FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management MT/DAK Youth Conservation Corps

Background
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has collaborated with Qualified Youth and Conservation Corps to accomplish conservation projects for numerous years. The program’s projects provide employment for participants and opportunities to learn about and gain work experience in public lands and natural resources management while promoting long-term interest in public lands stewardship and the BLM. The BLM Youth Program assists the BLM with diversifying the workforce while exposing participants to complex cultural and natural resource issues. This program supports projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Public Law 117-58, Sec. 40804(b) Ecosystem Restoration and Section 40803 Wildfire Risk Reduction. It also supports projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Sections 50221 Resilience, 50222 Ecosystems Restoration, and 50303 DOI.

Grant Details
The proposed projects will support the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) and the Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC) initiatives.
The projects will include but not be limited to enhancement of recreation opportunities, monitoring riparian area vegetation, habitat restoration, wildlife protection, development of natural and cultural resource stewardship plans, performance of studies such as resource inventories, preservation of cultural resources, seed collection for restoration of lands affected by natural disasters, reduction of wildfire risk, production of materials and programs on natural, cultural, and/or paleontological resources, performance of in-house projects such as science, policy, or program internships.
The focused projects may be organized as crews or individuals/small teams working on specific tasks requiring dedicated attention.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, 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, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS other than institutions of higher education.
Individuals and for-profit organizations are ineligible to apply for awards under this NOFO.

Period of Performance
Projects may vary in length but should not last longer than three years.
Projects may be located in different geographic locations on BLM administered lands.
The overall project success shall be validated and tracked by the BLM project coordinator using various criteria.

Grant Value
$6,100,000

Place of Performance
Projects funded through this NOFO will start upon issuance of a notice of award by the BLM Grants Management Officer executed through GrantSolutions.
Agreement terms for funded projects are estimated to range between one and no more than five years.