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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Twin Falls District Stewardship Projects (L12AS00061)

What is the Twin Falls District Stewardship Projects grant opportunity?

The Twin Falls District Stewardship Projects opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L12AS00061) is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding program intended to support on-the-ground natural resource work in the Twin Falls District. The central aim is to implement stewardship projects that reduce hazardous fuels and restore sage-grouse habitat in priority areas.

What are the main goals of projects funded under this opportunity?

The stated purpose is to implement stewardship projects that (1) reduce hazardous fuels and (2) restore sage-grouse habitat. The focus is on work where fuels reduction and habitat restoration are considered most urgent for community protection, sage-grouse conservation, and overall landscape resilience.

What types of activities does this grant support?

This opportunity supports on-the-ground natural resource stewardship activities tied to hazardous fuels reduction and sage-grouse habitat restoration. The program is within the Natural Resources activity category and is aligned with the CFDA listing 15.233 (Forests and Woodlands Resource Management), indicating a focus on vegetation management, restoration, and reducing risks associated with unhealthy fuel loads.

Where must the work take place?

The work is targeted to the Twin Falls District and is specifically focused on high-priority landscapes, including:

• Wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas where vegetation and wildfire risk overlap with communities and structures
• Other critical priority areas outside the WUI that still have high importance for sage-grouse conservation and landscape resilience

What is the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in the context of this funding?

For this opportunity, the WUI refers to areas where vegetation and wildfire risk overlap with communities and structures. These locations were identified as priority places for fuels reduction and related stewardship work.

Are projects outside the WUI eligible?

Yes. The announcement notes that work is also targeted at critical areas outside the WUI, as long as those areas are high priority for sage-grouse conservation and landscape resilience.

What funding mechanism is being used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. That structure is typically used when BLM expects to be substantially involved beyond simply providing funding, such as through coordination on planning, implementation, monitoring, or other technical aspects of the project.

What does "substantial involvement" by BLM mean for applicants?

Based on the announcement description, BLM anticipated being closely involved in the project in ways that can include coordination on planning, implementation, monitoring, and other technical components. The cooperative agreement format signals a partnership-style approach rather than a hands-off funding relationship.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity, and what does it indicate?

The CFDA listing provided is 15.233 (Forests and Woodlands Resource Management). This indicates the opportunity aligns with federal stewardship objectives such as vegetation management, restoration activities, and efforts to reduce risks associated with unhealthy or hazardous fuel loads.

How many awards did BLM expect to make?

The announcement indicated an expectation of one award.

How much total funding was estimated to be available?

The estimated total funding amount listed for the opportunity was $1,500,000.

What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The stated award ceiling was $566,855, meaning proposals could be considered up to that maximum amount depending on scope and merit.

What was the minimum award amount (award floor)?

The stated award floor was $0, which generally indicates proposals of varying sizes could be considered, including smaller projects, up to the ceiling.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement stated there was no cost share or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal funds as a condition of eligibility.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.

Does "unrestricted eligibility" mean any organization can apply?

The announcement describes eligibility as unrestricted and open to any type of entity, while also noting that applicants are subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full posting. In practice, this suggests a wide range of applicants could apply as long as they meet federal assistance requirements and any conditions specified in the full announcement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on March 29, 2012, and it closed on April 16, 2012.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date listed was May 29, 2012.

How were applicants instructed to access the application package and instructions?

Interested applicants were directed to download the full application instructions and the application package through the announcement link provided in the original posting.

Who can be contacted for help accessing the application or for related issues?

The point of contact listed was Christine K. Shaver, Grants Management Officer at BLM. Contact details provided were 208-373-3817 and cshaver@blm.gov.

What is the overall focus of this opportunity in plain terms?

In plain terms, this funding opportunity was designed to support measurable, on-the-ground stewardship outcomes in the Twin Falls District, with emphasis on reducing wildfire-related fuel hazards and improving sage-grouse habitat in priority WUI and key non-WUI landscapes, under a cooperative agreement approach that anticipates active coordination with BLM.