Eastern National Competitive Grant Program

Eastern National's Competitive Grant Program provides funding to parks and heritage sites to support educational, scientific, and interpretive activities of the National Park Service and partner organizations.

Geographic Scope: National Parks, National Historic Sites, National Seashores, and other NPS-affiliated sites throughout the United States, with documented examples in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, South Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, and other states.

Focus Areas:

• Educational programming and school field trips
• Living history demonstrations and theatrical performances
• Interpretive exhibits and wayside displays
• Environmental education programs
• Cultural heritage celebrations and festivals
• Interactive learning experiences
• Programs serving underrepresented and underserved communities
• Dark Sky Park initiatives
• Technology-enhanced interpretation (apps, virtual exhibits, simulators)
• Native American heritage programming
• Wildlife and natural resource education

Eligibility: National Park Service sites and partner organizations operating within NPS-affiliated locations.

What They Fund:

• Educational event programming
• Living history demonstrations and period clothing
• Interactive exhibits and outdoor classrooms
• Transportation for student field trips
• Theater productions and interpretive performances
• Materials and supplies for educational activities
• Technology development (apps, virtual exhibits, simulators)
• Festival and event support
• Museum artifact acquisition
• Interpretive materials (postcards, brochures, signage)

What They Don't Fund: General operational costs not tied to specific educational/interpretive projects.

Organizational Background: Eastern National is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit cooperating association founded in 1947. Since founding, they have provided over $149 million in direct and in-kind aid to parks. They promote public understanding and support of America's national parks and other public trust partners through quality educational experiences, products, and services.

Contact Information:

• Phone: +1 215-283-6900
• Email: info@easternnational.org
• Address: 1301 Virginia Drive, Suite 425, Fort Washington, PA 19034
• Website: easternnational.org

Application Process

Specific application procedures and deadlines are not detailed in the provided website content. Based on the competitive grant program examples:

Known Requirements:

• Projects must align with NPS educational, scientific, and interpretive missions
• Applications should clearly describe the educational goals and expected outcomes
• Proposals should indicate how funds will be used and expected visitor/participant impact
• Budget details should be included

To Apply:

1. Contact Eastern National directly for current application guidelines and deadlines
2. Prepare project proposal with educational objectives and budget
3. Submit through Eastern National's designated application process

Note: Complete application details, forms, and specific submission procedures should be requested from Eastern National directly or may be available on their website's partner resources section.