FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management | L25AS00172

FAQs: FY25 IIJA/IRA BLM Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management (L25AS00172)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is the FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L25AS00172). It is a discretionary BLM program that will make awards through cooperative agreements to support cultural and paleontological resource work on BLM-managed lands in Oregon and Washington.

What is the main goal of the program?

The central aim is to build and strengthen partnerships that improve access to, and appropriate use of, cultural and paleontological resources on BLM-managed lands in Oregon and Washington, while highlighting their educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational value. Projects are expected to emphasize stewardship, public benefit, and responsible management of heritage resources.

What kinds of projects are eligible for funding?

The program supports a broad range of project types as long as the work advances one or more program objectives. Eligible activities described in the notice include:

• Studies that deepen understanding of Americas natural and cultural history (inventories, excavations, archival and records research, and collections-based research).
• Monitoring of at-risk heritage resources to document condition trends and evaluate whether management actions are working.
• Hands-on stabilization efforts to protect vulnerable resources from damage, deterioration, vandalism, or environmental threats.
• Workforce development and training (research-based training, field schools, and internships centered on BLM resources).
• Heritage data and records management (organizing and maintaining site and survey files, scanning and digitizing records, creating and maintaining geospatial datasets, and completing data entry to improve accuracy and accessibility).
• Collections care at recognized curation facilities (archival rehousing and conservation or stabilization treatments).
• Public access and interpretation related to museum collections (improving discoverability, accessibility, and interpretation consistent with professional standards and applicable restrictions).
• Engagement projects that strengthen partnerships with Native American communities and tribal governments and programs, complementing BLM tribal consultation efforts.
• Education and outreach that promote learning opportunities and conservation/preservation ethics (programs, events, and interpretive products).
• Development and maintenance of historic sites with interpretive and educational potential, when conducted in a way that protects resources and respects cultural sensitivities.

Where must the work take place?

The opportunity focuses on cultural and paleontological resources on BLM-managed lands in Oregon and Washington (the ORWA area referenced in the notice).

Is this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?

Awards will be made through cooperative agreements, not a hands-off grant structure.

What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?

Because the awards are cooperative agreements, applicants should expect substantial involvement from BLM in coordination and implementation. The notice indicates this typically involves close collaboration on planning, compliance, deliverables, and outcomes.

How much funding can an applicant request?

The award ceiling listed in the notice is $100,000.

What is the CFDA number and program category?

The funding is listed under CFDA number 15.224 and is in the Natural Resources activity category.

When is the application due?

The original closing date listed in the opportunity is March 12, 2025.

When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record was created on December 9, 2024.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit or educational entities (not private commercial applicants). Eligible applicant types listed in the notice include:

• State governments
• County governments
• 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
• Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status

Are individuals eligible to apply?

No. Individuals are specifically ineligible under this NOFO.

Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

No. For-profit organizations are specifically ineligible under this NOFO.

Does this funding support Public Lands Corps youth crews or interns?

No. The notice states the opportunity does not support entities seeking to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 through this program.

If our organization wants to do a youth corps-style project, where should we apply instead?

The notice directs organizations interested in youth corps-style projects to the separate BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands funding route (NOFO 15.243), which is identified as the proper authority for that type of hiring.

How does the program address partnerships with tribes and Native American communities?

Partnership and engagement goals are explicit in the notice. BLM is looking for projects that promote engagement with Native American communities and strengthen partnerships with tribal governments and programs, including support that complements BLM tribal consultation efforts.

Does the opportunity support public education and outreach?

Yes. Public engagement is a stated priority, including education and outreach activities that promote learning opportunities and conservation and preservation ethics through programs, events, and interpretive products.

Does the program fund data, scanning, digitization, and GIS work related to heritage resources?

Yes. The notice highlights support for practical heritage information management work, including organizing and maintaining files, scanning and digitizing records, creating and maintaining geospatial datasets, and data entry tasks that improve the accuracy and accessibility of heritage information.

Are museum and curation facility activities supported?

Yes. The NOFO supports collections care at recognized curation facilities, including archival rehousing and conservation or stabilization treatments. It also encourages projects that broaden public access to museum collections through improved discoverability, accessibility, and interpretation, consistent with professional standards and any applicable restrictions.

Does the program support on-the-ground protection or stabilization of vulnerable sites?

Yes. The notice includes hands-on stabilization efforts to protect resources vulnerable to damage, deterioration, vandalism, or environmental threats, as well as monitoring of at-risk resources to document condition trends and evaluate management effectiveness.

Does the program support training, internships, and field schools?

Yes. Workforce development is a major focus area, including training future cultural resource management practitioners and paleontologists through research-based efforts, field schools, and internships centered on BLM resources.

Do projects need to align with specific federal priorities?

Yes. Projects are expected to align with U.S. Department of the Interior priorities and with the goals of BLM's Cultural Heritage and Paleontology Program, with an emphasis on stewardship, public benefit, and responsible management.

What are CESUs and how do they relate to this opportunity?

The notice includes guidance for applicants connected to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs). CESUs are partnerships designed to deliver research, technical assistance, monitoring, and education services. Proposals that further CESU purposes can be considered within that framework.

If a project is submitted under a CESU, is there an indirect cost cap?

Yes. If a cooperative agreement is awarded to a CESU partner under a negotiated Master CESU agreement consistent with CESU objectives, indirect costs are capped at no more than 17.5 percent of the indirect cost base recognized in the partner's federally approved NICRA.

If our proposal supports CESU purposes, what should we include in the application?

The notice encourages applicants to clearly state whether their proposal supports CESU purposes and, if it does, which CESU Network should be considered as the host, since that can affect administrative handling and indirect cost treatment.