IIJA Bureau of Land Management Utah Aquatic Resource Management | L23AS00227

Opportunity Information: Apply for L23AS00227

The "IIJA Bureau of Land Management Utah Aquatic Resource Management" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L23AS00227) is a discretionary federal funding program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), focused on fisheries and aquatic resources management in Utah. The award is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means BLM expects to be substantially involved during the project (for example, coordinating priorities, providing technical input, or participating in planning and implementation) rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal interaction. The program is categorized under Natural Resources and is associated with CFDA (Assistance Listing) 15.244.

This opportunity is designed to support projects that help manage, restore, or improve aquatic resources and fisheries-related outcomes on or connected to BLM-managed lands in Utah. While the posted description is brief, the title and program framing point toward work such as aquatic habitat restoration, aquatic species and fisheries management, watershed or riparian improvements tied to aquatic health, monitoring and assessment of aquatic conditions, and other actions that protect or enhance water-dependent ecosystems and the fish and wildlife resources that rely on them. Because it is tied to BLM's aquatic resource management mission, proposed work would generally be expected to show clear on-the-ground benefit, solid technical justification, and alignment with BLM Utah priorities.

A key eligibility restriction is that individuals and for-profit organizations cannot apply under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Eligible applicants include a broad range of public and nonprofit entities: state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits (both with and without 501(c)(3) status). In practice, this means the program is aimed at governments, tribes, schools, universities, and mission-driven organizations rather than private companies or individual applicants.

Another important limitation is that this NOFO does not support organizations that want to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The notice emphasizes that the Public Lands Corps Act is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that specific authority, and that youth or conservation corps-style projects must be pursued under a different BLM funding route. Specifically, eligible Youth Conservation Corps applicants are directed to apply under NOFO 15.243, titled "BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands," for projects that are built around youth crews or internship-style hiring mechanisms. In other words, applicants should not propose this aquatic resource management project as a way to staff PLC interns or youth crews; if youth corps hiring is central to the project approach, the correct pathway is the separate youth-focused NOFO.

The posting lists an award ceiling of $350,000, indicating that individual project awards are not expected to exceed that amount. The original application closing date was April 11, 2023, and the opportunity record was created February 10, 2023. The announcement does not clearly state the number of expected awards in the provided excerpt, but the ceiling provides a useful sense of scale for project planning and budgeting. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a BLM Utah cooperative agreement funding stream for eligible public, tribal, academic, and nonprofit partners to carry out aquatic and fisheries resource management work, with explicit boundaries around who can apply and a clear directive not to use this particular NOFO as a vehicle for Public Lands Corps intern or crew hiring.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IIJA Bureau of Land Management Utah Aquatic Resource Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.244.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-02-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-04-11. (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 $350,000.00 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 L23AS00227

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