NPS Grant: Evaluation of the Response to the Centennial Find Your Park Campaign

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P15AS00367
Project Title Evaluation of the Response to the Centennial Find Your Park campaign
Recipient Colorado State University
Total Anticipated Award Amount $40,129.00
Cost Share None
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of final signature until 12/31/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of final signature until 12/31/2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a) & (b); 54 USC 100703
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Programs-Resources of NPS CESUs
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Project Description: The National Park Service is celebrating its Centennial anniversary in 2016. As a part of this celebration the NPS has launched the ���Find Your Park��� campaign to ���connect with and create the next generation of visitors, advocates, and supporters.��� The target audience for the centennial campaign is millennials (people born between the early 1980s and 2000s. This audience is deeply involved in social media and as a part of the centennial campaign the NPS is focusing a lot of effort into reaching its target audience through these venues. Through the FindYourPark.com website, the NPS is asking users to ���Share Your Story��� about how they found their park. The public is also contributing to other social media venues not managed by the NPS and sharing how they feel about, think about, and understand parks. At the same time, the NPS is developing content for its audiences to respond to. This project will examine how the public produces content for social media about the NPS and compare their content to the posts developed by the NPS. As a result the NPS will gain a better understanding of what content resonates with online audiences in order improve its ability to connect with the next generation.

The primary focus of this project is public outreach, education and communications. The project assists in evaluation of social media content. Evaluation of content will produce recommendations for the NPS to develop social media content that is more relevant to its audience. The public will benefit from more targeted content that engages them fully in the relevance and stewardship of their national parks.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The purpose of this project is to assess relevancy of NPS social media offerings related to the Centennial Find Your Park campaign. In August 2016, the NPS will celebrate its 100th birthday, known as the Centennial. As part of this celebration, NPS has rolled out a ���Find Your Park��� campaign that invites members of the public to share their stories about what parks mean to them through various venues. A central concern of the Centennial campaign and other recent NPS initiatives is relevancy. To what degree does the NPS mission and messaging resonate with today���s public?

While a number of performance metrics are being developed for the Centennial campaign, most are related to number of visits (both in person and virtual) and awareness and knowledge of the campaign. There are no planned evaluations of the content posted by the public in comparison to content created and served by NPS. Social media content analysis could offer a low cost method of assessing some aspects of relevancy and result in guidance for future messaging efforts. This project will develop a research protocol for analyzing user-driven and NPS-driven content and perform an analysis natural resource-related content.

Content analysis is a social science method that systematically analyzes the content of text, images, audio, and video for themes relevant to a research question. The research team develops a protocol for sampling content, creates codes that represent relevant themes, and ensures reliability between coders.

Example research questions:
��� how are natural resource stewardship and science topics discussed by visitors vs. NPS?
��� what natural resource subjects are most often discussed?
��� what topics (subject) or types (photos, questions) generate the most engagement (likes, shares, comments, etc.)?

Comparing the codes associated with user-driven content vs. NPS-driven content would give us a measure of how well our existing communication content is aligned with the way today���s audiences think about and discuss experiences in parks and nature.

Content analysis gives us an objective way to assess how the public connects to the NPS parks and programs and finds meaning in the value and mission of the NPS. By understanding what resonates with virtual visitors, NPS can ensure the web-based content we create in the future better reflects relevancy, diversity, and inclusion of all of American society so that we remain seen as a credible steward of our nation���s cultural and natural heritage.

This project helps the NPS achieve its centennial goal of connecting and creating the next generation of visitors, advocates, and supporters by improving our understanding of how our target

Activities:
1. Content analysis of social media posted by visitors to Share Your Story, hitRecord, and other venues created by or resulting from the Find Your Park Centennial campaign;
2. Comparison to content analysis of social media created and posted by NPS;
3. Develop recommendations for future messaging to better resonate with today���s NPS audiences, identify underserved audiences.
Outcomes:
1. Evaluation of social media engagement stemming from Centennial campaign;
2. NPS communication content more aligned with today���s audiences.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

CSU agrees to:
��� Consult with NPS when they have developed a research protocol based on current research practices that could be applied to various topics of interest to the NPS
��� Implement the research protocol for natural resource topics
��� Provide recommendations on the development of social media content to communicate natural resource topics, including messages and product templates
��� Produce and present a final report summarizing project outcomes and recommendations
��� Collaborate with NPS to resent the findings to NPS web managers and centennial coordinators.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

NPS agrees to:
��� Facilitate connections between NPS staff and Colorado State University.
��� Collaborate on identification of social media venues, NPS topics, centennial partners, and significant centennial events
��� Provide guidance and review research protocol and products to ensure compatibility with NPS mission, policies, and standards
��� Review final products
��� Meet regularly with CSU to provide guidance and input on project-related objectives and outcomes
��� Organize presentations of results for NPS web managers and centennial coordinators.

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS
Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.
In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
(1) Unsolicited Proposal ��� The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives;
(2) Continuation ��� The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;
(3) Legislative intent ��� The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress��� intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;
(4) Unique Qualifications ��� The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications;
(5) Emergencies ��� Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (2) Continuation

This is a Task Agreement (P15AC01704) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00728) in the amount of $40,129.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 12/31/2016.

“This proposed project between Colorado State University and the NPS is authorized to go through the Rocky Mountains CESU at the negotiated overhead rate of 17.5% because it passes the test of substantial involvement by the NPS, public purpose and consistency with the mission of the CESU Network”.

