Bureau of Land Management IIJA Alaska Youth Opportunities on Public Lands | L23AS00116

Opportunity Information: Apply for L23AS00116

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) IIJA Alaska Youth Opportunities on Public Lands grant (Funding Opportunity Number L23AS00116) is a discretionary funding opportunity administered by the Bureau of Land Management under CFDA 15.243, focused on natural resource work and youth engagement on public lands in Alaska. Funding is offered through a cooperative agreement, which generally means the BLM expects to have substantial involvement in the project beyond simply providing funds, such as collaborating on project planning, oversight, or coordination during implementation. The opportunity was created on January 6, 2023, and the original application deadline was March 17, 2023. The listed maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $35,000 per award.

The core purpose of the program is to support organizations and eligible entities that will hire and support interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 USC, Chapter 37, Subchapter II). This legislative authority is highlighted as the only authority that allows BLM to "hire" interns under this specific mechanism, which signals that the program is tightly tied to Public Lands Corps rules and the types of youth conservation or public lands stewardship roles that law enables. In practical terms, proposals should be built around providing hands-on public lands work opportunities for youth and young adults, typically involving conservation, restoration, recreation, or similar stewardship activities that benefit BLM-managed lands and resources in Alaska, while also providing structured workforce experience.

Eligibility is limited to a wide set of public and nonprofit entities, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, where that distinction is made). The listing also includes an "Others" category, which typically indicates that additional entity types may be eligible if they meet the program and statutory requirements, though applicants would need to confirm their eligibility based on the full notice language and BLM guidance.

A key restriction is that individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible to apply under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). That means the funding is intended to flow to organizations capable of administering youth or intern hiring programs and managing public-benefit projects, rather than to private businesses or individual applicants. The description also clarifies that Youth Conservation Corps may only apply for projects developed under a different notice, specifically NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. In other words, Youth Conservation Corps applicants are directed to use the separate, designated funding pathway rather than this Alaska IIJA-specific opportunity.

Overall, this opportunity is designed to fund relatively small, targeted projects (given the $35,000 ceiling) that place youth in meaningful paid or structured conservation service roles on Alaska public lands, with the BLM collaborating through a cooperative agreement structure. Applicants considering this program would typically be organizations that already run or can credibly manage internship or crew-based field programs, can comply with Public Lands Corps Act requirements, and can coordinate effectively with BLM staff to deliver tangible stewardship outcomes while developing participants job skills and exposure to public land management careers.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bureau of Land Management IIJA Alaska Youth Opportunities on Public Lands" 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 2023-01-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-17. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, 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, Others.

Apply for L23AS00116

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