Opportunity Information: Apply for L24AS00441
The IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Operations Center (NOC) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00441; CFDA 15.245) is a discretionary federal funding program that will be issued as a cooperative agreement to support plant conservation and restoration management work tied to BLM priorities. As a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect BLM to have substantial involvement during the project, such as coordination on technical approach, deliverables, or implementation decisions, rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The activity area is natural resources, with an overall emphasis on conserving native plant resources and improving restoration outcomes on public lands in alignment with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding context.
Eligibility is broad for public and nonprofit partners but explicitly excludes individuals and for-profit organizations. Eligible applicant types include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit categories as stated). The notice is clear that applications from individuals and for-profit entities are not allowed under this NOFO, so partnerships that include private companies would need to ensure the applicant and award recipient is an eligible entity.
A key restriction is that this NOFO does not support applicants using these funds to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice explains that the Public Lands Corps Act (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that specific authority, and projects focused on youth conservation corps-style internships or crews must instead be pursued under a different funding opportunity: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. In practical terms, applicants should avoid building proposals that rely on internship/crew hiring models under Public Lands Corps and should instead frame staffing and implementation in ways that comply with the stated limitation, or use the designated youth-focused NOFO if that is central to the project.
The announcement also highlights the role of Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnerships designed to facilitate research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and education services. If the applicant is a CESU partner and the award is made under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement that aligns with CESU purposes, then indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the partner's federally approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). Applicants are asked to state whether their proposal advances CESU purposes and, if so, to identify which CESU Network should be considered the host. This matters for budgeting and compliance because the CESU indirect cost limitation can be different from what an organization might otherwise expect under its NICRA.
In terms of funding scale and timing, the posted award ceiling is $500,000 per award, and the original closing date is September 30, 2024. The listing does not specify an expected number of awards in the provided text, so applicants should plan for a competitive process where BLM may fund a limited set of projects that best align with restoration and plant conservation outcomes. Overall, this opportunity is best suited for governmental entities, tribes, universities, and nonprofits that can deliver technically sound plant conservation or restoration management work on or in support of BLM-managed landscapes, can operate comfortably under a cooperative agreement model with federal involvement, and can structure budgets and staffing to comply with the specific restrictions on interns/crews and (where applicable) CESU indirect cost limits.Apply for L24AS00441
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management National Operations Center (NOC) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.245.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-30. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Operations Center (NOC) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00441; CFDA 15.245). It is a discretionary federal funding program intended to support plant conservation and restoration management work tied to BLM priorities, with an emphasis on conserving native plant resources and improving restoration outcomes on public lands in alignment with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) context.
What type of award will be used?
Award(s) will be issued as a cooperative agreement. This means BLM is expected to have substantial involvement during the project, such as coordinating on technical approach, deliverables, or implementation decisions, rather than providing funds with minimal federal engagement.
How is a cooperative agreement different from a traditional grant in this NOFO?
Under this opportunity, applicants should plan for substantial BLM involvement during project execution. The description indicates BLM may coordinate on technical approach, deliverables, and implementation decisions, so projects should be designed with active federal collaboration in mind.
What is the program focus or activity area?
The activity area is natural resources. The overall emphasis is plant conservation and restoration management, particularly conserving native plant resources and improving restoration outcomes on public lands in alignment with BLM priorities and the IIJA/IRA funding context.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad for public and nonprofit partners. Eligible applicant types include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit categories as stated)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit categories as stated)
Who is not eligible to apply?
Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly not allowed to apply under this NOFO.
Can a project involve a private company as a partner or subcontractor?
The NOFO states that for-profit entities cannot be the applicant or award recipient. If a project includes private companies in some capacity, the applicant and award recipient must still be an eligible entity under the NOFO.
What is the maximum funding amount per award?
The posted award ceiling is $500,000 per award.
When is the application due?
The original closing date listed is September 30, 2024.
Does this NOFO specify how many awards BLM expects to make?
The provided information does not specify an expected number of awards. Applicants should plan for a competitive process in which BLM may fund a limited set of projects that best align with the opportunity priorities.
Can these funds be used to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993?
No. A key restriction is that this NOFO does not support using these funds to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993.
Why are Public Lands Corps internships/crews restricted under this opportunity?
The notice explains that the Public Lands Corps Act (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that specific authority. Because of that, projects centered on youth conservation corps-style internships or crews are directed to a different funding opportunity.
If our project is centered on youth internships or conservation crews, where should we apply instead?
The notice points applicants to NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands, for projects focused on youth conservation corps-style internships or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act framework.
What practical budgeting or staffing implications does the intern/crew restriction have?
Applicants should avoid building proposals that rely on internship/crew hiring models under the Public Lands Corps Act using this funding. Staffing and implementation should be structured to comply with this limitation, or applicants should pursue the youth-focused NOFO if that model is central to the project.
What are CESUs and why are they mentioned?
Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) are partnerships designed to facilitate research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and education services. The announcement highlights CESUs because awards made under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement can have specific indirect cost limitations and proposal identification requirements.
What is the CESU indirect cost cap mentioned in the announcement?
If the applicant is a CESU partner and the award is made under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement that aligns with CESU purposes, then indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the partner's federally approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).
Does the CESU indirect cost cap apply to every applicant?
No. The cap applies when the applicant is a CESU partner and the award is made under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement that aligns with CESU purposes, as described in the announcement.
What does BLM ask CESU-affiliated applicants to include in their application?
Applicants are asked to state whether their proposal advances CESU purposes and, if so, to identify which CESU Network should be considered the host.
Why does it matter whether the project is proposed under a CESU?
It matters for budgeting and compliance. The CESU indirect cost limitation (up to 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the NICRA) may differ from what an organization might otherwise expect under its NICRA outside the CESU context.
What kinds of organizations are best positioned for this opportunity?
Based on the description, this opportunity is best suited for governmental entities, tribes, universities, and nonprofits that can deliver technically sound plant conservation or restoration management work on or in support of BLM-managed landscapes, can operate under a cooperative agreement model with federal involvement, and can structure budgets and staffing to comply with the restrictions on interns/crews and (where applicable) CESU indirect cost limits.
Is this opportunity tied to IIJA and IRA priorities?
Yes. The opportunity is presented in an IIJA/IRA context and emphasizes conserving native plant resources and improving restoration outcomes on public lands in alignment with that funding context and BLM priorities.
What identifier information should applicants use to ensure they are looking at the correct opportunity?
The opportunity is identified as: Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00441; CFDA 15.245; BLM NOC Plant Conservation and Restoration Management.
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