Opportunity Information: Apply for L24AS00127
The IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Wildlife Program (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00127) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, focused on natural resources work that supports wildlife-related priorities on BLM-managed lands in California. Awards are made as cooperative agreements, which generally means BLM expects to have substantial involvement in the project during planning and implementation (for example, coordination on methods, shared decision-making on deliverables, or collaboration on monitoring and reporting), rather than operating as a hands-off pass-through grant.
Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit sectors and certain education and tribal entities. Eligible applicants 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 Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories). Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible to apply under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), which is an important screening point for partnerships that may otherwise include private-sector participants.
A key restriction in this NOFO is that it does not support applicants proposing to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice emphasizes that the Public Lands Corps Act (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the legislative authority BLM uses to "hire" interns under that framework, and that projects intended for eligible Youth Conservation Corps participation must be pursued under a separate funding opportunity: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. Practically, that means if your concept relies on youth crews, interns, or a corps-style workforce approach tied to Public Lands Corps authorities, this particular California Wildlife Program NOFO is not the correct vehicle, and you would need to realign your application to the youth-focused NOFO instead.
The opportunity also highlights the role of Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnership networks designed to support research, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and education aligned with federal land management needs. If an applicant is a CESU partner and the cooperative agreement is awarded under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement consistent with CESU purposes, the indirect cost policy is capped: indirect costs are limited to 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 clearly state whether their proposal advances the purpose of the CESU program and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should serve as the host. This is important because it can affect both the administrative pathway for the award and the indirect cost recovery rules that apply.
From an administrative standpoint, this NOFO was created on January 8, 2024, and had an original closing date of March 8, 2024. The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000, indicating BLM may fund projects up to that amount, depending on available appropriations and program priorities. The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity is 15.247, and the funding activity category is Natural Resources, which helps applicants and partners map the program to internal compliance, grants management, and reporting systems.
In short, this funding opportunity supports substantial wildlife and natural resource work in California through cooperative agreements with eligible governmental, tribal, educational, and nonprofit entities, while specifically excluding individuals and for-profit applicants and steering youth internship/crew concepts to a separate Public Lands Corps-related NOFO. It also signals a strong preference for (or at least an established pathway through) CESU-aligned projects, with a notable indirect cost limitation for awards made under the CESU master framework.Apply for L24AS00127
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management California Wildlife Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.247.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-08.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-08. (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 $5,000,000.00 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) - IIJA/IRA BLM California Wildlife Program (L24AS00127)
What is the IIJA/IRA BLM California Wildlife Program (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00127)?
This is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It supports natural resources work that advances wildlife-related priorities on BLM-managed lands in California.
What type of award will be used for this opportunity?
Awards are made as cooperative agreements. In a cooperative agreement, BLM generally expects to have substantial involvement during planning and implementation, such as coordinating on methods, collaborating on monitoring and reporting, or participating in shared decision-making on deliverables.
How is a cooperative agreement different from a more hands-off grant?
Based on the notice description, this opportunity is not designed to be a pass-through arrangement where the recipient operates independently. Instead, BLM anticipates active participation in key parts of the project (for example, project design coordination, collaboration on implementation details, and involvement in monitoring/reporting expectations).
What kinds of projects does this funding opportunity support?
The NOFO focuses on natural resources work supporting wildlife-related priorities on BLM-managed lands in California. The funding activity category is Natural Resources.
Where must the work occur?
The opportunity is focused on work that supports wildlife-related priorities on BLM-managed lands in California.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to certain public and nonprofit sectors and certain education and tribal entities. Eligible applicant types listed 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
- Other tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category)
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals are explicitly ineligible to apply under this NOFO.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible to apply under this NOFO.
Can a partnership include private-sector participants if the applicant is an eligible entity?
The NOFO states that for-profit organizations are ineligible applicants, which is an important screening point for partnerships that might otherwise include private-sector participants. The information provided does not describe whether and how ineligible entities could participate as partners or contractors; it only clearly addresses who may apply as the applicant.
Does this NOFO support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993?
No. A key restriction is that this NOFO does not support applicants proposing to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993.
If our project relies on youth crews or a corps-style workforce, what should we do?
The notice indicates that projects intended for eligible Youth Conservation Corps participation under Public Lands Corps authorities should be pursued under a separate opportunity: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. If your concept depends on youth crews, interns, or a Public Lands Corps-style workforce approach, this California Wildlife Program NOFO is not described as the correct funding vehicle.
What is the Public Lands Corps Act reference mentioned in the NOFO?
The NOFO references the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) as the legislative authority BLM uses to "hire" interns under that framework, and it clarifies that this particular NOFO does not support that approach.
What are Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), and why do they matter here?
CESUs are partnership networks designed to support research, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and education aligned with federal land management needs. The opportunity highlights CESUs as an established pathway for projects that fit CESU purposes.
How do indirect costs work if an award is made under a CESU Master agreement?
If the applicant is a CESU partner and the cooperative agreement is awarded under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement consistent with CESU purposes, the indirect cost policy is capped. Indirect costs are limited to no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the partner's federally approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).
What is a NICRA, as referenced in the NOFO?
NICRA stands for Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. The NOFO uses NICRA as the reference point for the indirect cost base, and it states a 17.5 percent cap (of that recognized base) for awards made under the CESU Master agreement pathway.
Do applicants need to say whether their proposal advances CESU purposes?
Yes. Applicants are asked to clearly state whether their proposal advances the purpose of the CESU program. If it does, applicants should identify which CESU Network should serve as the host.
Why does identifying a CESU Network host matter?
The notice indicates this can affect both the administrative pathway for the award and the indirect cost recovery rules that apply (including the 17.5 percent cap described for CESU Master agreement awards).
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this opportunity?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity is 15.247.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category listed for this opportunity is Natural Resources.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000. This indicates BLM may fund projects up to that amount, depending on available appropriations and program priorities.
When was this NOFO created, and what were the listed closing dates?
The NOFO was created on January 8, 2024, and had an original closing date of March 8, 2024.
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Is this opportunity competitive or discretionary?
The NOFO is described as a discretionary federal grant opportunity.
What is the main takeaway for applicants considering this opportunity?
This opportunity supports wildlife and natural resource work in California on BLM-managed lands through cooperative agreements with eligible governmental, tribal, educational, and nonprofit entities. It excludes individuals and for-profit applicants, does not fund Public Lands Corps-style intern/crew hiring, and highlights CESU-aligned projects with a specific indirect cost limitation when awarded under the CESU Master framework.
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| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management MT/DAK Aquatic Resource Management Apply for L24AS00124 Funding Number: L24AS00124 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $400,000 |
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