BLM-CO Strengthening Partnerships for Native Plant Conservation on Colorado's Public Lands | L20AS00038

Opportunity Information: Apply for L20AS00038

The grant opportunity titled "BLM-CO Strengthening Partnerships for Native Plant Conservation on Colorado's Public Lands" (Funding Opportunity Number L20AS00038) is a Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office funding effort designed to build cooperative, on-the-ground partnerships that improve native plant conservation and restoration outcomes on BLM-managed public lands in Colorado. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally means recipients should expect substantial involvement and coordination with BLM staff during project planning and implementation. The program sits within the Natural Resources funding activity category (CFDA 15.245) and focuses on advancing the goals of the BLM Plant Conservation and Restoration Program through practical restoration work, applied science, and public engagement that supports long-term ecosystem health.

A central theme of the opportunity is habitat restoration that benefits priority wildlife and sensitive species by strengthening native plant communities. Projects are intended to support habitat management efforts that restore or improve key habitats for species such as sage grouse and mule deer, as well as other sensitive species, particularly in high-priority landscapes where threats are acute and restoration can deliver measurable benefits. In practice, that can include increasing field-based implementation work that reduces habitat threats, improves vegetation condition, and helps stabilize ecosystems following disturbance.

Another major focus is improving the availability and quality of genetically appropriate native plant materials used in restoration and reclamation. The opportunity encourages partnerships with growers and other plant-material producers to develop and supply native seed and plant sources that are suitable for Colorado ecosystems and aligned with appropriate genetic and ecological considerations. This emphasis reflects the reality that restoration durability depends heavily on using the right plant materials for the right places, including considerations like local adaptation and seed source selection.

The opportunity also supports research and technical development that makes restoration more effective and more predictable. Eligible work can include studies in plant ecology and ecophysiology, evaluations of seed bank persistence, improved propagation techniques, development of agronomic practices for producing native plant materials, and trait or seed source evaluations that inform what to plant and where. It also highlights development and evaluation of seeding treatments and restoration tools, including work carried out through partner networks, State Offices, and eco-regional Plant Conservation and Restoration Programs. Overall, BLM is signaling interest in applied science that can be translated into better implementation guidance and better field outcomes.

Pollinator-related work is another explicit priority area. The announcement calls for studies and projects that deepen understanding of how native plant communities support pollinators and how pollinators, in turn, contribute to restoration success, ecosystem function, and the long-term durability of habitat improvements. This can include monitoring, habitat enhancement, and other efforts that strengthen the connection between native plant restoration and pollinator conservation.

The grant also emphasizes protecting and restoring rare plant habitat. BLM notes that its lands support more than 1,700 rare plant species, with more than 400 found exclusively on BLM lands, and that these plants play important ecological roles, including providing forage and habitat structure for wildlife. Projects may therefore involve monitoring, protection actions, habitat restoration, and work that increases scientific and management understanding of rare plant populations and the conditions they need to persist.

In addition to ecological and scientific work, the opportunity encourages projects that implement priority species conservation actions through collaboration, and it explicitly connects to other BLM operational needs such as Fuels and Emergency Stabilization and Restoration. That means projects that help restore lands after wildfire or other disturbances, and projects that mainstream the use of native plant materials within broader vegetation management programs, are considered aligned with program goals. The announcement underscores that BLM conducts this work in cooperation with states, tribes, other federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations, so partnership-based proposals are core to the intent of the funding.

Finally, the opportunity includes a public education and outreach component. BLM is interested in expanding outreach products such as information bulletins, handbooks, webinars, and apps, especially when they strengthen ties between BLM, partners, and the public through citizen science. In other words, projects that not only restore habitats but also build public understanding, improve information access, and enlist community participation in monitoring or stewardship are within scope.

From an administrative standpoint, this was posted by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, created March 5, 2020, with an original closing date of May 4, 2020. The award ceiling is $150,000, and BLM anticipated making about four awards. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in the nonprofit category). Application materials and full instructions were provided through Grants.gov under the opportunity number L20AS00038.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-CO Strengthening Partnerships for Native Plant Conservation on Colorado's Public Lands" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.245.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 05, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 04, 2020. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• 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), 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.

Apply for L20AS00038

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