Opportunity Information: Apply for L23AS00288
The FY23 IIJA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Montana/Dakota Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Program is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management focused on natural resource work tied to plant conservation and habitat restoration in the BLM Montana/Dakotas region. Funding is offered through cooperative agreements, meaning BLM expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, coordination on methods, access, timing, deliverables, and alignment with BLM priorities on public lands). The program is associated with CFDA number 15.245 and is positioned as a plant-focused conservation and restoration effort under the broader umbrella of public lands stewardship and restoration work supported by federal infrastructure-related investments.
Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit-type entities and education institutions, not private companies or individuals. Specifically eligible applicant categories include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education). Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible, so proposals from private businesses or sole applicants cannot be considered under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
A key restriction in the announcement is that this particular NOFO does not support projects that involve hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice points out 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 framework, and as a result, youth or intern-crew style projects must be proposed under a separate BLM opportunity specifically intended for that purpose. In practice, this means applicants should not design their project budgets and staffing plans around Public Lands Corps internships or youth conservation crews for this funding stream. If an organization is a Youth Conservation Corps or wants to run youth conservation work on BLM lands, the announcement directs those applicants to pursue NOFO 15.243, titled BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands, instead of this plant conservation and restoration management program.
The opportunity number for this funding is L23AS00288, and the original application closing date listed was May 1, 2023. The award ceiling shown is $75,000 per award, which indicates the program is geared toward small, targeted projects rather than large, multi-million dollar construction or major long-term restoration contracts. While the posting lists "ExpectedAwards" without a number, the ceiling suggests BLM may fund multiple smaller cooperative agreements depending on available appropriations and the quality and fit of submitted proposals.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as support for on-the-ground plant conservation and restoration management activities aligned with BLM priorities in Montana and the Dakotas, to be carried out by governmental entities, tribes, nonprofits, and educational institutions in close coordination with BLM. Applicants should keep the proposal scope clearly within plant conservation/restoration management work and avoid structuring the project around Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring, since youth-crew staffing models are routed to a different BLM funding notice.Apply for L23AS00288
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY23 IIJA Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakota Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Program" 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 2023-03-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-01. (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 $75,000.00 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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FAQs: FY23 IIJA BLM Montana/Dakota Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Program (L23AS00288)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), focused on plant conservation and habitat restoration management work in the BLM Montana/Dakotas region. The program is positioned as a plant-focused conservation and restoration effort tied to broader public-lands stewardship and restoration work supported through federal infrastructure-related investments.
What is the official opportunity number?
The opportunity number is L23AS00288.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.245.
What type of award is expected (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements. This means BLM expects to have substantial involvement during the project period, such as coordinating on methods, access, timing, deliverables, and alignment with BLM priorities on public lands.
What kinds of projects does this program support?
Projects should focus on on-the-ground plant conservation and restoration management activities aligned with BLM priorities in Montana and the Dakotas. The notice frames this as natural resource work tied specifically to plant conservation and habitat restoration in the BLM Montana/Dakotas region.
What does "substantial involvement" from BLM mean in practice?
Because this is a cooperative agreement, BLM expects to be actively involved in the project during the period of performance. Examples listed include coordination on methods, access, timing, deliverables, and ensuring the work aligns with BLM priorities on public lands.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit-type entities and education institutions. Eligible categories specifically 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 tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Public/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals are explicitly ineligible under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
Are for-profit organizations or private companies eligible to apply?
No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible, so proposals from private businesses cannot be considered under this NOFO.
Can a nonprofit apply if it does not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Does this program support Youth Conservation Corps or internship/crew-style projects?
No. A key restriction is that this NOFO does not support projects that involve hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993.
What is the restriction related to the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993?
The notice states 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 framework. As a result, projects built around Public Lands Corps interns or youth conservation crews should not be proposed under this funding opportunity.
If our organization wants to do youth conservation work on BLM lands, where should we apply instead?
The notice directs Youth Conservation Corps or applicants seeking to run youth conservation work on BLM lands to pursue NOFO 15.243, titled "BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands," instead of this plant conservation and restoration management program.
Can we include interns or youth crews in the budget if they are essential to project delivery?
Not under the Public Lands Corps Act internship/crew hiring framework. The notice is explicit that this particular NOFO does not support projects involving hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, and it directs that youth/intern-crew style projects be proposed under a separate BLM opportunity intended for that purpose.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling shown is $75,000 per award.
Does the $75,000 ceiling indicate the typical project size?
Based on the posted ceiling, the program appears geared toward small, targeted projects rather than large, multi-million dollar construction efforts or major long-term restoration contracts.
How many awards will be made?
The posting lists "ExpectedAwards" without a number. The stated ceiling suggests BLM may fund multiple smaller cooperative agreements depending on available appropriations and the quality and fit of submitted proposals.
What was the application closing date listed in the posting?
The original application closing date listed was May 1, 2023.
What geographic area is this program focused on?
The program focuses on the BLM Montana/Dakotas region and is intended to support plant conservation and habitat restoration work aligned with BLM priorities on public lands in that region.
What should applicants keep in mind when scoping a proposal?
Applicants should keep the proposal scope clearly within plant conservation and restoration management work aligned with BLM priorities in Montana and the Dakotas, and should avoid structuring the project around Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring, since youth-crew staffing models are routed to a different BLM funding notice.
Is this opportunity described as discretionary federal funding?
Yes. The program is described as a discretionary federal funding opportunity administered by BLM.
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