NPS Graphic History Novels | NPS DOIP16AC01285 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS DOIP16AC01285 01

The "NPS Graphic History Novels" opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) financial assistance notice of intent to award, meaning it is not an open call for applications. Instead, it serves as public notice that NPS planned to make a non-competitive (single-source) assistance award to a specific partner, Alaska Geographic, to support the development of an American history graphic novel series connected directly to units of the National Park System. The award vehicle is a modification to an existing cooperative agreement, with an anticipated project period running from August 15, 2017 through September 30, 2019. The notice lists anticipated federal funding of about $75,000 (with a separate line indicating $77,500 in the NPS involvement section), with no non-federal cost share required. The assistance falls under CFDA 15.945 and is authorized under 54 USC 100703, with the activity framed as an education and interpretation effort.

At the center of the project is the creation of publication-ready, ready-to-print digital files for a graphic novel manuscript about a significant historic event tied to national park units and NPS-managed resources. The work is designed to be collaborative: NPS resource specialists (such as historians, archivists, interpreters, cultural resource staff, and related subject matter experts) provide research support, archival access, factual review, and perspective, while Alaska Geographic coordinates professional publishing functions such as writing, illustration, editing, layout, and design. The end product for each title is envisioned as a roughly 150-page graphic novel that blends original illustrations with selected historic photographs and is grounded in rigorous research, including archival materials held in NPS collections and the best available scholarship. While NPS and Alaska Geographic would identify publishers to later print and distribute the books, the core deliverable under this agreement is the developed, print-ready manuscript package.

The broader goal is to build an eventual series of graphic novels focused on "untold or lesser-told" chapters of American history. The storytelling approach is intentionally aimed at engagement, especially for younger audiences, using vivid narrative techniques like first-person accounts, dramatic turning points, personal obstacles, and historic achievements. A key theme is inclusion: the series is meant to reflect a wide range of the American experience, highlighting women and men, different ages, and diverse cultural, national, and ethnic backgrounds. The notice provides examples of possible topics to be developed, including the Nunamiut Inupiat settlement of Anaktuvuk Pass, the Tlingit battle against the Russian navy in Sitka, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Han Gwich'in homelands in eastern interior Alaska, stories about people and wolves, and the Underground Railroad. One novel had already been completed before this round, and the intent for this phase was to begin development of three to four additional topics.

This award is described as a cooperative agreement with substantial federal involvement, which is important because it signals that NPS is not simply providing funds and stepping back. NPS staff are expected to participate throughout topic selection and refinement, contribute subject matter expertise across disciplines (history, cultural anthropology, natural sciences, interpretation), help locate and provide access to archival source materials and images, and review drafts and provide feedback as the story and art develop. Alaska Geographic, in turn, is responsible for overall project management and for recruiting or providing the creative and production team needed to turn the selected topic into a complete, publication-ready graphic novel, as well as participating in planning meetings and submitting required reports on schedule. The joint management plan emphasizes two primary objectives: selecting and developing an appropriate lesser-known story tied to national parklands, and maintaining regular communication so coordination stays strong and the final products meet shared expectations.

A major element of the notice is the single-source justification explaining why the award was not competed. NPS cites the "unique qualifications" basis for a non-competitive award, pointing to Alaska Geographic's formal status as an official nonprofit partner and cooperating association established under specific legislative authority. Cooperating associations are explicitly authorized to provide interpretive services and develop educational media products in collaboration with NPS, which aligns directly with the purpose of this project. The notice also stresses Alaska Geographic's long history of producing publications with NPS in Alaska (dating back to 1959), its involvement in interpretive planning and ongoing coordination with NPS leadership and park staff, and its mission focus on youth education and broadening connections to public lands among diverse audiences. In NPS's view, this combination of relationship, authorization, experience, and capacity to manage both NPS expert input and private-sector publishing production makes Alaska Geographic uniquely positioned to take a project from concept through a ready-to-print manuscript while also communicating stewardship, public land values, and historically grounded narratives to audiences that NPS is trying to reach more effectively.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an education and interpretation initiative using graphic novels as a modern, accessible format to strengthen public understanding of the people, events, and resources preserved in national parks. It is structured to ensure historical accuracy and community and NPS perspectives through deep staff involvement, while relying on Alaska Geographic to execute the creative, editorial, and design work needed for professional publication. The intended public benefit is increased awareness, appreciation, and stewardship of public lands, especially among youth and communities that may not already feel connected to national parks or to the stories those places protect and commemorate.

• The National Park Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NPS Graphic History Novels" 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 2017-08-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-08-07. (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 $152,500.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for NPS DOIP16AC01285 01

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