FY26 Bureau of Land Management Wildlife Resource Management Program - Bureau wide | L26AS00045

FY26 BLM Wildlife Resource Management Program (Bureau-wide) - FAQs

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is the FY26 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wildlife Resource Management Program - Bureau wide funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L26AS00045). It is a discretionary cooperative agreement program (CFDA 15.247) focused on conserving, restoring, and managing wildlife and wildlife habitat on BLM-managed public lands.

2) What is the main purpose of the program?

The program supports wildlife resource management actions intended to conserve and improve habitat and wildlife conditions on BLM public lands, while also supporting the social and economic well-being of the public. In practice, it funds on-the-ground habitat work, applied science and monitoring, collaborative planning, and other conservation actions for priority species and the ecosystems they depend on.

3) Is the Sage-Grouse Conservation Program included?

Yes. The program includes the Sage-Grouse Conservation Program as part of its broader wildlife and habitat conservation work.

4) What kinds of projects are a good fit for this program?

Projects that combine practical habitat improvement and collaborative planning with strong monitoring, inventory, or applied science components are especially well aligned. Projects should produce measurable wildlife and habitat outcomes on BLM public lands and are expected to be delivered in partnership with eligible entities (such as state wildlife agencies, tribes, universities, nonprofits, and local governments).

5) What are the core wildlife priorities supported by this NOFO?

The NOFO identifies multiple BLM wildlife priorities, including:

• Protecting, maintaining, and developing wildlife habitat
• Supporting wildlife reintroduction and propagation where appropriate
• Conducting field study programs involving wildlife
• Assisting with law enforcement needs tied to wildlife resource protection
• Delivering education and outreach
• Conducting toxicity and mortality investigations and ongoing monitoring
• Addressing wildlife damage management
• Implementing or improving land management activities that affect wildlife and habitat

6) Are projects required to align with BLM land use plans and legal requirements?

Yes. Projects are expected to be consistent with statutory and legal requirements, align with approved land use plans, and directly contribute to habitat or species objectives on BLM-managed public lands.

7) What habitat types does the program emphasize?

A major emphasis is habitat improvement across multiple vegetation and ecosystem types, including grassland, shrubland, forest, riparian, and other plant communities.

8) Which wildlife species groups are highlighted as priorities?

The NOFO highlights actions that benefit priority wildlife species across categories such as upland game, waterfowl, big game, non-game species, and watchable wildlife.

9) Does the NOFO emphasize big game migration corridors and winter range?

Yes. A prominent theme is collaboration with state fish and wildlife agencies and other partners to conserve and restore big game winter ranges and migration corridors for species like elk, deer, and pronghorn, reflecting Secretarial Order 3362 on improving habitat quality in western big game ranges and corridors on BLM lands.

10) What role do monitoring, inventory, and science play in this opportunity?

Monitoring, inventory, and science support are central to this NOFO. The program encourages collecting and analyzing data on priority species and habitats (including terrestrial and aquatic plant communities) to evaluate status and trends, inform land use plan implementation, improve management effectiveness, and support broader administration priorities.

11) Is data integration and sharing part of the program expectations?

Yes. The NOFO calls for improving efficiency by integrating and sharing coordinated wildlife and habitat monitoring data, with the goal of streamlining decision-making and better targeting management actions.

12) Does the program support work tied to State Wildlife Action Plans?

Yes. BLM intends to work with states and partners to proactively support recovery or augmentation of species identified in State Wildlife Action Plans through voluntary, collaborative, on-the-ground conservation.

13) How important are partnerships and collaboration for this NOFO?

Partnership-based delivery is strongly reinforced. The NOFO references collaboration under the Sikes Act to develop and implement fish and wildlife conservation and habitat improvement projects, and it supports developing activity plans and Habitat Management Plans (HMPs) with state agencies and other partners to address habitat needs for regionally important species.

14) What planning documents are mentioned as part of partnership delivery?

The NOFO specifically mentions developing activity plans and Habitat Management Plans (HMPs) with state agencies and other partners to address habitat needs for regionally important species, including big game, waterfowl, upland game, and non-game species.

15) Does the program include training or capacity-building?

Yes. The program includes a workforce and capacity-building element through wildlife habitat management training opportunities intended to help partners and practitioners implement plans effectively and meet legal mandates while advancing agency and administration priorities.

16) What types of applicants are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to public and nonprofit-type entities and similar organizations. Eligible applicants include:

• State, county, and local governments
• Special district governments
• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
• Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories)

17) Who is not eligible to apply?

Individuals and for-profit organizations are explicitly ineligible under this NOFO.

18) Are Youth Conservation Corps or internship/crew hiring activities allowed under the Public Lands Corps Act within this NOFO?

No. The NOFO clarifies that it does not support entities hiring interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. Because that Act is the only authority that allows BLM to hire interns under that framework, any eligible Youth Conservation Corps seeking to do that kind of work must apply under a different opportunity.

19) If a Youth Conservation Corps wants to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act, where should they apply instead?

They should apply under NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands, rather than this wildlife program NOFO.

20) How many awards does BLM expect to make?

BLM anticipates making around 70 awards under this funding opportunity.

21) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is up to $2,000,000 per award.

22) When are applications due?

Applications are due by September 11, 2026 (original closing date).

23) What kinds of activities can be supported under this NOFO besides habitat restoration?

Beyond on-the-ground habitat work, the NOFO describes support for applied science and monitoring, collaborative planning, education and outreach, toxicity and mortality investigations, field study programs involving wildlife, wildlife damage management, certain law enforcement-related assistance tied to wildlife resource protection, and land management improvements that affect wildlife and habitat.

24) Does the NOFO connect to specific federal priorities or directives?

Yes. This NOFO aligns with multiple administration and Department of the Interior priorities, including Executive Order 13443 on hunting heritage and wildlife conservation; Executive Orders addressing deregulation and science (EO 14192, EO 14303), timber production (EO 14225), and the Make America Beautiful Again Commission (EO 14313); and Secretarial Orders related to hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, coordination with states and tribes (SO 3356), big game corridors and winter range (SO 3362), deregulation (SO 3421), and expanding hunting and fishing access and consistency across DOI lands and waters (SO 3447). It also cites the One Big Beautiful Act, H.R. 1, 119th Congress (2025), as applicable to the program context.

25) What lands are the focus of funded projects?

The focus is conserving, restoring, and managing wildlife and wildlife habitat on BLM-managed public lands. Projects are expected to directly contribute to habitat or species objectives on those public lands.