IIJA Bureau of Land Management Arizona Youth and Conservation Corps. | L23AS00195

Opportunity Information: Apply for L23AS00195

The IIJA Bureau of Land Management Arizona Youth and Conservation Corps opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L23AS00195) is a discretionary federal funding program administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under CFDA 15.243, focused on natural resources work carried out through youth conservation and internship-style placements in Arizona. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means BLM expects to be actively involved in the project’s execution (for example, coordinating work locations, schedules, oversight, and technical direction) rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal engagement. The opportunity is designed to set up “Master Agreements” that formalize partnerships for two main types of youth support: Youth Individual Interns and Youth Crew Interns.

A key feature of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is that it is not a single, one-size-fits-all application. Instead, BLM has posted multiple Master Agreement descriptions as attachments in Grants.gov under the “Related Documents” section, and applicants must submit a separate application for each Master Agreement they want to pursue. In practical terms, an organization interested in supporting both individual interns and crew-based projects, or multiple distinct project packages, should be prepared to develop and submit multiple applications, each with its own scope and budget aligned to the specific Master Agreement.

BLM strongly encourages prospective applicants to coordinate early with the agency before applying. The NOFO specifically instructs applicants to contact the program expert at the BLM district or field office where the work will occur to talk through the proposed project(s). That pre-application conversation is meant to prevent misalignment on basics like what work is actually needed, how many interns or crews BLM expects, and what level of funding and staffing is realistic. This is especially important for building an adequate budget, since the number of participants, crew composition, time in the field, travel, supervision, and equipment can drive costs substantially.

Eligibility is broad across public and nonprofit sectors, covering 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; other Tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories). However, the NOFO is explicit that individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.

The NOFO also highlights an important legal and programmatic boundary: recruiting interns or crews under this effort must align with the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II). BLM notes that this statute is the only legislative authority that allows the agency to “recruit” interns under this specific framework, and the NOFO supports entities that recruit interns or crews under that Act. As a result, youth conservation corps organizations that are applying need to ensure their proposed projects fit within the BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands program authority (also referenced as NOFO 15.243). In other words, applicants should be prepared to demonstrate that their youth engagement model, participant eligibility, and work activities meet the requirements and intent of the Public Lands Corps framework.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was created on April 25, 2023, with an original application closing date of June 12, 2023. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. While the notice indicates “Expected Awards:” without a number provided in the source text, the structure suggests BLM may make multiple cooperative agreements corresponding to the various Master Agreements and project needs, rather than a single statewide award.

Overall, this funding opportunity is geared toward organizations that can responsibly recruit, support, and supervise young people doing conservation and public lands-related work in partnership with BLM Arizona offices. Competitive applications will likely be those that closely match the specific Master Agreement descriptions, show clear coordination with the relevant BLM field unit, present a realistic staffing and safety approach for youth participants, and submit budgets that reflect the true scale and logistics of the proposed intern or crew support.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "IIJA Bureau of Land Management Arizona Youth and Conservation Corps." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.243.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-12. (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 $200,000.00 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 L23AS00195

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