BLM-Alaska, Seeds of Success and Ecological Sites | L17AS00032

Opportunity Information: Apply for L17AS00032

The BLM-Alaska, Seeds of Success and Ecological Sites grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00032) is a Bureau of Land Management Alaska solicitation focused on practical, on-the-ground conservation and land management work on federal lands. BLM Alaska manages public land under a multiple-use mandate, and this opportunity is meant to leverage partner capacity to carry out projects that support plant conservation, botany, and wildlife objectives. The overall emphasis is on strengthening the ability to conserve native plants and habitats, improve restoration outcomes, and support broader ecosystem and wildlife management needs across Alaska.

A central motivation behind the opportunity is the growing urgency around plant conservation. The notice points to estimates that a large share of US flora could be at risk of extinction by mid-century, and it frames the work as part of a proactive effort to prevent biodiversity loss while maintaining healthy, resilient landscapes. The projects supported under this program are intended to promote public enjoyment and understanding of natural resources while also delivering measurable conservation benefits, especially in areas facing disturbance, degradation, or increasing pressure from invasive species.

The funding is closely aligned with the National Seed Strategy released in 2016, which focuses on restoring native plant communities at landscape scales. In practice, land managers often need to revegetate large acreages quickly after disturbance (such as wildfire, erosion events, or land impacts from other uses) to prevent severe erosion and to reduce the risk that nonnative invasive plants take hold. The opportunity highlights a recurring problem in restoration: even when managers know they need seed, it can be difficult and expensive to obtain enough of the right seed, to ensure it is genetically appropriate for the target area, and to have it delivered and ready for use when and where it is needed. Because restoration needs can be hard to predict, building a more reliable pipeline for native seed collection, development, and deployment is a core theme.

Projects under this opportunity may include, but are not limited to, plant material development, ecosystem monitoring, and wildlife conservation. Plant material development generally refers to activities that improve the availability and usability of native plant materials for restoration, such as collecting wild seed (often associated with the Seeds of Success program), increasing seed supplies through production, and improving protocols for seed handling, storage, testing, and use. Ecosystem monitoring can include field assessments and data collection to track vegetation condition, restoration success, habitat trends, and other indicators that inform adaptive management. Wildlife conservation activities may be supported where they connect to habitat quality and functioning ecosystems, particularly when native plant communities are foundational to wildlife habitat.

The notice lays out four core goals, mirroring the National Seed Strategy. First, it aims to identify seed needs and ensure a reliable supply of genetically appropriate seed, meaning seed that matches the ecological and genetic context of the restoration site. Second, it supports identifying and conducting research needed to produce genetically appropriate seed and to improve native seed production and restoration technologies, which can include improving propagation methods, seeding techniques, and understanding what works under Alaska conditions. Third, it seeks to develop tools that help managers make timely, informed seeding decisions for ecological restoration, such as decision support resources, planning tools, and site-based guidance that reduces guesswork when rapid response is required. Fourth, it emphasizes building communication strategies, both internal and external, so that seed needs, availability, lessons learned, and restoration practices are shared effectively among agencies, partners, and stakeholders.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means BLM expects substantial involvement in the project beyond simple pass-through funding. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.231 and the funding activity category is Natural Resources. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of entity types (subject to any additional eligibility details that may appear in the full announcement). The posting lists an award ceiling of $975,000, with an expected three awards. The opportunity was created on February 22, 2017, and the original application closing date was April 24, 2017.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-Alaska, Seeds of Success and Ecological Sites" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.231.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 22, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 24, 2017. (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 $975,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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