Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities | L21AS00385

Opportunity Information: Apply for L21AS00385

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Montana/Dakotas is offering a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities" (Funding Opportunity Number L21AS00385). Awards are expected to be made through cooperative agreements, which generally means the BLM anticipates having substantial involvement in the funded work (for example, coordinating technical approach, aligning activities with federal priorities, or participating in project oversight). The program is aligned with natural resources work and is listed under CFDA 15.228. The opportunity was created on March 24, 2021, with an original application closing date of May 24, 2021.

At a high level, the opportunity is intended to support fuels management and community fire assistance activities in the Montana/Dakotas BLM region. In practice, this kind of funding typically targets work that reduces wildfire risk and improves community preparedness and resilience, often by addressing hazardous fuels, supporting local mitigation efforts, and strengthening collaboration among land management agencies, local governments, tribal partners, and community organizations. Because it is positioned as both fuels management and community fire assistance, it can be understood as covering efforts that may occur on or adjacent to public lands as well as projects that help communities plan for, mitigate, or adapt to wildfire risk in coordination with BLM land management objectives.

The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $50,000 per award. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided source data, which usually means the agency may make multiple awards depending on funding availability, project quality, and regional priorities. As a cooperative agreement opportunity rather than a standard grant, applicants should generally expect closer coordination with BLM during planning and implementation, including ensuring that proposed activities match BLM program goals and comply with applicable requirements.

Eligibility is limited to a broad set of governmental, educational, tribal, housing authority, and nonprofit entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The notice is explicit that individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.

The notice also highlights a key restriction around staffing: this NOFO does not support entities hiring interns or crews under this program. It points to the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) as the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns, and it directs eligible Youth Conservation Corps to apply instead under a different announcement, NOFO 15.243, "BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands." In practical terms, that means applicants should not build proposals around youth crew hiring, internship placement, or similar workforce models under this specific funding opportunity. Organizations that typically deliver conservation work via intern or crew models would need to pursue the youth-focused funding pathway identified by BLM rather than trying to fit those activities into this fuels and community fire assistance program.

In summary, this BLM Montana/Dakotas opportunity provides up to $50,000 per award for eligible public, tribal, educational, housing, and nonprofit entities to carry out fuels management and community fire assistance-related activities, with awards made as cooperative agreements. It excludes individuals and for-profit applicants and specifically disallows proposals centered on hiring interns or crews, directing youth corps-style work to a separate BLM youth conservation funding announcement.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Activities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.228.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-05-24. (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 $50,000.00 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 L21AS00385

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