Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00427
The No Tears Suite Cultural Workshops - CHSC grant opportunity (NPS NOIP20AC00427) is a National Park Service discretionary funding competition offered through a cooperative agreement to support a public-facing arts and humanities project centered on civil rights history. The core idea is to use the "No Tears Suite" as a vehicle for telling the story of the Little Rock Nine and expanding public awareness of Central High National Historic Site (CHSC), while also building meaningful connections to New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site through a parallel set of programs in New Orleans. The project is designed to blend performance, education, and facilitated conversation so that audiences experience the history not only as a museum narrative, but also as living cultural memory expressed through music and dialogue.
The proposed work focuses on delivering a coordinated series of events in two cities during fall 2020: Little Rock, Arkansas and New Orleans, Louisiana. In each city, the program calls for one live performance of No Tears Suite, along with one workshop/masterclass and one public panel discussion, for a total of two performances, two workshops, and two panel discussions across the full project. The National Park Service and partners plan to use Oxford American's national media reach to promote the events and extend their impact beyond the in-person audience, with a target of roughly 500 attendees per city across the combined activities. The longer-term goal is not just attendance at the events themselves, but increased awareness that leads to more visits to both Central High National Historic Site and New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site, helped along by ongoing publicity and coverage after the events conclude.
Education and youth engagement are a central piece of the design, particularly through music students and university partners. Each workshop is framed as a masterclass on using music and creative expression to tell civil rights stories, with an expectation of reaching at least 50 jazz students per class in each city. The opportunity specifically mentions engagement with Dillard University and Southern University students in New Orleans, and partnership connections in Little Rock including Philander Smith College's Social Justice Department and the Arkansas Peace and Justice organization. In total, the performances and educational components are expected to reach approximately 600 to 800 participants, while also generating broader national and international attention for Little Rock's musical history and cultural identity through amplified media coverage.
The panel discussions are intended to be free and open to the public, and they are structured to deepen understanding of present-day civil rights issues by using the Central High desegregation crisis as the historical framework. These panels are to be conducted in conjunction with civil rights and humanities scholars and are meant to function as dialogue programs, not just lectures, tying historic events to contemporary questions in a way that is accessible to general audiences while still grounded in scholarship.
The work plan is organized into three main tasks with a defined timeline. Task 1 covers planning and program development between May 1, 2020 and September 1, 2020, during which the recipient, park staff, and musicians collaborate on workshop formats, program needs, and overall execution; the NPS also assists in securing venues in Little Rock and New Orleans and supports coordination with local artists and activists to shape the dialogue portions of the project. Task 2 is the delivery phase, with the Little Rock performance and related programs scheduled for September 24-25, 2020 to align with the 63rd anniversary of the Central High School desegregation crisis, followed by the New Orleans performance and associated programs in November 2020. Task 3 requires narrative reporting on outcomes, documenting results and impacts, with the project concluding by March 31, 2021.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and is categorized under arts, education, humanities, community development, and regional development (CFDA 15.954). Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The opportunity was created March 30, 2020, with an original application deadline of April 9, 2020. Funding is structured as a single expected award with a ceiling of $26,900, indicating a small, targeted project meant to leverage partnerships, venues, and media distribution rather than function as a large production grant.Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00427
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "No Tears Suite Cultural Workshops- CHSC" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 30, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 09, 2020. (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 $26,900.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: No Tears Suite Cultural Workshops - CHSC (NPS NOIP20AC00427)
What is the No Tears Suite Cultural Workshops - CHSC grant opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) discretionary funding competition offered through a cooperative agreement to support a public-facing arts and humanities project centered on civil rights history. The project uses the "No Tears Suite" as a way to tell the story of the Little Rock Nine, expand public awareness of Central High National Historic Site (CHSC), and create a parallel set of programs connected to New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is NPS NOIP20AC00427.
Who is offering this grant?
The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The opportunity is offered through a cooperative agreement, meaning NPS staff are described as collaborating with the recipient during planning and execution (for example, on program development and venue coordination).
What is the purpose of the project being funded?
