BLM (MT/Daks) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs | L19AS00045

Opportunity Information: Apply for L19AS00045

The BLM (MT/Daks) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L19AS00045) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, focused on improving recreation-related resources and visitor services on BLM-managed public lands in Montana and the Dakotas. It is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning funded projects are expected to be carried out in close coordination with BLM staff and priorities rather than as fully independent, stand-alone efforts. The overarching purpose is to strengthen outdoor recreation opportunities while supporting conservation outcomes and local economies that depend on public land visitation.

At its core, the opportunity recognizes that BLM lands provide highly diverse recreation experiences across the western United States and are unusually accessible to the public, with many communities located within a short drive of BLM-managed areas. The program frames these lands as an "Americas Great Outdoors" asset that can serve everyone from nearby residents seeking day-use activities to visitors traveling longer distances for backcountry experiences. The BLM Recreation and Visitor Services Program is described as broad and complex, covering everything from on-the-ground recreation infrastructure to planning, monitoring, education, and public safety, all aimed at maximizing benefits to individuals and communities and helping communities pursue social, economic, and environmental goals tied to public lands.

Program goals are closely linked to implementing and supporting several Department of the Interior Secretarial Orders: S.O. 3347 (Conservation Stewardship and Outdoor Recreation), S.O. 3356 (Hunting, Fishing, Recreational Shooting, and Wildlife Conservation Opportunities and Coordination with States, Tribes, and Territories), and S.O. 3366 (Increasing Recreational Opportunities on Lands and Waters Managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior). In practical terms, that emphasis points to projects that both expand recreation access and use and do so in a way that is planned, sustainable, and coordinated with partners and stakeholders.

The BLM Montana/Dakotas office is seeking partner organizations to help deliver tangible improvements across a wide set of recreation and travel management needs. Priority activities include increasing and enhancing public access to lands and waters; expanding and improving hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation opportunities; and improving or expanding recreational shooting opportunities where appropriate. The opportunity also highlights the need for stronger inventory, assessment, and planning work on public lands and waters, along with improved day-to-day management, administration, and monitoring. On the visitor-facing side, the BLM is interested in enriched visitor services such as information delivery, interpretation, and education, as well as building community-supported partnerships connected to tourism and marketing that can responsibly increase engagement with public lands.

Safety and inclusivity are explicitly called out. Projects that protect visitor health and safety are encouraged, along with efforts that improve accessibility for people with disabilities. A major operational focus is travel and transportation management, including improvements to both motorized and non-motorized trail systems. This can include trail construction and maintenance, as well as comprehensive travel and transportation inventory and assessment, planning, management, and monitoring. Taken together, the eligible project concepts span both "hardware" (trails, facilities, access improvements) and "software" (planning, data collection, visitor education, monitoring, partnerships), provided the work advances BLM recreation and visitor services objectives.

The opportunity is grounded in key legal and policy authorities, including the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), with reference to BLM Handbook 1790-1 for NEPA implementation. This signals that proposals may need to align with federal planning and environmental review requirements where applicable, and that project designs should be realistic about compliance considerations, timelines, and coordination needs. A clear requirement is that every proposed project must state a benefit to the public, reinforcing that awards are meant to produce broadly available recreational, safety, access, stewardship, or informational outcomes rather than benefits limited to a narrow group.

In terms of basic logistics, the opportunity was created on May 23, 2019, and remained open through July 22, 2019, with two submission rounds (Round One due June 21, 2019, and Round Two due July 22, 2019, both at 4:30 PM Eastern). The award ceiling is $200,000, and BLM anticipated making approximately six awards. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of applicant types could apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice. The funding activity category is Natural Resources and the CFDA number is 15.225, placing it squarely in the federal natural resources assistance space with an emphasis on recreation management, visitor services, visual resource considerations, and travel management outcomes on BLM public lands in Montana and the Dakotas.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM (MT/Daks) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.225.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 23, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2019 Open from May 23, 2019 thru July 22, 2019, 430 PM EST Round One Applications Due June 21, 2019, 430 PM EST Round Two Applications Due July 22, 2019, 430 PM EST. (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.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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