FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Aquatic Resource Management | L24AS00038

Opportunity Information: Apply for L24AS00038

The FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Aquatic Resource Management opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00038) is a discretionary federal funding program offered by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), focused on aquatic resources work in Oregon and Washington. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, which generally means BLM expects to have substantial involvement in the project during implementation (for example, coordinating on technical approaches, ensuring alignment with BLM priorities, and participating in project oversight). The program sits within the natural resources funding category under CFDA 15.244 and is intended to support projects that promote sound aquatic resource management on or connected to public lands managed by BLM in the OR/WA region. The notice ties to IIJA/IRA-era investment priorities, signaling an emphasis on on-the-ground outcomes, resilience, and capacity for resource stewardship, even though the summary provided does not list specific project types.

Eligibility is limited to a wide range of public and nonprofit entities, including state, county, and city/township governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status. Two categories are explicitly not eligible: individuals and for-profit organizations. In practical terms, that means proposals must come from an organization that fits within the listed eligible applicant types, and not from a private business or a private person, even if the work proposed would otherwise be relevant.

A key restriction in the notice is that it does not support entities hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice explains that the Public Lands Corps Act is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that specific mechanism. Because of that, organizations that want to run youth internship or crew-based projects under Public Lands Corps should not use this funding opportunity. Instead, eligible Youth Conservation Corps applicants are directed to apply under a different notice: NOFO 15.243, titled BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. This is an important compliance point because proposals that center on youth crews, internships, or similar staffing models under the Public Lands Corps framework would be considered a mismatch for this NOFO and could be deemed nonresponsive.

The notice also includes guidance for applicants connected to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnerships designed to facilitate research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and educational services, typically through networks anchored by universities and partner organizations. If an award under this opportunity is made to a CESU partner under an existing, formally negotiated Master CESU agreement, and the project is consistent with CESU purposes, then 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). Applicants are told to state whether their proposal advances the CESU program purpose and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should be considered as the host. This matters for budgeting and compliance because the CESU indirect cost limitation can be different from an organization’s typical negotiated rate treatment outside a CESU framework.

From a funding perspective, the award ceiling listed is $500,000, meaning individual awards are not expected to exceed that amount under this opportunity. The original closing date was February 29, 2024, and the opportunity was created on September 29, 2023. The summary provided does not specify the number of anticipated awards, required cost share, or the exact technical priorities for aquatic resource management, but the title and program context indicate a focus on aquatic ecosystems and resource stewardship in the BLM OR/WA footprint, likely including activities such as monitoring, assessment, planning support, restoration design or implementation support, and related technical assistance consistent with BLM aquatic resource management goals, as long as the proposal stays within the boundaries described above (including the restriction on Public Lands Corps intern/crew hiring under this NOFO).

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Aquatic Resource Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.244.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-09-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-29. (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 $500,000.00 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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