This program supports projects that further the mission of the national park service and efforts in natural and cultural resource conservation, protection, and environmental sustainability that are…

Award Summary

The National Park Service (Department of the Interior) awarded a $139,000 Cooperative Agreement to Yakutat Tlingit Tribe under the Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education program (CFDA 15.954), effective September 23, 2025, through April 30, 2029. The project supports cultural preservation and educational activities for the Gunaaxoo Clan within the Dry Bay Preserve, enabling approximately 30 elders, culture bearers, and youth from the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe to access their traditional homeland. Key deliverables include collaborative development and implementation of a cultural education trip to Gunaaxoo Homeland, creation of a Tlingit language curriculum tied to traditional stories and lifeways, minimal trail maintenance to preserve access to cultural sites, production of an informational newsletter for tribal members, and documentation and archiving of program activities.

The project addresses tribal priorities in cultural and linguistic preservation while supporting the National Park Service mission in natural and cultural resource protection. Beneficiaries include the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe membership, nonprofit and government organizations, research scientists, and the general public. This award exemplifies the CFDA 15.954 program's focus on funding tribal consultation, cultural preservation, and educational outreach activities that complement National Park Service conservation efforts across its portfolio.

This program supports projects that further the mission of the national park service and efforts in natural and cultural resource conservation, protection, and environmental sustainability that are not covered under other specific financial assistance programs. This project provides opportunities for gunaaxoo clan members (represented by yakutat tlingit tribes) to visit their traditional homeland in the dry BAY preserve and develop language curricula related to the stories, life ways, and histories of the area. The project also provides opportunities for tlingit youth to visit homeland to preserve and maintain trail routes access to traditional sites within homeland. Project involves collaboratively developing and implementing a cultural education trip to gunaaxoo homeland for approximately 30 elders, culture bearers, and youth, producing a newsletter to share information with tribal members, maintaining access to cultural sites through minimal trail clearing, creating a tlingit language curriculum to strengthen connections to traditional homelands, and documenting and archiving program activities. Beneficiaries include profit organizations, public nonprofit institutions organizations, private nonprofit institutions organizations, non-federal government entities, industry and public decision makers, research scientists, engineers, and the general public.