Opportunity Information: Apply for L20AS00078
The Montana/Dakotas Recreation and Visitors Services grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L20AS00078) is a discretionary Bureau of Land Management (BLM) program run through the U.S. Department of the Interior. It supports projects on BLM-managed public lands in Montana and the Dakotas that strengthen outdoor recreation and visitor services while also supporting conservation goals and local economies. The funding is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the BLM expects to be actively involved with awardees during project implementation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The program is tied to CFDA 15.225 and is framed around the idea that BLM lands are highly accessible "backyard to backcountry" recreation areas located near many communities, so improvements to these lands can have immediate benefits for residents, visitors, and nearby businesses.
The main purpose of the opportunity is to improve the quality, availability, and management of recreation experiences on BLM lands. The BLM notes that its Recreation and Visitor Services Program covers a wide range of recreation-related work, from on-the-ground infrastructure to planning and visitor information, and that these efforts are meant to help communities reach their own social, economic, and environmental outcomes. In practical terms, this opportunity is aimed at projects that remove barriers to access, expand or enhance recreation opportunities, and improve how recreation resources are planned for and managed over time.
The announcement lays out a broad set of expected outcomes that clarify what types of projects are a good fit. Priority outcomes include increasing and enhancing access to public lands and waters; expanding hunting, fishing, and general recreational opportunities; and improving recreational shooting opportunities where appropriate. A strong emphasis is also placed on foundational management work such as inventory, assessment, and planning, as well as improvements to ongoing administration, monitoring, and overall stewardship of recreation sites and corridors. Visitor-facing improvements are another core theme, including better visitor services, public information, interpretation, and education. The opportunity also encourages community-supported partnerships related to tourism and marketing, recognizing that recreation investments can be leveraged through local collaboration to attract visitors and strengthen regional economies.
Safety and inclusion are explicitly called out as desired results. Projects that protect visitor health and safety are within scope, as are efforts that improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Trails are a major focal point of the opportunity: the BLM highlights improvements to both motorized and non-motorized trails, including new trail construction, trail maintenance, and the more technical work needed to manage trail networks effectively. That includes comprehensive travel and transportation inventory and assessment, route planning, travel management, and monitoring to ensure trail systems remain sustainable and aligned with land management goals.
From a funding standpoint, the opportunity anticipated up to three awards, with an award ceiling of $200,000 per award. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice. The application window ran from April 7, 2020 through June 5, 2020, with two submission rounds: round one due May 6, 2020 and round two due June 5, 2020 (both at 4:30 PM Eastern). Overall, the public benefit the BLM emphasizes is straightforward: well-managed recreation resources and strong visitor services on BLM lands provide diverse outdoor opportunities while contributing to community well-being, economic activity, and the long-term conservation of public lands.Apply for L20AS00078
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Montana/Dakotas Recreation and Visitors Services" 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 Apr 07, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 05, 2020 Open from April 7, 2020 to June 5, 2020, 430 PM EST Round One Applications are Due May 6, 2020, 430 PM EST Round Two Applications are Due June 5, 2020, 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 3 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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Montana/Dakotas Recreation and Visitors Services Grant (L20AS00078) - FAQs
What is the Montana/Dakotas Recreation and Visitors Services grant opportunity?
It is a discretionary Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding opportunity run through the U.S. Department of the Interior. It supports projects on BLM-managed public lands in Montana and the Dakotas that strengthen outdoor recreation and visitor services while also supporting conservation goals and local economies.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is L20AS00078.
Which federal program or assistance listing is this tied to?
The opportunity is tied to CFDA 15.225.
What type of funding instrument is used?
Funding is offered as a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement generally means the BLM expects to be actively involved with awardees during project implementation, rather than simply providing funds with minimal involvement.
Where must funded projects take place?
