National Landscape Conservation System
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
This program aims to increase the effectiveness of decision-making for BLMs National Conservation Lands and to advance the purposes for which they were designated. In addition, the assistance listing supports outcomes which promote either participatory science (i.e. citizen science) or tribal co-stewardship. National Conservation Lands are nationally significant landscapes that serve as focal areas for conservation, protection, and restoration. These designations span more than 38 million acres, and are afforded special management by Acts of Congress or Presidential Proclamations. The BLM manages these special areas to protect and restore their outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values while supporting compatible recreation and economic opportunities in accordance with the bureau’s multiple-use and sustained-yield mandate. These designated lands help ensure that the Nation's extraordinary beauty, heritage and biodiversity will be sustained for present and future generations to use and enjoy. These areas include over 2,700 recreation sites and 22 visitor centers and serve over 14 million visitors annually. The National Conservation Lands include the following designations: National Monuments and National Conservation Areas (and similar designations); Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas; Wild and Scenic Rivers; National Scenic and Historic Trails; and National Conservation Lands of the California Desert.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- Department/Agency of U.S. State
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
- Municipality/Township Government
- County Government
- Local
- State
- Tribal
- Nonprofit Organization
- Not-for-Profit Organization
How to Apply
Award Procedure
Applications passing this screening process will be forwarded for review by the proposal evaluation criteria, and any additional review factors, as stated in the funding announcement. Final award selection review by BLM Leadership.
Award time varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each project at the time the Notice of Funding Opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the point of contact listed in the funding opportunity announcement. Most awards are anticipated within 90 days or less after the announcement closes.
Program details & compliance
Description
The National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS)—16 U.S.C. 7202—conserves, protects, and restores nationally significant landscapes that exhibit outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values. NLCS units are designated in law or by Presidential Proclamation—including national monuments, national conservation areas, wilderness, wilderness study areas, national scenic and historic trails, and wild and scenic rivers. These areas are managed in accordance with the laws that created them, consistent with direction in BLM land use plans to preserve their outstanding resources and values, and allow for other multiple uses so long as the use is not otherwise prohibited or impairs the purpose of the designation.
This program encourages eligible applicants to support these management obligations by ensuring the BLM has relevant information and science. When appropriate projects may leverage the Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act (15 U.S.C. 3724) to engage the public in research, data collection, monitoring, and other scientific or stewardship-oriented activities to improve cost-effectiveness, maximize return on taxpayer dollars, address societal needs, support hands-on STEM learning, and deepen public connection to these areas. Also when applicable, Tribal co-stewardship projects support the government’s treaty and trust responsibilities to federally recognized Tribes: fostering collaboration, respecting Indigenous knowledge, and ensuring shared responsibility of ancestral and culturally significant lands and resources.
Mission Categories
Primary: Land and Forest Conservation
Other categories:
Historical PreservationFish and Wildlife PreservationRural Community DevelopmentRecreation
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
The National Conservation Lands program financially supports studies aimed at increasing our understanding of the resources present on BLM lands, the effectiveness of resource management decisions, and the restoration and
conservation needs. Projects are primarily conducted on BLM-managed National Conservation Lands but may also be conducted on other public land adjacent to National Conservation Lands. Projects address themes including Management Driven research (on-the-ground research that provides information that can directly inform a pertinent and pressing management question), citizen supported
studies (citizen scientists as assistants in data collection, compilation, or data analysis), and tribal co-stewardship (management studies which explore opportunities for, evaluate, or seek to re-invigorate co-stewardship activities
with Tribal entities).
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements