NOTICE OF INTENT: Revitalizing the Exhibitions of Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum | P19AS00070

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00070

The funding opportunity titled "NOTICE OF INTENT: Revitalizing the Exhibitions of Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum" (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00070) is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement under the U.S. Department of the Interior. It focuses on Mesa Verde National Park (MVNP) and specifically the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum (CMAM), one of the earliest museums in the NPS system. The core purpose is to support the planning, design, and development of updated museum exhibits so the museum can better serve modern visitors while still respecting and preserving its historic character and long-standing role as a central visitor destination within the park.

This award is framed as a collaborative agreement between the University of Colorado at Boulder and the NPS. The work described is intentionally scoped as Phase 1 of a larger, multi-phase effort. In other words, this initial award does not cover full exhibit fabrication and installation; it funds the early planning foundation needed to move responsibly into later stages. The opportunity makes clear that future phases may be funded later either by modifying this task agreement or through separate future task agreements, depending on how the project progresses and how subsequent funding is structured.

Phase 1 centers on scoping the project and gathering the information necessary to generate three different design alternatives for the Schematic Design stage. These alternatives are meant to explore different ways the museum exhibits could be refreshed, interpreted, and presented, giving the park options to evaluate before committing to a single direction. This phase is about doing the upfront research and concept development that typically drives successful exhibit projects: clarifying goals, understanding constraints, collecting interpretive content needs, and outlining feasible design directions that can later be refined and engineered.

A major driver behind the project is the Department of the Interior priority of improving public satisfaction at DOI sites. The opportunity ties that goal directly to exhibit quality by emphasizing exhibits that are accurate, interactive, and engaging for contemporary audiences. In practice, that means moving beyond static displays and updating interpretive approaches so visitors can connect more deeply with the stories, materials, and context represented at Mesa Verde. The museum is being positioned not just as a repository of objects, but as a key interpretive environment that shapes how the public understands the park and its cultural history.

Another explicit priority is supporting tribal self-determination. The project description stresses the importance of encouraging tribal stakeholders to share their perspectives as the park interprets the stories of their ancestors for the public. That signals an expectation of consultation and collaboration in interpretive planning, with tribal voices informing the narrative choices, themes, and framing of exhibits. The intent is to strengthen authenticity and respect in how ancestral Puebloan heritage is presented, while also aligning with broader federal commitments to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and participation in cultural interpretation.

Administratively, this is listed as a discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement funding instrument, under the Natural Resources activity category, with CFDA number 15.945. The expected number of awards is one, with an award ceiling of $30,000. The notice was created on March 25, 2019, and the original closing date was April 4, 2019. Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others" with additional clarification intended in the full eligibility text, but the narrative indicates a specific collaborative arrangement involving the University of Colorado at Boulder and the NPS for this phase of work.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as seed funding for a careful, consultation-informed exhibit modernization effort at a historically significant NPS museum. The deliverable focus is on early-stage planning and schematic design options, setting up a longer-term pathway toward new or revitalized exhibitions that both improve visitor engagement and more fully incorporate tribal stakeholder perspectives.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOTICE OF INTENT: Revitalizing the Exhibitions of Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 25, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 04, 2019. (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 $30,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for P19AS00070

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