Bureau of Land Management New Mexico Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management | L23AS00219

Opportunity Information: Apply for L23AS00219

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L23AS00219) is a discretionary Department of the Interior funding program offered through a cooperative agreement. Its focus sits in the natural resources category, but the practical intent is to support work tied to cultural resources (such as archaeology, historic properties, and heritage assets) and paleontological resources (such as fossils and related site stewardship) on BLM-managed lands in New Mexico. In other words, it is meant to help partners carry out on-the-ground and programmatic activities that protect, document, manage, and responsibly interpret these resources in alignment with BLM resource management responsibilities.

Funding is provided under CFDA 15.224, and the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $100,000. The posting indicates an expected awards field but does not clearly state a number in the provided text, so applicants would typically confirm the anticipated number of awards and any minimum/typical award size in the full announcement package. The original closing date for applications was April 10, 2023, and the opportunity was created on February 7, 2023, which is helpful context for understanding the cycle and for tracking whether a similar, updated announcement may be released in later years.

A key feature of this opportunity is who can and cannot apply. Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible, which narrows the field to public entities and mission-driven organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or 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; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments, as listed); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under the nonprofit categories). This structure strongly suggests BLM is looking for established governmental, educational, tribal, and nonprofit partners that can work collaboratively with the agency and meet federal assistance requirements.

Another major constraint is that this specific Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not support entities hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps (PLC) Act of 1993. The text emphasizes that the PLC Act (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II) is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under that framework, and as a result, youth corps-style intern or crew projects must be routed through a different BLM funding pathway. The announcement points applicants to NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands, as the proper vehicle for eligible Youth Conservation Corps proposals. Practically, that means applicants should not propose internship or crew hiring models under this cultural and paleontological resource management opportunity; if youth corps or intern staffing is central to the project concept, it needs to be reframed to fit allowable approaches here or redirected to the youth conservation NOFO.

Because the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect substantial involvement by BLM during the project rather than a hands-off grant. Cooperative agreements typically imply that BLM staff may participate in planning, prioritization, technical review, field coordination, data standards, compliance alignment, or deliverable acceptance. For applicants, this usually means building a work plan that clearly shows coordination points with BLM, realistic timelines for reviews and approvals, and deliverables that fit BLM cultural and paleontological management needs (for example, inventories, evaluations, condition assessments, monitoring protocols, site stewardship actions, records and reporting that fit agency standards, or other tasks that help BLM meet its legal and policy responsibilities).

In summary, this opportunity is a BLM New Mexico cooperative agreement funding stream, capped at $100,000 per award, meant for governmental, tribal, higher education, and nonprofit partners to help manage and protect cultural and paleontological resources on public lands. It is not open to individuals or for-profit entities, and it is not intended to fund internship or youth crew hiring under the Public Lands Corps Act. Applicants that are a good fit are organizations prepared to collaborate closely with BLM and deliver tangible cultural and paleontological resource management outcomes while following federal assistance and project coordination requirements.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bureau of Land Management New Mexico Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.224.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-02-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-04-10. (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 $100,000.00 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 L23AS00219

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