Projects are intended to take place on BLM-managed public lands in Montana and the Dakotas.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The main purpose is to improve the quality, availability, and management of recreation experiences on BLM lands, including work that removes barriers to access, expands or enhances recreation opportunities, and improves long-term planning and management of recreation resources.
What kinds of projects does the BLM Recreation and Visitor Services Program cover under this opportunity?
The announcement describes a wide range of eligible recreation-related work, including on-the-ground recreation infrastructure, recreation planning, and visitor information/services intended to help communities meet social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
What outcomes are prioritized in this opportunity?
Priority outcomes include increasing and enhancing access to public lands and waters; expanding hunting, fishing, and general recreation opportunities; improving recreational shooting opportunities where appropriate; and strengthening the inventory, assessment, planning, administration, monitoring, and stewardship of recreation sites and corridors.
Does the opportunity support projects focused on public access?
Yes. Increasing and enhancing access to public lands and waters is listed as a priority outcome.
Does the opportunity support hunting and fishing-related projects?
Yes. Expanding hunting and fishing opportunities is specifically included among the priority outcomes.
Are recreational shooting-related projects eligible?
The announcement includes improving recreational shooting opportunities where appropriate as a priority outcome.
Are planning, inventory, and assessment activities eligible?
Yes. The opportunity places a strong emphasis on foundational management work such as inventory, assessment, and planning, as well as related recreation resource management work over time.
Does the opportunity fund administration, monitoring, or stewardship work?
Yes. Improvements to ongoing administration, monitoring, and overall stewardship of recreation sites and corridors are highlighted among the expected outcomes.
Are visitor services and visitor-facing improvements within scope?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes visitor services, public information, interpretation, and education as core themes.
Does the opportunity encourage partnerships with local communities?
Yes. The opportunity encourages community-supported partnerships related to tourism and marketing and notes that recreation investments can be leveraged through local collaboration to attract visitors and strengthen regional economies.
Are projects that address visitor health and safety eligible?
Yes. Projects that protect visitor health and safety are explicitly called out as desired results.
Does the opportunity support accessibility improvements for people with disabilities?
Yes. Efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities are specifically mentioned as being within scope.
Are trail projects a major focus of this opportunity?
Yes. Trails are a major focal point, including improvements to motorized and non-motorized trails, new trail construction, trail maintenance, and technical work to manage trail networks effectively.
What trail-related activities are included?
The announcement highlights new trail construction, trail maintenance, and technical management activities such as comprehensive travel and transportation inventory and assessment, route planning, travel management, and monitoring to keep trail systems sustainable and aligned with land management goals.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated up to three awards.
What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $200,000 per award.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
What was the application window for this funding opportunity?
The application window ran from April 7, 2020 through June 5, 2020.
Were there multiple submission rounds?
Yes. There were two submission rounds.
When were the two submission deadlines?
Round one was due May 6, 2020 and round two was due June 5, 2020.
What time were applications due on the deadline dates?
Both submission rounds were due at 4:30 PM Eastern.
What broader benefits does the BLM highlight for this program?
The BLM emphasizes that well-managed recreation resources and strong visitor services on BLM lands provide diverse outdoor opportunities while contributing to community well-being, economic activity, and the long-term conservation of public lands.
How does this opportunity connect recreation improvements to local economies?
The announcement frames BLM lands as accessible "backyard to backcountry" recreation areas near many communities and notes that improvements can bring immediate benefits for residents, visitors, nearby businesses, and regional economies, especially when paired with community-supported partnerships related to tourism and marketing.
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| NM Youth Conservation on Public Lands Apply for L20AS00066 Funding Number: L20AS00066 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Arizona Wildlife Resource Management Apply for L20AS00096 Funding Number: L20AS00096 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System Apply for P20AS00064 Funding Number: P20AS00064 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $7,018,940 |
| Arizona Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Apply for L20AS00093 Funding Number: L20AS00093 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Arizona Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands Apply for L20AS00055 Funding Number: L20AS00055 Agency: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $374,000 |
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