FY25 Bureau of Land Management Environmental Quality Protection- Bureau wide

The FY25 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Environmental Quality Protection grant, designated under funding opportunity number L25AS00303, is a cooperative agreement opportunity managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management. This initiative aims to address the lasting environmental and public health impacts of past extractive industry activities, particularly those associated with abandoned hardrock mines on BLM-managed lands. With a total program funding of $3,000,000 and anticipated ten awards ranging between $50,000 and $1,000,000, the program seeks to restore lands to productive uses, mitigate environmental degradation, and protect public health and sensitive ecosystems. The primary focus of this funding opportunity is to support projects that inventory, assess, and mitigate hazards from abandoned mine lands (AML), with particular emphasis on high-risk sites. Through core programs such as the AML and the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR), the BLM collaborates with state, local, tribal, and non-governmental entities to implement site closures, remedial actions, and ecosystem restoration. These efforts are grounded in regulatory compliance and aim to reduce risks to soil, water, and air quality while supporting recreation, wildlife habitats, and cultural preservation. Eligible applicants include a broad array of governmental and nonprofit organizations: state, county, and municipal governments; public and private higher education institutions; federally recognized and non-recognized tribal organizations; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status. Individuals and for-profit entities are ineligible. The program also specifies that organizations hiring interns under the Public Lands Corps Act must apply through a different BLM program. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) may apply with a capped indirect cost rate of 17.5% under an approved agreement. The grant does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 23, 2025. The application window opens on June 23, 2025. Required application materials include a SF-424 form, project narrative, budget narrative, and, where applicable, additional forms for research support, biographical sketches, and indirect cost agreements. Proposals are evaluated based on need, technical approach, public benefit, past performance, and qualifications. Leveraging partnerships may serve as a tiebreaker during review. Projects funded under this opportunity will begin as early as September 1, 2025, and must be completed by August 30, 2030. Award decisions will be made following eligibility, merit, and risk review processes. Award notices will be issued electronically, and recipients must comply with national policy requirements including geospatial data standards and Buy America provisions. For additional questions, applicants are directed to contact Ramon “Luis” Burgos-Candelaria at rburgoscandelaria@blm.gov or 303-236-6967.

Begin registration early in SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Use proposal templates. Ensure proposal addresses NEPA compliance and CESU participation if relevant.