FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Wildlife Program | L24AS00046

FY24 IIJA/IRA BLM Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Wildlife Program (L24AS00046) - FAQs

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is the FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Wildlife Program funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00046; CFDA 15.247). It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity in the natural resources category focused on wildlife-related work tied to BLM priorities in Oregon and Washington, supported by funding associated with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

2) What type of award will BLM make under this opportunity?

BLM expects to make awards through cooperative agreements. This structure generally means BLM anticipates substantial involvement in the funded work, rather than issuing a pass-through grant with minimal federal engagement.

3) How much funding is available per award?

The posted ceiling for individual awards is up to $1,500,000. This indicates BLM may fund relatively large projects when scope and outcomes match BLM needs and fit the cooperative agreement approach.

4) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across public and nonprofit sectors. The NOFO identifies the following as eligible applicant types:

• State governments
• County governments
• 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 (including those that are not federally recognized governments)
• Public housing authorities
• Indian housing authorities
• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under the nonprofit category)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under the nonprofit category)

5) Who is not eligible to apply?

Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

6) Can a for-profit company participate in any way if it cannot apply as the prime applicant?

The NOFO states that for-profit organizations are ineligible to apply. It also notes that this restriction affects who can serve as the prime recipient, even if contractors or collaborators may still play roles consistent with federal assistance rules and the terms BLM sets for the cooperative agreement.

7) Is this opportunity intended for wildlife work specifically in Oregon and Washington?

Yes. The program is described as the BLM Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Wildlife Program and is intended to support wildlife-related work tied to BLM priorities in Oregon and Washington.

8) Is this funding connected to IIJA and IRA?

Yes. The NOFO indicates the program uses funding associated with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

9) Can this funding be used to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act?

No. The NOFO explicitly does not support projects framed around hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice states that the Public Lands Corps Act is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that framework, and proposals relying on that authority are not appropriate for this opportunity.

10) Where should youth internship or crew-based proposals be directed instead?

The NOFO directs Youth Conservation Corps or similar eligible youth-focused entities that want to pursue youth internship or crew-style work to a different funding announcement: NOFO 15.243, titled "BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands."

11) What is CESU and why does it matter for this opportunity?

The NOFO highlights the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) program as an important pathway for universities and research partners. CESUs are described as partnerships designed to promote and provide research, studies, assessments, monitoring, technical assistance, and educational services. These functions align with wildlife program needs such as habitat assessments, population monitoring, data collection, and applied research to inform management decisions.

12) Are there special indirect cost rules for awards made through CESU?

Yes. If an award is made to a CESU partner under a formally negotiated Master CESU agreement and the work is consistent with the CESU purpose, indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base that is recognized in the partner's federally approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA).

13) How can the CESU indirect cost cap affect budgeting?

The NOFO notes this cap is a meaningful budgeting condition because it can reduce recoverable indirect costs compared to an institution's full negotiated rate. Applicants should plan budgets accordingly when submitting through a CESU framework.

14) Do applicants need to address CESU in the proposal?

Yes. 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.

15) What does it mean that BLM will have "substantial involvement" under a cooperative agreement?

The NOFO characterizes cooperative agreements as situations where BLM expects substantial involvement in the funded work rather than acting as a minimal-engagement funder. Practically, applicants should anticipate closer coordination with BLM during implementation compared to a typical pass-through grant.

16) What is the original closing date for this opportunity?

The posting lists an original closing date of February 29, 2024.

17) When was this opportunity created or posted?

The posting lists a creation date of October 31, 2023.

18) What identifying numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number L24AS00046 and CFDA 15.247.

19) Does this opportunity mainly support youth programs?

No. The NOFO is intended to fund wildlife program work tied to BLM priorities in Oregon and Washington. It explicitly states it does not support Public Lands Corps intern/crew hiring models under this opportunity, and it points youth-focused applicants toward NOFO 15.243 for youth conservation opportunities.

20) What is the key takeaway for applicants deciding if this NOFO is a fit?

Based on the information provided, this opportunity is best understood as a BLM ORWA wildlife-focused cooperative agreement program with (1) a relatively high award ceiling (up to $1,500,000), (2) wide eligibility for public entities, Tribes/Tribal organizations, and nonprofits (with exclusions), (3) explicit ineligibility for individuals and for-profits as prime applicants, (4) no support for Public Lands Corps-style youth intern/crew hiring under this NOFO, and (5) special requirements and indirect cost limitations when proposals are submitted under the CESU partnership structure.