This program utilizes qualified non-profit youth- and veteran-serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and education…

This Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931) provides $124,388.66 to the Friends of Saguaro National Park, a non-profit organization, to carry out natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service, and education projects on Department of the Interior lands. The award supports the "Next Generation Ranger Corps" program, which offers 9-12 month paid internships for local youth ages 18-30 to work across Saguaro National Park divisions, gaining hands-on experience in resource management, trails maintenance, interpretation, education, community engagement, and facility management. The program aims to provide career development opportunities for underrepresented youth while addressing critical park management needs through conservation and restoration projects.

This program utilizes qualified non-profit youth- and veteran-serving organizations to carry out appropriate natural and cultural resource conservation, education, volunteer service and education projects on department of the interior lands through authorized national park service programs. Providing opportunities for youth to learn about the environment by spending time working on and completing conservation projects in national parks. The next GEN rangers will help to plan and lead a series of retreats and workshops for educators working with indigenous communities.beneficiaries include private non-profit institutions and organizations public and private non-profit academic institutions state and local government agencies quasi-public non-profit institutions and organizations that support youth and young adult career training and development, and education in the areas of natural and or cultural resource conservation and management. Individuals families students and the general public will receive a benefit from the development and execution of these programs and projects.