The purpose is to deliver an arts-and-humanities program that blends performance, education, and facilitated conversation so audiences experience civil rights history as living cultural memory through music and dialogue. It is specifically framed around Central High desegregation history (Little Rock Nine) and aims to build connections to New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site through related programming in New Orleans.
Which National Park Service sites are involved in the project concept?
The project centers on Central High National Historic Site (CHSC) and also aims to build meaningful connections to New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site through parallel programs in New Orleans.
What activities are expected as part of the project?
The proposed work includes a coordinated series of events in two cities. In each city, the program calls for:
- One live performance of No Tears Suite
- One workshop/masterclass
- One public panel discussion
Across the full project, that totals two performances, two workshops, and two panel discussions.
Where will the activities take place?
The events are planned for two locations during fall 2020:
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- New Orleans, Louisiana
When is the Little Rock portion scheduled?
The Little Rock performance and related programs are scheduled for September 24-25, 2020, aligning with the 63rd anniversary of the Central High School desegregation crisis.
When is the New Orleans portion scheduled?
The New Orleans performance and associated programs are scheduled for November 2020.
What is the project timeline overall?
The work plan is organized into three tasks with a defined timeline:
- Task 1 (Planning and program development): May 1, 2020 to September 1, 2020
- Task 2 (Delivery): Little Rock programs on September 24-25, 2020; New Orleans programs in November 2020
- Task 3 (Reporting and closeout): Narrative reporting on outcomes; project concludes by March 31, 2021
Are the panel discussions open to the public?
Yes. The panel discussions are intended to be free and open to the public.
What is the focus of the panel discussions?
The panels are structured to deepen understanding of present-day civil rights issues using the Central High desegregation crisis as the historical framework. They are described as dialogue programs (not just lectures) and are to be conducted in conjunction with civil rights and humanities scholars.
How are education and youth engagement incorporated?
Education and youth engagement are central, especially through music students and university partners. Each workshop is framed as a masterclass on using music and creative expression to tell civil rights stories, with an expectation of reaching at least 50 jazz students per class in each city.
Which universities and local partners are mentioned for New Orleans?
The opportunity specifically mentions engaging Dillard University and Southern University students in New Orleans.
Which partners are mentioned for Little Rock?
The opportunity mentions partnership connections in Little Rock including Philander Smith College's Social Justice Department and the Arkansas Peace and Justice organization.
How many people is the project expected to reach?
The opportunity describes multiple participation targets:
- A target of roughly 500 attendees per city across the combined activities (performance, workshop, and panel)
- Workshops expecting at least 50 jazz students per class in each city
- Total reach across performances and educational components estimated at approximately 600 to 800 participants
How will the events be promoted?
NPS and partners plan to use Oxford American's national media reach to promote the events and extend the impact beyond the in-person audience, with the intent of generating ongoing publicity and coverage after the events conclude.
What longer-term outcomes does the opportunity describe?
Beyond attendance at the events, the longer-term goal is increased public awareness that leads to more visits to both Central High National Historic Site and New Orleans Jazz National Historic Site, supported by continued publicity and media coverage after the events.
What subject areas does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is categorized under arts, education, humanities, community development, and regional development.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 15.954.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply directly?
No. The eligibility criteria exclude institutions of higher education, even though the project activities are expected to engage university students through partnerships.
How much funding is available?
The opportunity indicates a single expected award with a funding ceiling of $26,900.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates a single expected award.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on March 30, 2020.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was April 9, 2020.
What makes this a "small, targeted" project according to the description?
The opportunity describes a relatively modest funding ceiling ($26,900) and positions the project as one that leverages partnerships, venues, and media distribution rather than operating as a large production grant.
What role does the National Park Service play during the project?
During planning and program development, the recipient, park staff, and musicians collaborate on workshop formats, program needs, and overall execution. NPS also assists in securing venues in Little Rock and New Orleans and supports coordination with local artists and activists to shape the dialogue portions of the project.
What deliverables are expected at the end of the project?
The final phase requires narrative reporting on outcomes to document results and impacts, with the project concluding by March 31, 2021.
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