Opportunity Information: Apply for L24AS00154
The IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Recreation and Visitor Services Program (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00154, CFDA 15.225) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Funding is offered through cooperative agreements, which typically means BLM expects to have substantial involvement during the project (for example, collaborating on planning, coordinating implementation, or providing technical direction) rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal participation. The program sits in the Natural Resources funding activity area and is intended to support recreation and visitor services work connected to BLM-managed public lands in California, consistent with priorities under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit sectors and certain educational entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; and nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education). Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible for awards under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), so proposals must come from an eligible public entity, tribe, nonprofit, or qualifying educational institution.
A key restriction in this NOFO is that it does not support projects that involve hiring 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 only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that framework, and as a result, youth internship or crew-based projects that rely on that authority are not supposed to be proposed under this opportunity. Instead, the NOFO directs eligible Youth Conservation Corps applicants to the separate funding opportunity tied to youth conservation work: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. In practical terms, applicants to this California Recreation and Visitor Services NOFO should shape project designs around recreation and visitor service outcomes without framing them as Public Lands Corps internship or crew hiring efforts.
The NOFO also highlights the role of Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnership networks designed to facilitate research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and educational services that support public land management. If an award is made to a CESU partner under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement, and the proposed work aligns with the CESU purpose, the NOFO places a cap on indirect costs: 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 instructed to state whether their proposal advances CESU purposes and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should be considered as the host. This matters because it affects both how the agreement may be administered and the indirect cost limitations that apply.
From an administrative standpoint, the NOFO lists an original application closing date of February 2, 2024, and an award ceiling of $100,000. The posting (creation) date is December 4, 2023. While the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided text, the relatively modest per-award ceiling suggests BLM may be aiming to fund multiple targeted projects rather than one large statewide effort, depending on available appropriations and program priorities. Overall, the opportunity is best suited for government agencies, tribes, nonprofits, and higher-education partners proposing California-based recreation and visitor services work on or connected to BLM lands, while carefully avoiding any project structure that would be interpreted as Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring under the 1993 Act, unless applying under the separate youth-focused NOFO.Apply for L24AS00154
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management California Recreation and Visitor Services Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.225.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-02. (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 $100,000.00 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: IIJA/IRA BLM California Recreation and Visitor Services Program (L24AS00154, CFDA 15.225)
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), titled the IIJA/IRA BLM California Recreation and Visitor Services Program. It is identified by Funding Opportunity Number (FON) L24AS00154 and CFDA 15.225.
What type of award will BLM make under this program?
Funding is offered through cooperative agreements. This typically means BLM expects substantial involvement in the project (such as collaborating on planning, coordinating implementation, or providing technical direction) rather than providing funds with minimal federal participation.
What is the overall focus or purpose of the program?
The program is in the Natural Resources funding activity area and is intended to support recreation and visitor services work connected to BLM-managed public lands in California, consistent with priorities under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Does the project need to be in California?
Yes. The opportunity is specifically described as supporting recreation and visitor services work connected to BLM-managed public lands in California.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit sectors and certain educational entities. The 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 (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), as long as they are not institutions of higher education
Are individuals allowed to apply?
No. Individuals are explicitly ineligible for awards under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible for awards under this NOFO.
Is this program intended for youth internship or conservation crew hiring?
No. A key restriction in this NOFO is that it does not support projects that involve hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993.
Why are Public Lands Corps intern or crew projects not supported under this NOFO?
The NOFO emphasizes that the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that framework. As a result, projects framed as youth internship or crew-based hiring efforts under that authority should not be proposed under this opportunity.
If our organization wants to propose youth conservation corps or internship work, where should we apply instead?
The NOFO directs eligible Youth Conservation Corps applicants to a separate funding opportunity: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands.
Can a project still involve young people if it is not framed as Public Lands Corps hiring?
The information provided only states that this NOFO does not support projects that involve hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and directs Youth Conservation Corps applicants to NOFO 15.243. It does not provide additional detail on other youth-related approaches, so applicants should avoid proposing work structured as Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring under the 1993 Act when applying under L24AS00154.
What are CESUs, and why do they matter for this opportunity?
Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) are partnership networks designed to facilitate research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and educational services that support public land management. The NOFO highlights CESUs because awards made to CESU partners under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement may be subject to a specific indirect cost limitation.
Is there an indirect cost cap for CESU partners?
Yes. If an award is made to a CESU partner under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement and the work aligns with CESU purposes, 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).
What does an applicant need to state regarding CESU participation?
Applicants are instructed to state whether their proposal advances CESU purposes and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should be considered as the host.
Does the NOFO specify an award ceiling?
Yes. The award ceiling listed is $100,000.
What is the application deadline?
The NOFO lists an original application closing date of February 2, 2024.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting (creation) date is December 4, 2023.
How many awards will BLM make?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the information provided.
Is this likely to fund one large project or multiple smaller projects?
The information provided notes that the per-award ceiling is relatively modest ($100,000), which suggests BLM may be aiming to fund multiple targeted projects rather than one large statewide effort, depending on appropriations and program priorities. The NOFO does not explicitly state the intended award count or distribution.
What should applicants keep in mind when designing a project for this NOFO?
Based on the information provided, applicants should focus on recreation and visitor services outcomes on or connected to BLM-managed public lands in California, and they should carefully avoid structuring the proposal as a Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring effort under the 1993 Act. If applying as a CESU partner under a Master CESU agreement, applicants should also account for the 17.5 percent indirect cost cap and identify the relevant CESU Network if the project advances CESU purposes.
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| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Wyoming (WY) Recreation and Visitor Services Program Apply for L24AS00167 Funding Number: L24AS00167 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
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| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Wyoming (WY) Threatened and Endangered Species Program Apply for L24AS00171 Funding Number: L24AS00171 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Wyoming (WY) Wildlife Program Apply for L24AS00172 Funding Number: L24AS00172 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
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| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas (MT/DAK) Forest and Woodlands Resource Management Apply for L24AS00119 Funding Number: L24AS00119 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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