WY Youth Conservation on Public Lands | L20AS00079

Opportunity Information: Apply for L20AS00079

The WY Youth Conservation on Public Lands opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L20AS00079) is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), focused on supporting youth and conservation corps projects in Wyoming. The program is rooted in the long-standing collaboration between Wyoming BLM field offices and qualified Youth and Conservation Corps, operating under the authority of the Public Lands Corps Act (PLC). Through this framework, BLM seeks to advance practical, on-the-ground conservation work while also building a pipeline of future public land stewards and natural resource professionals.

At its core, the grant is designed to fund projects that provide paid employment and structured work experiences for participants on public lands. The emphasis is not only on completing conservation and land management tasks, but also on giving young people meaningful exposure to how public lands are managed in real life. Participants are expected to gain hands-on skills related to natural resources and public lands stewardship, and to learn about the kinds of challenges that land managers face, including complex cultural resource considerations and natural resource protection needs. A key program goal is to encourage long-term interest in public service and stewardship, while also helping BLM diversify its workforce by expanding access to early career experiences in conservation and land management.

This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically signals an ongoing, collaborative relationship between the recipient and the federal agency during project implementation. The funding activity category is Natural Resources, and the associated CFDA number is 15.243. The notice was created on March 18, 2020, with an original application closing date of May 18, 2020.

Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, other Native American tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). Funding is relatively small and project-oriented, with an award ceiling of $40,000. BLM anticipated making around six awards, suggesting multiple projects across different locations or BLM-managed areas in Wyoming rather than one large statewide effort. Overall, the grant supports conservation outcomes on public lands while investing directly in youth employment, workforce development, and stewardship education tied to BLM priorities, including work relevant to National Conservation Lands management.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WY Youth Conservation on Public Lands" 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 Mar 18, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 18, 2020. (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 $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

Apply for L20AS00079

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