FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Threatened and Endangered Species Program | L25AS00077

Opportunity Information: Apply for L25AS00077

The FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Threatened and Endangered Species Program (Funding Opportunity Number L25AS00077) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Bureau of Land Management that will make awards through cooperative agreements to support conservation work in Idaho focused on threatened, endangered, sensitive, and other rare species. The program is framed around Department of the Interior priorities, with an emphasis on protecting biodiversity, slowing extinction rates, improving resilience to climate change, and leveraging natural climate solutions. It also aligns with broader conservation goals such as contributing to the aim of conserving at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, supporting state wildlife agencies in meeting population objectives, and using the best available science and data to guide decisions. A notable program priority is ensuring benefits and engagement extend to communities of color, low-income families, and rural and Indigenous communities, including through efforts that can enhance economic opportunities connected to wildlife and conservation.

Projects supported under this opportunity are meant to be practical and applied, including on-the-ground conservation actions that help conserve and recover federally listed species, BLM sensitive species, and rare plants and wildlife on BLM-managed lands. The solicitation highlights targeted inventory and monitoring to clarify species status, distribution, trends, and conservation opportunities, as well as work that builds knowledge of species and habitats, such as propagation methods, genetics, ecology, and threat assessment. It also encourages proactive protection and management consistent with Endangered Species Act (ESA) section 7(a)(1), which covers federal agency responsibilities to carry out conservation programs for listed species. In addition, the program can support augmentation actions such as translocations, seed collection, and propagation when appropriate to bolster populations or preserve genetic resources.

A second major focus is improving the efficiency and effectiveness of ESA processes, specifically consultations under ESA section 7(a)(2) and conservation efforts under ESA section 7(a)(1). In practice, that can mean developing better data, tools, protocols, or coordination approaches that help BLM evaluate project effects, avoid and minimize impacts, and implement conservation measures more smoothly and defensibly. The opportunity also explicitly supports public-facing components, including increasing public knowledge of listed, sensitive, and rare species on BLM lands, with a targeted emphasis on reaching and involving historically underserved communities. Related communications work, such as outreach materials, education efforts, and program website updates, is included as an eligible activity area.

Eligibility is limited to governmental, educational, tribal, and nonprofit entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible. The program also clarifies that it does not support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 through this NOFO; organizations interested in youth or corps-based projects are directed instead to the separate BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands funding opportunity (NOFO 15.243), which is the appropriate authority for those arrangements.

Applicants working through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) framework should pay attention to a specific indirect cost limitation. CESUs are intended to facilitate research, monitoring, technical assistance, and education through partnership networks. If an award is made to a CESU partner under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement and the work aligns with the CESU purpose, indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the organization’s federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). Applicants are asked to state whether their proposal supports CESU purposes and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should be considered as the host.

Key administrative details included in the notice are that this opportunity is categorized under Natural Resources (CFDA/Assistance Listing 15.246), uses a cooperative agreement instrument (indicating substantial involvement by BLM is expected during project performance), and lists an award ceiling of $100,000. The original application closing date is February 3, 2025, and the opportunity record shows a creation date of November 13, 2024.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Threatened and Endangered Species Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.246.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-03. (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, 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 L25AS00077

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