Conduct Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) at the Flagstaff Area National Monuments | P17AS00509

Opportunity Information: Apply for P17AS00509

The grant opportunity titled "Conduct Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) at the Flagstaff Area National Monuments" is a National Park Service cooperative agreement focused on producing a baseline ethnographic document for the Flagstaff Area National Monuments (often referred to as FLAG). These monuments include Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (SUCR), Walnut Canyon National Monument (WACA), and Wupatki National Monument (WUPA). The work is led by Dr. T. J. Ferguson and Dr. Diane Austin as Co-Principal Investigators, with University of Arizona (UA) anthropologists carrying out the primary research activities in close coordination with monument management and participating tribal governments and communities.

At its core, the project is designed to bring together monument staff and thirteen traditionally associated tribes to document tribal relationships to the FLAG landscapes, culturally important places, and natural resources. A major emphasis is placed on traditional associations that continue into the present, including the use of plants and other resources needed for ongoing ceremonial and cultural practices. Rather than treating ethnography as purely academic, the project is framed as applied research that directly supports culturally informed, sensitive, and legally compliant management of national monument lands and resources.

The project relies on structured consultation and field-based ethnographic interviewing. UA anthropologists will invite tribal participants to visit the monuments and share knowledge through interviews and on-site discussions. Funding is set aside to support three representatives from each tribe to participate in field work, including travel and site visits across SUCR, WACA, and WUPA. To make the work feasible and consistent, the research plan groups tribal participation into eight field sessions, each built around three days of work with tribal research participants (including travel time to and from reservations). Because some tribal partners already coordinate through collaborative organizations, the plan anticipates joint participation for certain sessions, particularly among the Paiute Consortium and the Western Apache Working Group. The eight research trips are grouped as follows: Paiute (San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians), Apache (San Carlos Apache Tribe, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation), Yavapai (Yavapai-Prescott Tribe and Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation), plus individual sessions for the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Hualapai Tribe, Havasupai Tribe, and the Pueblo of Zuni. Across all sessions, tribal representatives are also provided a plain explanation of what an EOA is and how it is used, so participants can see how their contributions translate into management decisions and protections.

Staffing and training are built into the award as a public benefit. UA will employ a Graduate Research Assistant at 0.50 FTE for two academic years to support the Co-PIs. Field work is intentionally scheduled around spring break and summer so the graduate assistant can participate meaningfully in interviews, site visits, and documentation. This aspect of the project is not treated as incidental; training a student in ethnographic interviewing and recording methods is specifically described as part of the public purpose of the award, helping build future capacity for ethical and community-engaged cultural research.

The EOA itself is positioned as a foundational cultural resource management document under National Park Service Director's Order 28 (Cultural Resource Management Guidelines). In practical terms, this means the report is meant to serve as a baseline that helps monument staff identify, document, and protect the full range of cultural and natural resources connected to traditionally associated peoples. It supports better decision-making about access to sensitive or significant resources, clarifies the cultural meaning of specific sites or natural areas, strengthens working relationships between the NPS and affiliated tribes, and provides the context needed for more specialized studies later. The project is also explicitly linked to compliance and stewardship responsibilities under several federal laws and standards, including the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Threatened and Endangered Species Act, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations on Protection of Historic Properties, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, the Wilderness Act, and federal agency responsibilities under Section 110 of the NHPA. The intention is that once places of significance are identified, monument staff will monitor those physical areas in consultation with tribes to help ensure their long-term stability.

A secondary but important goal is to evaluate whether certain places identified through interviews may qualify for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as Traditional Cultural Properties (TCPs). If research findings suggest eligibility, and if the relevant tribes consent to that step, the UA anthropologists plan to prepare and submit at least one National Register nomination. This connects the ethnographic work to a concrete preservation pathway that can add additional recognition and protection for culturally important places, while still centering tribal control and consent around sensitive information and designation decisions.

Deliverables are clearly spelled out and designed for multiple audiences without compromising confidentiality. The primary deliverable is a written EOA report supported by photographs, maps detailing findings, and copies of interviews provided in a format agreed upon by monument management and the principal investigators. The report is expected to include a synthesized summary of tribal knowledge related to monument resources and landscapes, descriptions of historical and contemporary resource uses and meanings, discussion of traditional resource management practices, and recommendations including mitigation approaches for climate change impacts. It also anticipates future management needs by addressing potential future requests related to plant gathering, and it will include a bibliography and recommendations for future research. Alongside the full technical report, UA anthropologists will create a shorter, layperson-oriented report and a PowerPoint presentation summarizing findings for management use and public education, explicitly excluding sensitive information. The layperson report is intended to improve accessibility for tribes, monument staff, and the broader public, and it is planned to be posted on the SUCR, WACA, and WUPA websites, reinforcing the project’s public-facing value while maintaining appropriate protections for cultural knowledge that should not be widely shared.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, under CFDA 15.945 (Natural Resources). Eligible applicants are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the award parameters listed an award ceiling of $161,542 with an expectation of one award. The opportunity was created on July 18, 2017, with an original closing date of July 27, 2017. Overall, the grant supports a structured, consultation-driven ethnographic process that strengthens tribal connections to these monuments, improves culturally informed management, and produces both professional and community-accessible materials that can guide stewardship decisions for years to come.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conduct Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) at the Flagstaff Area National Monuments" 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 Jul 18, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 27, 2017. (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 $161,542.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

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