BLM (Montana/Dakotas) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management | L19AS00098

Opportunity Information: Apply for L19AS00098

The BLM (Montana/Dakotas) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L19AS00098) is a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, through cooperative agreements. It was built around a long-running federal push to strengthen native plant restoration in the West after repeated large-scale wildfires exposed a major shortfall in locally adapted native seed supplies. In 2001, Congress directed BLM to establish a native plant materials program and encouraged coordination among federal and non-federal partners through the Plant Conservation Alliance (originally established in 1994). This opportunity reflects that mandate by supporting work that helps identify, conserve, and restore native plant communities across the many ecoregions represented on BLM-managed public lands, especially in Montana and the Dakotas.

At its core, the program is about improving the durability and ecological function of restoration efforts by using genetically appropriate, locally sourced native plant materials that match the environments they are intended for. Because BLM lands span more than 50 ecoregions, the program emphasizes that native plants are not interchangeable across regions; they are adapted to specific climates, soils, and disturbance patterns. The opportunity invites partnerships that make restoration and rehabilitation more effective, more scalable, and better aligned with wildlife habitat needs, including post-fire recovery. In practical terms, the program supports both on-the-ground conservation actions and the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that makes restoration possible, such as seed development, propagation knowledge, monitoring, and data systems.

The Montana/Dakotas BLM specifically highlights partner-driven projects that restore or enhance key wildlife habitats and reduce threats to sensitive species. This includes habitat management in high priority areas for species like sage-grouse and mule deer, along with other sensitive or at-risk wildlife tied to native plant communities. The grant also supports continued collaboration with growers and the native seed industry to develop and produce genetically appropriate native plant materials for habitat restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation. A major theme is increasing the availability of diverse native forbs and grasses, recognizing that restoration success and habitat quality often depend on plant community diversity, not just a narrow mix of common grasses.

A substantial portion of the opportunity focuses on applied research and technical advancement to improve restoration outcomes. Eligible work may include studies in plant ecology and ecophysiology, evaluation of seed bank persistence, propagation methods, and development of agronomic practices for reliable seed production. It also encourages trait-based and seed-source evaluations, along with development and testing of seeding treatments and restoration tools. Collectively, these efforts are meant to move restoration beyond trial-and-error by improving the evidence base for what works, where it works, and why it works, while also helping BLM and partners scale successful approaches across large landscapes.

Pollinator habitat and pollinator-focused projects are another key component. The program seeks work that strengthens understanding of how native plant communities support pollinators and how that relationship, in turn, improves restoration durability and broader ecosystem function. This emphasis fits with the program's broader goal of restoring functioning ecosystems rather than simply re-vegetating disturbed ground. By encouraging pollinator-related studies and habitat improvement, BLM signals that restoration projects should account for ecological interactions that sustain plant reproduction, resilience, and biodiversity over time.

Rare plant conservation is explicitly included as a priority. The opportunity notes that BLM lands support habitat for more than 1,700 rare plant species, with more than 400 found only on BLM-managed lands. Projects may include inventorying, monitoring, protecting, and restoring rare plant populations and the plant communities they depend on. It also supports development of conservation strategies or plans that outline best management practices, along with reporting on status, condition, and trends in rare species and their habitats. This rare plant focus is framed not only as a botanical concern but also as a foundational element of wildlife habitat, since many rare plants contribute forage, structure, and ecological functions that ripple through the broader ecosystem.

The program also encourages practical implementation support for other BLM operational priorities, including Fuels Management and Emergency Stabilization and Restoration (ESR). In other words, it is designed to help integrate native plant materials into the standard toolkit BLM uses to respond to wildfire impacts and manage vegetation more broadly. That integration is intended to improve long-term recovery, reduce repeated degradation, and create more resilient landscapes after disturbance. Partnerships across states, tribes, other federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations are central to how BLM expects this work to be delivered.

In 2019, the Montana/Dakotas program emphasis was also tied to specific federal priorities and Secretarial Orders that link habitat restoration to recreation and traditional outdoor uses. The opportunity connects improved native plant availability and healthier habitats to expanded recreational access and hunting and fishing opportunities (Secretarial Orders 3347 and 3356), improved big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat (Secretarial Order 3362), and restoration of lands damaged by wildfire (Secretarial Order 3372). This framing underscores that the program is meant to deliver visible, measurable outcomes on public lands that support both ecological health and public use.

The strategic goals laid out in the notice provide a clear roadmap of what BLM is trying to fund. These goals include restoring or improving wildlife habitat and reducing threats to habitats or species; developing genetically appropriate native plant materials; inventorying and prioritizing plant populations; implementing restoration and measuring results through monitoring; and expanding collaboration with farmers and conservationists to increase Stock and Foundation seed availability. A specific scaling objective is to build enough high-quality starting seed so it can be used in larger Seed Increase IDIQ contracts, which helps drive commercial availability of genetically diverse, locally sourced seed at the scale and provenance specificity needed for large restoration projects. The opportunity also promotes strengthening or refining Source Identified Seed Certification programs in partnership with state seed certifying agencies, which is a way to improve transparency and confidence in seed origin and appropriateness.

Finally, the opportunity places value on public education, outreach, and modern information tools. It supports development of materials like bulletins, handbooks, webinars, and apps, with an emphasis on strengthening connections between BLM, partners, and the public, including citizen science where appropriate. It also highlights database creation and management, geospatial analysis, collaborative web services, and associated training, reflecting the reality that long-term conservation and restoration depend on good data, consistent monitoring, and shared access to information across agencies and partners.

Administratively, the opportunity was open from July 11, 2019 to September 11, 2019 (4:30 PM ET), with two submission rounds (Round One due August 11, 2019 and Round Two due September 11, 2019). It anticipated up to five awards, with an award ceiling of $350,000. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice. The assistance listing is CFDA 15.245, and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should generally expect substantial involvement and coordination with BLM during project planning and implementation.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM (Montana/Dakotas) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.245.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 11, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 11, 2019 Open from July 11, 2019--September 11, 2019, 430 PM ET Round One--Applications Due August 11, 2019, 430 PM ET Round Two--Applications Due September 11, 2019, 430 PM ET. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 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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