The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management is seeking applications for its California Plant Conservation and Restoration Management program that provides leadership in identifying, maintaining, and restoring Western native plant communities on public lands.

The Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Program was created in response to largescale wildfires in the Western U.S. Because of a lack of native seed, in 2001 Congress directed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a native plant material program and recommended that federal and non-federal partners coordinate efforts through the Plant Conservation Alliance established in 1994 (House Report 106-914).

Program Strategic Goals

• Restoring or improving wildlife habitat or reducing threats to habitat or species;
• Developing genetically appropriate native plant material for use in habitat restoration;
• Inventory and prioritization of plant populations;
• Implementing and assessing restoration efforts through monitoring;
• Collaborating with farmers and conservationists to increase BLM Stock and Foundation seed amounts to use on larger Seed Increase IDIQ contracts so that commercial availability of genetically diverse, locally sourced seed for restoration, rehabilitation and reclamation projects is increased at a larger and provenance specific scale;
• Initiating or refining Source Identified Seed Certification programs via partnerships with state seed certifying agencies;
• Inventorying, monitoring and restoring rare plant species and their associated communities to include development of conservation strategies/plans that include best management strategies and reporting on the condition and trend of rare plant species and their habitat;
• Increasing and improving pollinator habitat;
• Expanding public education programs and outreach; and
• Database creation, and management and analyses, including geospatial, collaborative web service or support and training.

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Funding: $ 2,000,000
• Maximum Award: $ 11,000
• Minimum Award: $ 500,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants:
  • State governments
  • County governments
  • City or township governments
  • Special district governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
• Additional Information on Eligibility:
  • Individuals and For-Profit Organizations are ineligible to apply for awards under this NOFO.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.