake Project (RLP) in Pennsylvania. This initiative falls under the agency’s broader mandate to manage natural resources and promote public safety on federal lands. The cooperative agreement is designed to support the Raystown Lake Project's conservation and outreach efforts by engaging qualified organizations in the recruitment and management of conservation interns. Through this program, the USACE aims to enhance its capacity in natural resource stewardship and water safety programming while simultaneously fostering the professional development of individuals pursuing careers in related fields. The purpose of the funding opportunity is to place seven Conservation Interns at Raystown Lake: two in Natural Resource Management and five in Water Safety and Interpretation roles. These interns will be involved in a variety of conservation and outreach activities, including wildlife management, threatened and endangered species monitoring, fisheries and forest management, habitat enhancement, and boundary maintenance. On the water safety side, interns will assist with public education and outreach through bulletin board updates, maintenance of life jacket loaner stations, organizing safety events, writing and disseminating public service announcements, and conducting media interviews and interpretive programming. These activities align with the broader goals of USACE to promote environmental stewardship and public engagement across its managed sites. The program targets non-Federal public and nonprofit entities, with specific eligibility extended to Native American tribal governments, city and township governments, county governments, and IRS-designated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. These eligible entities are expected to support the management and training of selected interns, ensuring a structured and productive learning environment aligned with USACE objectives. The internships provide hands-on experience for individuals with backgrounds in fish and wildlife management, forestry, education, or related fields. Funding for this opportunity is set between $100,000 and $105,000, with no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The total program funding is capped at $105,000, and only one award is expected. The agreement reflects USACE’s strategy to leverage cooperative partnerships for effective environmental and public safety outcomes. The funding instrument type is a Cooperative Agreement, which implies substantial involvement by the agency in program implementation and oversight. The assistance listing associated with this program is 12.010, Youth Conservation Services. Applicants must submit their complete application packages via Grants.gov by March 2, 2026. The opportunity was posted on January 30, 2026, and does not involve any pre-application requirements such as a Letter of Intent or Concept Paper. The program does not recur on a regular basis, and therefore does not project a future application cycle beyond the current deadline. As such, interested applicants are encouraged to apply promptly during the current submission window. For further details or technical assistance, applicants may contact Jeffrey B. May, the Grants Officer for this opportunity, by phone at 410-962-5617. Additional context about the Raystown Lake Project and its associated programs can be accessed via the official USACE website. No PDF link or application manual is provided in the source, and all necessary instructions appear to be integrated into the Grants.gov synopsis. Award decisions and performance timelines are not specified but are expected to align with the typical schedules of seasonal internships coordinated by USACE.