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

Opportunity Information: Apply for L25AS00151

The FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado Wildlife Program grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L25AS00151; CFDA 15.247) provides support through cooperative agreements for projects that conserve and restore wildlife and wildlife habitat on BLM-managed public lands in Colorado. The program 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. In practical terms, BLM is looking to fund partner-driven 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. The program also emphasizes helping State agencies meet wildlife population objectives and using the best available science and data to guide decisions.

Projects supported under this opportunity generally fall into several main categories. A major focus is on on-the-ground habitat work that maintains or restores key habitats for upland game, waterfowl, big game, pollinators, sensitive species, and watchable wildlife. This can include actions that conserve priority vegetation communities, protect or improve water resources, maintain or improve habitat connectivity, and reduce threats to habitats or species. In addition to restoration and threat reduction, the program supports monitoring and inventory work to ensure managers have complete, current, and accurate information about the distribution, abundance, and habitat needs of wildlife that depend on BLM lands. Related efforts may include assessing habitat conditions and measuring progress toward resource management goals and objectives, as well as improving broader understanding of conservation opportunities for species reliant on BLM-managed landscapes.

The opportunity also places a strong emphasis on strengthening how wildlife data are collected, integrated, and used across large geographies. BLM specifically highlights interest in coordinated monitoring approaches and established datasets and frameworks such as Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) and the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NaBat). Applicants can also 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, where management outcomes often need to be measured across boundaries and over time.

Education and outreach are eligible components as well, especially efforts that build stewardship and understanding of wildlife conservation on BLM lands. This includes education projects such as citizen science and student-based science initiatives. Public awareness work is also encouraged when it communicates wildlife values, conservation challenges, and conservation successes on BLM-managed lands. Importantly, the program calls for targeted engagement with communities of color, low-income families, and rural and Indigenous communities, with an eye toward expanding participation and enhancing economic opportunities tied to wildlife conservation and related activities.

Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities such as 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)). Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates BLM expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on planning, technical direction, data standards, coordination, or project implementation.

There are also specific restrictions applicants should plan around. This NOFO does not support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993; BLM notes that internships under that authority must be pursued through the separate NOFO for BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands (NOFO 15.243). For projects proposed through Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), applicants should identify the relevant CESU network host, and they should budget with the indirect cost limitation in mind: CESU indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent.

Key administrative details include an original application closing date of January 31, 2025, and an award ceiling of $125,000 per award. Overall, the opportunity is designed for organizations that can partner with BLM to deliver habitat conservation, monitoring and applied science, and community-focused education and outreach that advance wildlife conservation outcomes on Colorado’s BLM-managed public lands, while aligning with broader climate resilience and environmental justice priorities.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Colorado 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 2024-12-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-31. (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 $125,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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.

Apply for L25AS00151

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