FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Colorado Wildlife Program | L25AS00151

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - FY25 IIJA/IRA BLM Colorado Wildlife Program (L25AS00151)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is the FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado Wildlife Program grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L25AS00151; CFDA 15.247). It provides support through cooperative agreements for partner-driven projects that conserve and restore wildlife and wildlife habitat on BLM-managed public lands in Colorado.

2) What type of award will BLM use?

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This typically means BLM expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on planning, technical direction, data standards, coordination, or project implementation.

3) Where must projects take place?

Projects are intended to conserve and restore wildlife and habitat on BLM-managed public lands in Colorado.

4) What are the main goals of the program?

The program supports work that protects habitat, supports wildlife movement and habitat connectivity, strengthens resilience to climate change, and contributes to the national conservation goal of protecting at least 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. It also emphasizes helping State agencies meet wildlife population objectives and using the best available science and data to guide decisions.

5) What Department of the Interior priorities does the program align with?

The opportunity is framed around Department of the Interior priorities, especially addressing the climate crisis, restoring balance on public lands and waters, advancing environmental justice, and investing in a clean energy future.

6) What kinds of habitat work are eligible?

The program supports on-the-ground habitat work that maintains or restores key habitats for upland game, waterfowl, big game, pollinators, sensitive species, and watchable wildlife. Examples of eligible approaches described in the opportunity include conserving priority vegetation communities, protecting or improving water resources, maintaining or improving habitat connectivity, and reducing threats to habitats or species.

7) Does the program fund projects focused on habitat connectivity and wildlife movement?

Yes. BLM highlights interest in projects that support wildlife movement and habitat connectivity as part of broader conservation and climate resilience goals.

8) Are projects that reduce threats to habitats or species eligible?

Yes. In addition to restoration, the opportunity includes reducing threats to habitats or species as an eligible type of on-the-ground work.

9) Are monitoring and inventory activities eligible?

Yes. The program supports monitoring and inventory work to help ensure managers have complete, current, and accurate information about the distribution, abundance, and habitat needs of wildlife that depend on BLM lands.

10) What types of monitoring outcomes does BLM want to see?

Eligible monitoring-related efforts described in the opportunity include assessing habitat conditions, measuring progress toward resource management goals and objectives, and improving broader understanding of conservation opportunities for species reliant on BLM-managed landscapes.

11) Does BLM encourage coordinated, large-scale wildlife monitoring?

Yes. The opportunity emphasizes strengthening how wildlife data are collected, integrated, and used across large geographies, and it highlights interest in coordinated monitoring approaches.

12) Are specific monitoring frameworks or datasets named as priorities?

Yes. BLM specifically highlights interest in established datasets and frameworks such as Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) and the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NaBat).

13) Can applicants propose new research under this opportunity?

Yes. Applicants may propose new research that evaluates how successful BLM has been in meeting the objectives of wildlife habitat and land use plans, particularly at ecosystem and watershed scales.

14) Why does the opportunity mention ecosystem and watershed scales?

The opportunity notes that management outcomes often need to be measured across boundaries and over time, which is why it highlights evaluation at ecosystem and watershed scales.

15) Are education and outreach projects eligible?

Yes. Education and outreach are eligible components, especially efforts that build stewardship and understanding of wildlife conservation on BLM lands.

16) What are examples of eligible education and outreach activities?

The opportunity mentions education projects such as citizen science and student-based science initiatives. It also encourages public awareness work that communicates wildlife values, conservation challenges, and conservation successes on BLM-managed lands.

17) Does the program emphasize engagement with specific communities?

Yes. The opportunity calls for targeted engagement with communities of color, low-income families, and rural and Indigenous communities, with the goal of expanding participation and enhancing economic opportunities tied to wildlife conservation and related activities.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities, including: State, county, and local governments (including special districts); public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments; other Tribal organizations; and nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)).

19) Are individuals eligible to apply?

No. Individuals are explicitly ineligible under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

20) Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

No. For-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible under this NOFO.

21) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $125,000 per award.

22) What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date is January 31, 2025.

23) Does this NOFO support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993?

No. This NOFO does not support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993.

24) Where should applicants look for Public Lands Corps internship-related funding?

BLM notes that internships under the Public Lands Corps authority must be pursued through the separate NOFO for BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands (NOFO 15.243).

25) Are there special budget rules for projects proposed through Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs)?

Yes. For projects proposed through CESUs, applicants should identify the relevant CESU network host and budget with the indirect cost limitation in mind.

26) What is the CESU indirect cost cap under this opportunity?

CESU indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent.

27) What does BLM mean by "best available science and data" in this context?

The opportunity emphasizes using the best available science and data to guide decisions, and it highlights coordinated monitoring and established datasets/frameworks (such as IMBCR and NaBat) as examples of the kinds of data-driven approaches BLM is interested in supporting.

28) How does this opportunity relate to state wildlife objectives?

The program emphasizes helping State agencies meet wildlife population objectives, alongside habitat conservation, monitoring, and science-based decision-making on BLM-managed lands.

29) What kinds of species or wildlife groups are specifically mentioned?

The opportunity specifically mentions upland game, waterfowl, big game, pollinators, sensitive species, and watchable wildlife as examples of wildlife groups whose habitats may be maintained or restored through supported projects.

30) What overall project themes does BLM appear to be seeking?

Based on the opportunity description, BLM is seeking partner-driven projects that deliver (1) on-the-ground habitat conservation/restoration and threat reduction, (2) monitoring, inventory, and applied science (including coordinated monitoring and plan-effectiveness evaluation), and (3) community-focused education and outreach, especially with targeted engagement that supports environmental justice goals.