Opportunity Information: Apply for L26AS00064
The FY26 Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps - Bureau wide funding opportunity (Opportunity Number L26AS00064) is a discretionary federal program from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that supports hands-on conservation and stewardship projects carried out in partnership with qualified youth corps under the Public Lands Corps Act (PLC). The overall purpose is twofold: to help BLM complete priority natural and cultural resource work across public lands, and to provide paid, practical work experience that builds career pathways for young people in public lands and natural resources management. The program is designed to give participants real exposure to how public lands are managed, develop job skills through structured training and mentorship, and strengthen long-term stewardship by helping cultivate the next generation of resource professionals.
Projects funded under this notice are built collaboratively with BLM staff, specifically involving State Youth Program Leads and District or Field Office project coordinators. The PLC model emphasizes on-the-ground engagement rather than classroom-only or purely administrative work, with an expectation that participants will gain tangible skills and experience while contributing to measurable conservation outcomes. The program also allows for alignment, where appropriate, with the Indian Youth Service Corps Program by encouraging outreach to Indian tribes and tribal-serving youth corps organizations, including engagement of tribal members among the eligible participants.
The scope of work is broad, reflecting BLMs multiple-use mission and covering both natural and cultural resource priorities. Eligible projects include recreation improvements such as trail construction, trail maintenance and restoration, and upgrades to visitor facilities like kiosks, campgrounds, and signage. Natural resource monitoring is also a core area, including riparian vegetation and hydrology monitoring, soil and stream data collection, and timber stand improvement work that supports wildlife habitat and overall forest health. Habitat restoration and wildlife protection activities are explicitly encouraged and may involve invasive species reduction, tree planting, fence removal or installation, and riparian restoration. The notice also supports planning and education work, such as creating and implementing natural and cultural resource stewardship plans or developing visitor-facing educational materials.
Cultural resource work is a significant component of this opportunity. Projects may include inventories and studies like resource surveys, archival or historic research, archaeological excavation, stabilization, oral history documentation, historic preservation activities, and preservation of historic structures. Additional eligible work includes seed collection to support restoration following natural disasters and projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk to nearby communities, watersheds, and public land ecosystems. The program also supports development of communication, education, and interpretation materials related to natural, cultural, or paleontological resources, which can help translate technical resource work into public understanding and improved stewardship behavior.
While the program is strongly field-oriented, it does allow certain in-house or support projects (for example, cartography, records management, realty support, or wildland fire support). However, those projects must clearly benefit natural or cultural resources and must include a field component of at least 120 hours, reinforcing that participant experience should include direct engagement with public lands work rather than being entirely office-based.
Funding will be awarded through cooperative agreements, which generally means BLM expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on project design, coordination with field offices, and shared oversight of outcomes). The funding activity category is Natural Resources under CFDA 15.243. The opportunity anticipates around 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $220,000 per award. The original application closing date listed is October 16, 2026, and the notice was created on June 12, 2026.
Eligibility is focused on organizations and public entities rather than individuals or private businesses. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; 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 nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education). Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this notice.
A key program rule is that this NOFO is specifically tied to the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, which is described in the notice as the legislative authority BLM uses to "hire" interns through this framework. The notice states that eligible Youth Conservation Corps may only apply for projects developed under the BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands authority (CFDA 15.243), reinforcing that awards should be structured to support PLC-compliant youth crews and interns working on qualifying natural and cultural resource projects on BLM-managed lands.Apply for L26AS00064
- The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY26 Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps - Bureau wide " 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 2026-06-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-16. (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 $220,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the FY26 BLM Youth Conservation Corps (Bureau-wide) funding opportunity?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that supports hands-on conservation and stewardship projects carried out in partnership with qualified youth corps under the Public Lands Corps Act (PLC). The opportunity is titled "FY26 Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps - Bureau wide" and is identified as Opportunity Number L26AS00064.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The purpose is twofold: (1) help BLM complete priority natural and cultural resource work across public lands, and (2) provide paid, practical work experience that builds career pathways for young people in public lands and natural resources management through structured training, mentorship, and real on-the-ground work.
Who is this funding designed to benefit?
The program is designed to benefit BLM by advancing priority resource work on public lands, and to benefit young participants by providing paid, practical experience, job skills development, and exposure to public lands management and natural resources career pathways.
How are projects developed and coordinated with BLM?
