FY25 Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps- Bureau wide

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), under the U.S. Department of the Interior, has announced its Fiscal Year 2025 funding opportunity for the Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps program. This initiative, backed by the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 and further authorized through recent legislative mandates including the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, aims to engage youth and veterans in conservation projects on public lands. The BLM has historically collaborated with Qualified Youth and Conservation Corps to foster employment, stewardship, and conservation education among individuals aged 16 to 30 and veterans up to 35 years old, including tribal members. The program promotes environmental stewardship, job creation, and community engagement while offering skill development in natural resource management. Eligible projects may focus on trail building, habitat restoration, wildfire risk reduction, cultural resource preservation, and educational materials development. Both crew-based and individual assignments are accepted, with required stipends or wages for participants. Projects can span various formats and must have a clear field component, lasting no more than three years. Funding supports projects that expose participants to public service, promote conservation careers, and align with BLM mission goals. This opportunity offers a total funding pool of $900,000, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $210,000. A 25% non-federal cost share is mandatory. The anticipated number of awards is eight. Applicants must submit electronically via Grants.gov between June 10, 2025, and August 8, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. ET. Late submissions or extensions will not be accepted without extenuating circumstances. Projects are expected to start by September 25, 2025, and conclude by August 24, 2030. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; Native American tribal governments and organizations; public and private higher education institutions; and nonprofits, both with and without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit entities and individuals are ineligible. Projects must be submitted under Assistance Listing Number 15.243. Application requirements include standard federal forms (e.g., SF-424, SF-424A, SF-LLL), a project narrative, budget justification, and supporting documents such as résumés, proof of eligibility, and letters of support. Evaluation involves eligibility screening and a merit review based on criteria like the applicant’s statement of need, recruitment strategy, technical approach, public benefit, qualifications, and cost share. Final selections are reviewed for alignment with BLM priorities, and risk assessments are conducted per federal standards. Awards will be issued via GrantSolutions or email, and the BLM will retain substantial involvement throughout the project, including mentoring, training coordination, and approval of project phases. For further inquiries, applicants are directed to contact Stephanie McBride at [email protected] or by phone at (303) 236-4001. Additionally, Michael Brown serves as the HQ National Youth Conservation Corps Program Lead and can be reached at [email protected] for program-specific questions.

Follow Grants.gov workspace setup; ensure registration in SAM.gov; clearly justify any stipends above $800/week; ensure all supporting documents are included; ensure fieldwork component meets 120-hour minimum.