FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management New Mexico (NM) Recreation and Visitor Services Program | L24AS00184

Opportunity Information: Apply for L24AS00184

The FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management New Mexico (NM) Recreation and Visitor Services Program is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), focused on supporting recreation and visitor services work on BLM-managed public lands in New Mexico. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, which generally means BLM expects to have substantial involvement in the project during the period of performance (for example, coordinating on planning, technical direction, or implementation details), rather than simply issuing a pass-through grant with minimal federal engagement. The program is tied to the Natural Resources funding activity category and is listed under CFDA 15.225.

Applications were due March 27, 2024, under Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00184. The listed award ceiling is $50,000 per award. While the notice references “expected awards,” the specific number is not provided in the source information you supplied, so applicants would typically plan around a competitive process where multiple smaller projects may be funded up to the stated cap depending on available funds and BLM priorities.

Eligible applicants cover a broad range of public and nonprofit entities. This includes 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 Tribal governments; other Tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories). A key restriction is that individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible to apply under this notice, so proposals must come from one of the listed eligible entity types.

The notice also draws a bright line around youth internship and crew hiring. This NOFO does not support entities hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The explanation provided is that the Public Lands Corps Act is the legislative authority that allows BLM to “hire” interns under that authority, and that pathway is not available through this particular funding opportunity. As a result, Youth Conservation Corps or similar youth-focused applicants are directed to pursue projects under a different funding opportunity: NOFO 15.243, titled “BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands,” which is the appropriate channel for those kinds of youth conservation internship or crew-based efforts.

Another important feature of this opportunity is how it treats proposals connected to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnerships intended to promote and deliver research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and educational services. If an applicant is a CESU partner and receives a cooperative agreement under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement that aligns with the CESU purpose, then indirect costs are capped. Specifically, indirect costs are limited to 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 furthers the purpose of the CESU program and, if it does, to identify which CESU Network should be considered as the host.

In practical terms, a strong summary of the opportunity is that it funds New Mexico-focused BLM recreation and visitor services projects through cooperative agreements up to $50,000, is open to a wide range of governmental, Tribal, higher education, and nonprofit applicants, excludes individuals and for-profits, and is not the right vehicle for Public Lands Corps-style intern or crew hiring. Applicants affiliated with CESUs need to pay close attention to the indirect cost limitation and clearly indicate CESU alignment and the relevant network in their proposal.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management New Mexico (NM) 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 2024-03-27. (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 $50,000.00 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.

Apply for L24AS00184

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