Financial Assistance

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

BLM issues financial assistance through grants and cooperative agreement awards to institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, state and local governments, foreign entities and Indian tribal governments for projects that meet the BLM mission and falls in line with the Department of the Interior’s top priorities.

Federal Financial Assistance (FA) is transferring something of value to a recipient in order to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statue.

Programs

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance program is a government-wide compendium of federal programs, projects, services and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public.  It contains financial and non-financial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the federal government.

15.225 - Recreation Resource Management 15.228 - Wildland Urban Interface Community Fire Assistance 15.230 – Invasive and Noxious Plant Management

 

For further programs supported by financial assistance, go to www.sam.gov.

For application instructions and any other program-specific questions, the “Information Contacts” section of each CFDA program profile provides program-specific points of contact.

• 15.244 - Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management
• 15.245 - Plant Conservation and Restoration Management
• 15.246 - Threatened and Endangered Species
• 15. 247 - Wildlife Resource Management 
• 15.237 - Rangeland Resource Management
• 15.243 - Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands

 

Resources

• The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public.
• The Council on Financial Assistance Reform is a multi-government agency organization that works collaboratively to improve financial management in the U.S. Government.
• Department of the Interior’s Financial Assistance site.
• The Department of the Interior Business Center’s Indirect Cost Services division negotiates and issues indirect cost rates on behalf of the federal government for those entities for which Interior is their cognizant agency.
• The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act requires prime recipient reporting on first-tier sub-awards. Recipients must use the FFATA Subaward Reporting System to meet the requirements.
• To search for BLM funding opportunities and apply for federal financial assistance, go to the official United States government financial assistance portal, Grants.gov.
• Financial assistance recipients must register and maintain current information in the System for Award Management.
• The Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s online single audit database provides public access to completed single audits. For more information on single audits, see Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F-Audit Requirements.
• BLM domestic financial assistance recipients must register in a receive payments through the Department of the Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payment.
• Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” (2 CFR 200).
• USAspending.gov is the publicly accessible, searchable website that gives the American public access to information on how their tax dollars are spent, including Federal financial assistance award data.

Terms and Conditions

Acceptance of a grant or cooperative agreement from the Bureau of Land Management carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to and approved by BLM. Awards from BLM are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated into the award either by direct citation or by reference to federal regulations; program legislation or regulation; and special award terms and conditions. BLM financial assistance award terms and conditions flow down to subrecipients and contractors, unless a particular award term or condition specifically indicates otherwise.

Refer to the terms and conditions in effect as of the signature date on your notice of award: effective as of 10/1/2018.

BLM Indirect Cost Guidance for Applicants and Recipients

All applicants proposing to charge indirect costs to an award must include a statement in their application that describes their indirect cost rate circumstance. See BLM's “Indirect Costs and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements” guidance.

Indirect Cost Rate Exception Approval for BLM Joint Fire Program, effective: 5/19/2015.

For more information on indirect costs, see Department of the Interior policy DOI-AAAP-0007.

BLM Pre-Award Risk Assessment

Prior to award, BLM evaluates the risk posed by potential recipients as required in 2 CFR 200.205. BLM programs document applicant risk using the “DOI Financial Assistance Risk Assessment Checklist” form.

For recipients not subject to the single audit and that have not undergone an independent audit, BLM uses the “DOI Financial Assistance – Financial Capability Questionnaire” as a tool to evaluate adequate accounting systems.

Prior to approving awards for federal funding in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), BLM is required to review and consider any information about or from the applicant found in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System.

BLM will consider this information when completing the risk review. BLM uses the results of the risk evaluation to establish monitoring plans and recipient reporting frequency requirements, and to determine if one or more of the specific award conditions in 2 CFR 200.207 should be applied to the award.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Priority Language - Notice of Funding Opportunity

The following are Administration and Departmental Strategy Plan priority statements included in Notice of Funding Opportunities when appropriate.

Conservation and Resiliency in the Face of Climate Change

• The Department of the Interior is committed to effectively and efficiently confronting and adapting to the challenges that climate change poses, including Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Forest and Woodlands Resource Management.
• The Department seeks to fund projects under the Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Forest and Woodlands Resource Management programs that promote climate-resilient lands, waters and cultural resources; advance climate equity; transition to a resilient clean energy economy; support Tribal and insular community resilience; and empower the next generation of conservation and resilience workers, consistent with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.

Promote Equity and Environmental Justice

• The Department of the Interior seeks to award projects under Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Forest and Woodlands Resource Management, Recreation and Visitor Services, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Environmental Quality Protection that will create proportional impacts to all populations in a project area, remove construction related disparities to all populations in a project area, and increase equitable access to project benefits, consistent with Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
• The Department of the Interior also seeks to award projects that address equity and environmental justice, particularly for communities that have experienced decades of under investment and are most impacted by climate change, pollution, and environmental hazards, consistent with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
• The Department of the Interior also seeks to increase and enhance the rights and representation of women and improve gender inclusion and diversity, consistent with Executive Order 14020, Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council.

Supporting Communities and the Economy

• The Department of the Interior intends to use Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Forest and Woodlands Resource Management, Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management, Recreation and Visitor Services, Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance, Invasive and Noxious Plant Management, Environmental Quality Protection, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Youth Conservation Corps to support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union and the incorporation of strong labor standards and training and placement programs, especially registered apprenticeships, in project planning stages, consistent with Executive Order 14025, Worker Organizing and Empowerment and Executive Order 14052, Implementation of the Infrastructure investment and Jobs Act.
• The Department of the Interior also intends to use Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Forest and Woodlands Resource Management, Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management, Recreation and Visitor Services, Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance, Invasive and Noxious Plant Management, Environmental Quality Protection, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Youth Conservation Corps to promote economic competitiveness by improving gender inclusion and diversity, including advancing women’s employment opportunities.
• The Department of the Interior also intends to use Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Forest and Woodlands Resource Management, Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management, Recreation and Visitor Services, Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance, Invasive and Noxious Plant Management, Environmental Quality Protection, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Youth Conservation Corps to support small disadvantaged businesses to maximize opportunities for underserved communities, including Indian-owned economic enterprises.
• The Department of the interior intends to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits from federal investment in clean energy programs go to disadvantaged communities. Wildlife, Threatened and Endangered Species, Plant Conservation and Restoration, Aquatic Resource Management, Rangeland Resource Management, Forest and Woodlands Resource Management, Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management, Recreation and Visitor Services, Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance, Invasive and Noxious Plant Management, Environmental Quality Protection, Joint Fire Science, Good Neighbor Authority, and Youth Conservation Corps will engage with individuals and organizations interested in advancing equity in low-income communities and communities of color to identify barriers and better ensure benefits flow to these communities.