Regional Fire Science Exchange Announcement | FA NOFO0026 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for FA NOFO0026 003

The Regional Fire Science Exchange Announcement (Funding Opportunity Number: FA NOFO0026 003) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity administered by the Bureau of Land Management through a cooperative agreement. Its purpose is to fund organizations to lead and operate a specific Regional Fire Science Exchange for a two-year period as part of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN). FSEN is a national collaborative made up of 15 regional exchanges, designed to move the most current and relevant wildland fire science into the hands of people who use it, including federal, state, local, tribal, and private partners working in ecologically similar regions. The exchange model is centered on bringing practitioners, land and natural resource managers, fuels and fire specialists, and scientists together to address real regional wildland fire management needs and challenges, with JFSP providing funding and oversight.

This solicitation is not for a single national award; it is seeking separate, region-specific proposals for six named FSEN regions: California, Great Plains, Lake States, Southern, Southern Rockies, and Tallgrass Prairie. Applicants must submit a proposal tied to only one region, and the budget must cover two years of work. The opportunity anticipates making six awards total, essentially one for each region listed, depending on the proposal selection outcomes.

Funding is capped by region and the cap applies per year and includes indirect costs. The annual maximums are: California up to $322,000; Great Plains up to $262,000; Lake States up to $192,000; Southern up to $322,000; Southern Rockies up to $192,000; and Tallgrass Prairie up to $192,000. Within each region’s annual cap, $2,000 per year is reserved for support of national and multi-regional conferences, workshops, and symposia that facilitate broader science exchange (for example, sponsorships or exhibitor booth costs). That set-aside is specifically not for travel to attend workshops. If an exchange does not plan to provide this conference or workshop support, the effective cap is reduced by $2,000 per year. If the funds are used, the proposal must clearly label them in the budget spreadsheet and narrative as conference support and include an activity in the program of work titled "Science exchange - national event support."

The announcement lays out what proposals must contain, emphasizing both program design and accountability. Submissions must explain how the proposal directly responds to the task statement and must clearly define the geographic region being served. Proposals also need to show program effectiveness through a well-developed program of work, identify and describe the end-user communities who will use the science information, and include a logic model (using JFSP-provided guidance) that connects activities to outputs and outcomes. In addition, applicants must describe their governance structure, partnerships, and provide a detailed budget. Proposed activities are expected to be summarized in an activity/output table, and applicants are directed to use the official proposal template and formatting instructions provided on the JFSP website.

Eligible applicants are broad and include county governments; city or township governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The funding activity categories align with disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, natural resources, and science and technology/research and development, consistent with the applied, practitioner-focused mission of a regional science exchange.

The deadline is firm: proposals must be submitted by September 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time, and submissions must be made through the electronic process on the JFSP website at https://www.firescience.gov. Submissions through Grants.gov are not allowed, and the notice states that no exceptions will be made to the closing date or time.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional Fire Science Exchange Announcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.232.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-18. (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 $322,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township 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.

Apply for FA NOFO0026 003

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