OR/WA Master Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management | L20AS00005

Opportunity Information: Apply for L20AS00005

The OR/WA Master Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L20AS00005) is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon/Washington grant designed to support the responsible management of cultural heritage and paleontological resources on federal lands across Oregon and Washington. The program sits within BLM's broader Cultural Heritage and Paleontology efforts, which focus on safeguarding a fragile, nonrenewable record of the region's past. That record includes thousands of years of human history reflected in archaeological sites, historic places, and artifact collections, as well as millions of years of natural history represented by fossils and other paleontological materials. The underlying purpose is to improve how these resources are identified, managed, preserved, interpreted, and used, while balancing scientific value, public access, and long-term protection.

This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement, meaning funded projects are expected to involve meaningful collaboration with BLM rather than operating as fully independent grants. The funding activity category is Natural Resources, and the listing is associated with CFDA number 15.224. Projects funded under this umbrella commonly support on-the-ground stewardship and planning, documentation and inventory work, preservation and protection actions, and education and outreach activities that help the public understand the significance of cultural and fossil resources without increasing risk to sensitive sites. The description also highlights the role of these programs in creating education and outreach opportunities, supporting appropriate public use, and potentially contributing to local or regional economic opportunities tied to heritage and paleontology, while still prioritizing conservation and compliance with applicable laws and policies.

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). This range suggests BLM intended to fund partnerships that could include universities, museums, tribes, local jurisdictions, and community-based organizations with relevant expertise or strong ties to affected landscapes and communities.

In terms of logistics, the opportunity was created on December 10, 2019, with an original closing date of February 10, 2020, followed by monthly rolling cutoff dates running from February 10, 2020 through July 10, 2020. The award ceiling listed is $50,000, and BLM anticipated making around 10 awards. Taken together, those details point to relatively small, targeted awards intended to fund discrete projects or project components, often with deliverables that directly support BLM's cultural and paleontological resource management priorities in Oregon and Washington.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OR/WA Master 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 Dec 10, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 10, 2020 Monthly Rolling cutoff dates from 2/10/20 - 7/10/20. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 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, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for L20AS00005

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