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

Conservation Legacy (doing business as Southwest Conservation Corps) received a $213,546.67 Cooperative Agreement from the National Park Service under the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program (CFDA 15.931), awarded July 15, 2025, with a completion date of December 31, 2026. The awardee will deploy three Conservation Legacy interns to support the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC, providing interpretation, education, and volunteer services. The interns will deliver public programming and educational initiatives designed to enhance visitor engagement and build organizational capacity for regularly scheduled public programs in advance of the America 250 commemorations.

Specific deliverables include engaging with school groups, developing and delivering educational presentations, creating web and social media content, managing visitor correspondence, and preparing events for the America 250 initiative. This project exemplifies the Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities program's dual objective of addressing resource management and education needs on Department of Interior lands while providing professional development opportunities for young adults and veterans in federal service roles.

This program seeks to utilize 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. This project will support three conservation legacy interns to work at the national mall and memorial parks, focusing on supporting interpretation, education, and volunteer initiatives. The initiative aims to enhance the capacity for regularly scheduled public programs in anticipation of increased visitation leading up to the america 250 commemorations. The interns will engage in various cultural and education-based activities, including working with large school groups, delivering presentations and educational talks, creating web and social media content, handling visitor correspondence, and preparing for america 250 events.