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There are two options for applying for a VSP in-depth visitor study. For
parks that need funding assistance, the Project Management Information
System (PMIS) is required. The PMIS can be entered in the Servicewide
Comprehensive Call (SCC). The current project list is for FY2012-2016.
Parks should follow instructions on the VSP page.
IMPORTANT: when preparing the PMIS submission, include "VSP" in the
project title. Also list the month you want the study done and if the
park has a budget of less than $1.5 million.
NOTE DATE CHANGE: For parks that can fund their own visitor study in
FY2011, the VSP accepts park nomination forms in November/December
this year, although some Regions require all VSP projects to be
submitted on PMIS. The nominations need to be submitted to your Regional
contact person by January 4, 2010.
SMALL PARKS: Another change is that the VSP cannot offer small park
funding assistance from Recreation Fee monies at this time. We are
awaiting guidance from the NLC on how Recreation Fee monies will be
allotted in FY 2011.
The VSP Advisory Committee convenes annually in late winter to
recommend the top 20 nominations, plus alternates, to the NPS Associate
Director of Resource Stewardship and Science. The following criteria
have been used in the past to evaluate VSP nominations, but the Advisory
Committee is preparing a new rating system which is not yet available.
1) Need: Has the park ever had a visitor study done? Is it preparing
for a GMP or other planning project for which information on visitors is
needed?
2) Ability to fund: Demonstrated ability of the park to fund its share
of the total VSP study cost.
3) Balance in a single fiscal year: Reasonable distribution of selected
parks by region, park size, and park type.
The time frame for a park to receive the visitor study results is
approximately one year after the project is initiated.
In addition to the Visitor Survey Card and VSP in-depth visitor
studies, the PSU has capabilities of conducting other types of studies,
including mail and telephone surveys, focus groups, and other special
group studies.
If your park has information needs that can be met through a survey,
please contact us: Steve Hollenhorst at stevenh at uidaho.edu, Margaret
Littlejohn at littlej at
uidaho.edu or Jennifer Hoger Russell at jhoger at uidaho.edu.
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VSP Nomination Letter - Requests for Visitor Services Project Studies in
FY2011
Here's the request letter from NPS Visiting Social Scientist Jim
Gramann.
VSP FY11 Nomination
Letter
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The FY2011 VSP Nomination Form is available as an 'online' version. You
will need a username and password to access this form. Please contact us to obtain your username
and password. If you know your username and password, then just click
the link below:
VSP Nomination
Online Form FY2011
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