FY26 Bureau of Land Management Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management - Bureau wide
Cooperative agreements fund cultural, paleontological, and heritage resource projects that study, monitor, stabilize, curate, digitize, interpret, or educate about BLM-managed resources for eligible non-individual, non-for-profit applicants.
⚑ Individuals and for-profit organizations are ineligible. · Does not support hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act; Youth Conservation Corps must apply under a different NOFO.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 70 strong | technical depth: substantial; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 58 good | portfolio topic: environment; social/behavioral work is minor; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 25 weak | funds applied research; deep-tech content |
Description
Broadly, the objective is to develop partnerships to improve access to, and use of, heritage resources, and promote their educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational values in a manner that meets U.S. Department of the Interior priorities and Cultural Heritage and Paleontology Program goals. Individual projects shall meet one or more of the following objectives.Conduct studies, including inventory, excavation, records research, and collections-based research to improve the understanding of America"s natural and cultural history;Monitor at-risk heritage resources to track trends in condition and project effectiveness;Stabilize at-risk heritage resources;Train future cultural resource management practitioners and paleontologists through research projects, field schools and internships that highlight BLM resources;Assist with cultural heritage data and records management activities such as organizing, maintaining, and scanning site and survey records; creating, digitizing and maintaining geospatial data; and performing data entry;Preserve existing collections at recognized curation facilities through such activities as archival housing, stabilization or conservation;Broaden public access to museum collections;Promote engagement with Native American communities and foster partnerships with tribal governments and programs;Promote public engagement, learning opportunities, and conservation/preservation ethics through heritage resources education and outreach programs, events, and products;Develop and maintain historic sites with interpretive and educational potential.Partner to support BLM"s Tribal consultation efforts
Eligibility
Individuals and For-Profit Organizations are ineligible to apply for awards under this NOFO.This program NOFO does not support entities hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, 16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II-Public Lands Corps, is the only legislative authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under this authority. Therefore, eligible Youth Conservation Corps may only apply for projects developed under NOFO 15.243 – BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Bureau of Land Management <stephanie_lund@ios.doi.gov>