Opportunity Information: Apply for BLM MT RFA09 0875
Apply for BLM MT RFA09 0875
- The Department of the Interior in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Montana Challenge Cost Share Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.238 Challenge Cost Share.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 27, 2009 and posted on Mar 27, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 28, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 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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Opportunity Summary:
The Montana Challenge Cost Share Program is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior funding opportunity focused on building and sustaining local partnerships across Montana and the Dakotas to address a wide range of natural and cultural resource priorities. Offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.238 (Challenge Cost Share), the program is designed to leverage shared investment and on-the-ground collaboration to improve stewardship outcomes on public lands and associated landscapes. The core idea is to pair federal resources with partner contributions so that projects can be completed more effectively and with stronger local involvement than BLM could achieve alone.
For the 2009 cycle described in the announcement, BLM intended to support a broad mix of project types, reflecting the program's emphasis on integrated resource management. Priority activities included resource inventory, monitoring, and research efforts that improve understanding of wildlife, fisheries, riparian systems, plant communities, and other resource conditions. The program also supported environmental education projects aimed at increasing public awareness and responsible use of natural and cultural resources. On-the-ground restoration was a central theme as well, including habitat restoration and plant community restoration work, as well as actions that benefit fisheries and riparian habitat. Cultural resource components were explicitly included, such as cultural site protection activities intended to safeguard sensitive heritage locations. Additional eligible focus areas included management of special status species, recreation planning and management, and off-highway vehicle (OHV) management, recognizing that recreation access and impacts are often a major on-the-ground issue in BLM field units.
Funding details indicate an estimated total program funding level of $200,000, with individual awards capped at $50,000 and an award floor listed as $0. BLM anticipated making about 50 awards, suggesting many projects would be relatively small and locally targeted, potentially spanning multiple field offices or community partners. Because the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect substantial federal involvement during project implementation compared to a standard grant, such as coordination on planning, deliverables, reporting, or technical oversight consistent with cooperative agreement requirements.
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility language contained in the full announcement. In practice, Challenge Cost Share projects often involve collaboration among local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations, schools and universities, watershed groups, recreation organizations, and other community-based partners, but the posting itself does not limit applicant type beyond what may be specified in the full solicitation.
A defining requirement of this opportunity is cost sharing. The announcement states a 50/50 match is required for each award, meaning the applicant or partners must contribute an equal value of non-federal match to complement the federal funds provided. This match may commonly be met through cash contributions, allowable in-kind services, donated labor, equipment use, materials, or other eligible contributions, as permitted by the full terms and federal assistance rules. Even though the metadata field shows "CostSharingOrMatchingRequirement: No," the narrative description clearly requires a 50/50 match, so applicants would need to plan budgets and partner commitments accordingly.
Key dates for this funding cycle were a posted and creation date of March 27, 2009, with an application closing date of April 28, 2009, and an archive date of June 1, 2009. The funding opportunity number was BLM MT RFA09 0875. For assistance obtaining or accessing the full announcement, the listed contact was Lori J. Anderson, Grants Management Officer, reachable at landerso@blm.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Montana Challenge Cost Share Program (BLM) (2009)
What is the Montana Challenge Cost Share Program?
The Montana Challenge Cost Share Program is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior funding opportunity focused on building and sustaining local partnerships across Montana and the Dakotas. It supports cooperative, on-the-ground work that advances natural and cultural resource priorities on public lands and associated landscapes.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The program is designed to leverage shared investment and collaboration by pairing federal resources with partner contributions. The intent is to complete projects more effectively and with stronger local involvement than BLM could achieve alone.
What federal program or assistance listing is this opportunity associated with?
This opportunity is offered under CFDA 15.238 (Challenge Cost Share).
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The funding instrument is a discretionary cooperative agreement. That generally means recipients should expect substantial federal involvement during implementation (such as coordination on planning, deliverables, reporting, or technical oversight) compared to a standard grant.
What geographic area does the program focus on?
The program focuses on projects and partnerships across Montana and the Dakotas.
What kinds of projects were prioritized in the 2009 cycle?
For the 2009 cycle described, priority activities included:
- Resource inventory, monitoring, and research that improve understanding of resource conditions (including wildlife, fisheries, riparian systems, plant communities, and other natural resources).
- Environmental education projects that increase public awareness and responsible use of natural and cultural resources.
- On-the-ground restoration, including habitat restoration and plant community restoration.
- Actions that benefit fisheries and riparian habitat.
- Cultural resource work, including cultural site protection activities to safeguard sensitive heritage locations.
- Special status species management.
- Recreation planning and management.
- Off-highway vehicle (OHV) management.
Does this program support cultural resource projects?
Yes. Cultural resource components were explicitly included, including cultural site protection activities intended to safeguard sensitive heritage locations.
Does this program support environmental education?
Yes. Environmental education projects aimed at increasing public awareness and responsible use of natural and cultural resources were included among the supported project types.
Does this program support restoration work?
Yes. Restoration was a central theme, including habitat restoration, plant community restoration, and actions benefiting fisheries and riparian habitat.
Are recreation and OHV-related projects eligible?
Yes. Eligible focus areas included recreation planning and management and off-highway vehicle (OHV) management.
How much total funding was estimated for the program?
The estimated total program funding level was $200,000 for this cycle.
What is the maximum award amount?
Individual awards were capped at $50,000.
What is the minimum award amount?
The award floor was listed as $0.
How many awards did BLM anticipate making?
BLM anticipated making about 50 awards.
What does the expected number of awards suggest about project size?
With an estimated total of $200,000 and about 50 awards anticipated, many projects were expected to be relatively small and locally targeted, potentially involving multiple field offices or community partners.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility language that may have been included in the full announcement.
Does the announcement limit applicant types (nonprofits, tribes, universities, etc.)?
Based on the posting described, applicant type was not limited beyond what may be specified in the full solicitation. The description notes that Challenge Cost Share projects often involve local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations, schools and universities, watershed groups, recreation organizations, and other community-based partners, but the posting itself did not restrict applicants to those categories.
Is cost sharing (matching funds) required?
Yes. The narrative states a 50/50 match is required for each award, meaning applicants and/or partners must contribute an equal value of non-federal match to complement the federal funds.
What is the cost share ratio?
The required match is 50/50, or one-to-one: for every federal dollar awarded, an equal amount of non-federal match is required.
What can count toward the required match?
The description indicates match may commonly be met through cash contributions and allowable in-kind contributions such as donated labor, equipment use, materials, and other eligible contributions, as permitted by the full terms and federal assistance rules.
Why is there confusion about whether cost share is required?
The metadata field reportedly shows "CostSharingOrMatchingRequirement: No," but the narrative description clearly states that a 50/50 match is required. Based on the narrative requirement, applicants would need to plan for the 50/50 match in budgets and partner commitments.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is BLM MT RFA09 0875.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posted (and creation) date was March 27, 2009.
What was the application deadline for the 2009 cycle?
The application closing date was April 28, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was June 1, 2009.
Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact was Lori J. Anderson, Grants Management Officer. The email provided was landerso@blm.gov.
What should recipients expect because this is a cooperative agreement?
Because the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, recipients should expect substantial federal involvement during project implementation. The description notes this can include coordination related to planning, deliverables, reporting, or technical oversight consistent with cooperative agreement requirements.
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