FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Headquarters (HQ) Rangeland Resource Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the **FY25 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Headquarters Rangeland Resource Management** funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: **L25AS00170**). This initiative is designed to address rangeland health and resource management challenges nationally, particularly across state boundaries. The program aims to support projects that conserve and restore rangelands, improve land health and productivity, and combat climate change impacts through innovative land management practices, soil assessments, and stakeholder engagement. The total program funding is **$10,000,000**, with **three expected awards**. Award amounts range from a minimum of **$200,000** to a maximum of **$10,000,000**. Cost sharing is **not required**. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments, public and private higher education institutions, Native American tribal governments and organizations, and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit organizations and individuals are ineligible to apply. Proposals must have a clear public benefit and address priorities that cross state office boundaries. Program goals include conserving and restoring rangelands to build climate resilience, addressing legacy disturbances through vegetation treatments and grazing management, and enabling adaptive decision-making through consistent, science-based data collection and analysis. Funded projects may involve activities such as improving ecological site descriptions, implementing soil resource management, restoring degraded lands, and fostering public and stakeholder engagement through training, mentoring, and educational programs. Projects must align with BLM and Department of the Interior priorities, including tackling climate change, advancing racial equity, and ensuring compliance with federal mandates like the Buy America preference for infrastructure projects. Applications must include completed forms **SF-424** (Application for Federal Assistance), **SF-424A** (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs), and **SF-LLL** (if lobbying activities apply), along with a **Project Narrative** and a detailed **Budget Narrative**. The project narrative, limited to **15 pages**, should outline the statement of need, project goals, technical approach, milestones, anticipated outcomes, and plans for stakeholder involvement, environmental compliance, monitoring, and evaluation. Applicants must also disclose conflicts of interest, any overlapping federal funding, and qualifications of key personnel and partners. Applications must be submitted electronically via **Grants.gov** by the deadline of **February 14, 2025**. Prior to submission, applicants are encouraged to contact the BLM district or field office where the work will take place or, for multi-state or national projects, the HQ National Rangeland Resource Management Lead, Kimberly Hackett (khackett@blm.gov). Applicants must ensure their SAM.gov registration is active and up to date, as this is a prerequisite for application submission. Applications will undergo a two-step review process: an **eligibility review** to confirm compliance with submission requirements, and a **merit review** to evaluate proposals based on project need, technical approach, public benefit, applicant qualifications, and leveraging of resources. Proposals will be rated as "Exceeds," "Meets," or "Does Not Meet" expectations, with public benefit receiving the highest emphasis. A tiebreaker may occur based on resource leveraging or partnerships. Successful applicants will be notified through a Notice of Federal Award, and project performance is expected to begin around **July 1, 2025**, with a maximum project end date of **September 30, 2030**. Post-award reporting requirements include financial and performance progress reports, conflict of interest disclosures, and compliance with federal standards for geospatial data. BLM will monitor project implementation to ensure alignment with program goals and federal policies. This funding opportunity supports efforts to restore and sustain rangeland ecosystems for current and future generations while advancing federal climate resilience and equity priorities. Interested applicants should review the detailed requirements in the NOFO and begin their preparation well in advance of the deadline.