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P15AS00367
Project Title Evaluation of the Response to the Centennial Find Your Park campaign
Recipient Colorado State University
Total Anticipated Award Amount $40,129.00
Cost Share None
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of final signature until 12/31/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of final signature until 12/31/2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a) & (b); 54 USC 100703
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Programs-Resources of NPS CESUs
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Project Description: The National Park Service is celebrating its Centennial anniversary in 2016. As a part of this celebration the NPS has launched the ���Find Your Park��� campaign to ���connect with and create the next generation of visitors, advocates, and supporters.��� The target audience for the centennial campaign is millennials (people born between the early 1980s and 2000s. This audience is deeply involved in social media and as a part of the centennial campaign the NPS is focusing a lot of effort into reaching its target audience through these venues. Through the FindYourPark.com website, the NPS is asking users to ���Share Your Story��� about how they found their park. The public is also contributing to other social media venues not managed by the NPS and sharing how they feel about, think about, and understand parks. At the same time, the NPS is developing content for its audiences to respond to. This project will examine how the public produces content for social media about the NPS and compare their content to the posts developed by the NPS. As a result the NPS will gain a better understanding of what content resonates with online audiences in order improve its ability to connect with the next generation.

The primary focus of this project is public outreach, education and communications. The project assists in evaluation of social media content. Evaluation of content will produce recommendations for the NPS to develop social media content that is more relevant to its audience. The public will benefit from more targeted content that engages them fully in the relevance and stewardship of their national parks.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The purpose of this project is to assess relevancy of NPS social media offerings related to the Centennial Find Your Park campaign. In August 2016, the NPS will celebrate its 100th birthday, known as the Centennial. As part of this celebration, NPS has rolled out a ���Find Your Park��� campaign that invites members of the public to share their stories about what parks mean to them through various venues. A central concern of the Centennial campaign and other recent NPS initiatives is relevancy. To what degree does the NPS mission and messaging resonate with today���s public?

While a number of performance metrics are being developed for the Centennial campaign, most are related to number of visits (both in person and virtual) and awareness and knowledge of the campaign. There are no planned evaluations of the content posted by the public in comparison to content created and served by NPS. Social media content analysis could offer a low cost method of assessing some aspects of relevancy and result in guidance for future messaging efforts. This project will develop a research protocol for analyzing user-driven and NPS-driven content and perform an analysis natural resource-related content.

Content analysis is a social science method that systematically analyzes the content of text, images, audio, and video for themes relevant to a research question. The research team develops a protocol for sampling content, creates codes that represent relevant themes, and ensures reliability between coders.

Example research questions:
��� how are natural resource stewardship and science topics discussed by visitors vs. NPS?
��� what natural resource subjects are most often discussed?
��� what topics (subject) or types (photos, questions) generate the most engagement (likes, shares, comments, etc.)?

Comparing the codes associated with user-driven content vs. NPS-driven content would give us a measure of how well our existing communication content is aligned with the way today���s audiences think about and discuss experiences in parks and nature.

Content analysis gives us an objective way to assess how the public connects to the NPS parks and programs and finds meaning in the value and mission of the NPS. By understanding what resonates with virtual visitors, NPS can ensure the web-based content we create in the future better reflects relevancy, diversity, and inclusion of all of American society so that we remain seen as a credible steward of our nation���s cultural and natural heritage.

This project helps the NPS achieve its centennial goal of connecting and creating the next generation of visitors, advocates, and supporters by improving our understanding of how our target

Activities:
1. Content analysis of social media posted by visitors to Share Your Story, hitRecord, and other venues created by or resulting from the Find Your Park Centennial campaign;
2. Comparison to content analysis of social media created and posted by NPS;
3. Develop recommendations for future messaging to better resonate with today���s NPS audiences, identify underserved audiences.
Outcomes:
1. Evaluation of social media engagement stemming from Centennial campaign;
2. NPS communication content more aligned with today���s audiences.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

CSU agrees to:
��� Consult with NPS when they have developed a research protocol based on current research practices that could be applied to various topics of interest to the NPS
��� Implement the research protocol for natural resource topics
��� Provide recommendations on the development of social media content to communicate natural resource topics, including messages and product templates
��� Produce and present a final report summarizing project outcomes and recommendations
��� Collaborate with NPS to resent the findings to NPS web managers and centennial coordinators.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

NPS agrees to:
��� Facilitate connections between NPS staff and Colorado State University.
��� Collaborate on identification of social media venues, NPS topics, centennial partners, and significant centennial events
��� Provide guidance and review research protocol and products to ensure compatibility with NPS mission, policies, and standards
��� Review final products
��� Meet regularly with CSU to provide guidance and input on project-related objectives and outcomes
��� Organize presentations of results for NPS web managers and centennial coordinators.

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS
Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.
In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
(1) Unsolicited Proposal ��� The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives;
(2) Continuation ��� The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;
(3) Legislative intent ��� The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress��� intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;
(4) Unique Qualifications ��� The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications;
(5) Emergencies ��� Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (2) Continuation

This is a Task Agreement (P15AC01704) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00728) in the amount of $40,129.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 12/31/2016.

“This proposed project between Colorado State University and the NPS is authorized to go through the Rocky Mountains CESU at the negotiated overhead rate of 17.5% because it passes the test of substantial involvement by the NPS, public purpose and consistency with the mission of the CESU Network”.