Projects funded under this notice are built collaboratively with BLM staff, specifically involving State Youth Program Leads and District or Field Office project coordinators. Because awards are made through cooperative agreements, BLM expects substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on project design, coordination with field offices, and shared oversight of outcomes.
What type of agreement will BLM use to make awards?
Funding will be awarded through cooperative agreements. This typically indicates BLM will have substantial involvement during the project, including coordination and oversight related to project implementation and outcomes.
What kinds of projects are eligible under this opportunity?
The scope is broad and aligns with BLM's multiple-use mission, covering natural and cultural resource priorities. Eligible projects include recreation improvements, natural resource monitoring, habitat restoration and wildlife protection, planning and education work, cultural resource inventories and preservation activities, seed collection for restoration following natural disasters, wildfire risk reduction projects, and development of communication/education/interpretation materials related to natural, cultural, or paleontological resources.
What recreation-related activities can be supported?
Examples listed include trail construction, trail maintenance and restoration, and upgrades to visitor facilities such as kiosks, campgrounds, and signage.
What natural resource monitoring activities are included?
Examples include riparian vegetation and hydrology monitoring, soil and stream data collection, and timber stand improvement work that supports wildlife habitat and overall forest health.
What habitat restoration and wildlife protection activities are encouraged?
The notice explicitly encourages activities such as invasive species reduction, tree planting, fence removal or installation, and riparian restoration.
What planning and education work is eligible?
Eligible planning and education work includes creating and implementing natural and cultural resource stewardship plans and developing visitor-facing educational materials.
What cultural resource work can be funded?
Cultural resource work is a significant component. Examples include resource surveys, archival or historic research, archaeological excavation, stabilization, oral history documentation, historic preservation activities, and preservation of historic structures.
Does this opportunity support wildfire-related work?
Yes. Eligible work includes projects aimed at reducing wildfire risk to nearby communities, watersheds, and public land ecosystems, as well as seed collection to support restoration following natural disasters.
Can projects include communication, interpretation, or educational content?
Yes. The notice supports development of communication, education, and interpretation materials related to natural, cultural, or paleontological resources, helping translate technical resource work into public understanding and improved stewardship behavior.
Are office-based or in-house support projects allowed?
Some in-house or support projects are allowed (examples listed include cartography, records management, realty support, or wildland fire support). However, these projects must clearly benefit natural or cultural resources and must include a field component of at least 120 hours.
Is there a minimum fieldwork requirement for support-type projects?
Yes. If a project includes in-house or support work, it must include a field component of at least 120 hours to ensure participant experience includes direct engagement with public lands work rather than being entirely office-based.
Is this program meant to be classroom-based training?
No. The PLC model emphasized in the notice focuses on on-the-ground engagement rather than classroom-only or purely administrative work, with an expectation that participants gain tangible skills and experience while contributing to measurable conservation outcomes.
How does this opportunity connect to the Public Lands Corps Act (PLC)?
This NOFO is specifically tied to the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, which the notice describes as the legislative authority BLM uses to "hire" interns through this framework. Awards are intended to support PLC-compliant youth crews and interns working on qualifying natural and cultural resource projects on BLM-managed lands.
Does the opportunity encourage engagement with tribes or tribal-serving organizations?
Yes. The program allows for alignment, where appropriate, with the Indian Youth Service Corps Program by encouraging outreach to Indian tribes and tribal-serving youth corps organizations, including engagement of tribal members among eligible participants.
What is the CFDA number and funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Natural Resources, under CFDA 15.243.
How many awards does BLM anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipates around 8 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $220,000 per award.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on June 12, 2026.
What is the application closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original application closing date listed is October 16, 2026.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; 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 nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education).
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply under this notice.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
No. For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this notice.
Is this opportunity limited to certain kinds of youth corps projects?
Yes. The notice states that eligible Youth Conservation Corps may only apply for projects developed under the BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands authority (CFDA 15.243), meaning awards should be structured to support PLC-compliant youth crews and interns working on qualifying projects on BLM-managed lands.
What is emphasized about participant experience and career pathways?
The program is designed to provide paid, practical work experience with real exposure to how public lands are managed, including structured training and mentorship, so participants develop job skills and strengthen long-term stewardship through career pathway development in public lands and natural resources management.
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| F26AS00051_FY 2026 Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program_Funding Opportunity Announcement Apply for F26AS00051 Funding Number: F26AS00051 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
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