BLM NM Federal Fossils in New Mexico | Apply Online

FAQs: BLM NM Federal Fossils in New Mexico (BLM NM NOI 09 1168)

What is the "BLM NM Federal Fossils in New Mexico" grant opportunity?

It is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on natural resources, specifically paleontological resources (fossils) collected from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands in New Mexico. The opportunity centers on long-term stewardship and professional curation of federally managed fossil collections.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is BLM NM NOI 09 1168.

Which agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is from the U.S. Department of the Interior and relates to fossils collected from lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in New Mexico.

What is the main purpose of the project?

The core purpose is long-term stewardship of federal fossils. That includes ensuring fossils are properly cared for, protected, documented, and stored in a stable, professional setting, with a strong emphasis on maintaining a central repository for these collections.

What does "long-term stewardship" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Based on the notice, long-term stewardship refers to the behind-the-scenes work that keeps collections safe and scientifically useful over time. This includes secure curation and storage conditions, collection management, and preservation practices designed to prevent loss, theft, deterioration, or misplacement.

What types of activities or work does the funding support?

The opportunity supports collection care and management activities such as secure curation and storage, collection management, preservation practices, coordinated handling of collections, accessioning and cataloging, and compliance with federal standards for managing museum property, along with other cooperative efforts that strengthen how federal fossils are curated and tracked in New Mexico.

Is the project limited to storage of fossils?

No. The notice indicates the cooperative relationship can include coordinated collection handling, accessioning and cataloging, compliance activities tied to federal museum property standards, and other collaborative efforts beyond storage alone.

Why is there an emphasis on a "central repository"?

The announcement highlights recognition and maintenance of a central repository where BLM-collected fossil collections can be housed, managed, and made available for legitimate scientific and educational use under appropriate controls.

What is the total funding amount available?

The total funding for this opportunity was set at $68,000.

What are the award ceiling and award floor?

Both the award ceiling and the award floor were fixed at $68,000, indicating the agency planned a single, specific-size award rather than a range of award amounts.

How many awards were anticipated?

The announcement anticipated one award.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The notice states a cost sharing or matching requirement under a challenge cost share approach.

What does "challenge cost share" mean here?

As described in the notice, it means the recipient would be expected to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or in-kind support such as staff time, facilities, or equipment) to help meet the project goals, consistent with the cooperative agreement terms.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was not broadly open. While the listing uses a general category ("Others"), the announcement states that the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science was the anticipated recipient, signaling a targeted cooperative arrangement.

Was this a competitive opportunity open to many applicants?

The information provided indicates it was effectively targeted, with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science identified as the anticipated recipient and only one award planned at a fixed amount.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The assistance listing is associated with CFDA number 15.238.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted and created on August 14, 2009. The original and current closing date was August 24, 2009.

When was the opportunity archived?

The listing was archived on September 30, 2009.

Where could applicants find the full announcement?

At the time, the notice directed interested parties to Grants.gov (listed as wwwgrants.gov in the notice) to access the full announcement.

Who was the contact person for questions or help accessing the announcement?

The notice lists Janet Y. Huff as the contact, with the email address jhuff@blm.gov.

What types of fossils are involved?

The opportunity concerns paleontological resources (fossils) that were collected from BLM administered lands in New Mexico and are federally managed collections requiring professional curation and tracking.

What is meant by making fossils available for "legitimate scientific and educational use"?

The notice indicates the central repository should manage and house the collections so they can be accessed for scientific and educational purposes under appropriate controls, implying structured, controlled availability rather than unrestricted access.

What kind of agreement is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The notice describes it as a discretionary cooperative agreement, emphasizing cooperative activities between the BLM and the museum partner rather than a simple pass-through grant focused only on storage.