Alternatives to Glyphosate for Weed Control in Historic Landscapes | P19AS00478

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00478

The National Park Service (Department of the Interior) posted a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Alternatives to Glyphosate for Weed Control in Historic Landscapes" (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00478; CFDA 15.923). The project is framed as applied research focused on finding practical weed management approaches that can be used in historically significant settings where the use of glyphosate is being avoided or reconsidered. The core idea is to test non-glyphosate weed control options not only for how well they suppress common weeds, but also for whether they pose risks to the historic fabric of a site, including nearby cultural resources and typical building materials found in historic landscapes.

The stated project goals are twofold. First, the research will evaluate the relative effectiveness of alternative weed control methods on common weeds, essentially comparing how different approaches perform in real-world or realistic conditions. Second, it will determine how these alternative methods affect common building materials, recognizing that treatment methods that are acceptable in purely natural-resource contexts might cause staining, corrosion, etching, surface loss, or other damage when used near historic masonry, metals, wood, or other materials associated with cultural landscapes and built features.

To accomplish those goals, the project lays out several objectives that emphasize both resource protection and actionable guidance. It will identify the benefits and hazards of specific alternative weed control methods as they relate to cultural resources, which implies a careful look at unintended consequences such as chemical interactions, moisture or thermal impacts, abrasion, or residue that could compromise historic materials. Building on those findings, the project will create recommendations for when and how each method should be used, aiming to give managers a clear basis for selecting tools and techniques that balance weed control with preservation needs. A key deliverable is the publication of a best-practice protocol for weed control methods used on or near significant cultural resources, meaning the outcome is intended to be a practical, standardized reference rather than only a research report. Finally, the results are expected to be widely shared through peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and educational webinars, signaling that the NPS wants the findings to influence broader professional practice in both cultural resource management and land stewardship.

Administratively, this notice is labeled as a non-competitive Notice of Intent and explicitly states that no applications are being accepted at the time of posting, so it functions more as a public announcement of an intended award than an open call for proposals. The anticipated scale is relatively small and targeted, with an award ceiling of $50,599 and an expectation of a single award. The eligible applicant category is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice, and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement during the project (for example, collaboration on study design, review of methods, access to sites, or coordination on dissemination). Overall, the opportunity centers on developing evidence-based, preservation-conscious alternatives to glyphosate that can be confidently deployed in historic landscapes without inadvertently harming culturally significant features or materials.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alternatives to Glyphosate for Weed Control in Historic Landscapes" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.923.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 08, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by This is a non-competitive Notice of Intent only. No applications are being accepted at this time.. (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 $50,599.00 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 P19AS00478

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