BLM CA Support of National Seed Strategy to Produce Ecologically Native Plant | L17AS00144

Opportunity Information: Apply for L17AS00144

The grant opportunity titled "BLM CA Support of National Seed Strategy to Produce Ecologically Native Plant" (Funding Opportunity Number L17AS00144) is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California funding effort focused on improving the supply and use of native plant materials for land rehabilitation and ecological restoration. It is rooted in two major national policy frameworks released in 2015: the Plant Conservation Alliance National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration (2015-2020), which BLM helped develop and formally signed onto, and the White House National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Together, these strategies push federal land managers to restore damaged landscapes with plant materials that are not only native, but also genetically and ecologically appropriate for the specific regions being restored, rather than relying on generic or non-local seed sources that may not perform well or may undermine local adaptation.

The practical problem this opportunity aims to address is especially urgent in the Mojave Desert Ecoregion, where more than one million acres have burned since 2005. These large, repeated fires have severely degraded desert ecosystems that historically did not burn as frequently, and they have directly harmed habitat for the federally threatened Mojave desert tortoise. At the same time, invasive species have expanded significantly across both upland and riparian areas, increasing competition against native plants and often creating fuel conditions that can make future fires more likely. The opportunity frames native plant restoration as a key tool for countering invasive spread, stabilizing disturbed areas, and rebuilding functioning habitat, including habitat that supports tortoise recovery and broader desert biodiversity.

Funding is offered through a cooperative agreement, meaning the BLM expects to be actively involved with recipients during project implementation rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant. The activity area is natural resources, and the assistance listing is CFDA 15.231. The opportunity was listed as discretionary and open to an unrestricted pool of eligible applicants, with the expectation that any additional eligibility details would be spelled out in the full announcement text. The award ceiling is $300,000, and BLM anticipated making about three awards. The opportunity was created on June 9, 2017, with an original closing date of August 9, 2017.

In terms of what projects are meant to accomplish, the core deliverable is increased availability of restoration-ready native plant materials that match the genetics and ecological conditions of target BLM lands. That includes native seed and potentially nursery stock suitable for revegetation work after wildfire and other disturbances. The emphasis on "genetically and ecologically appropriate" signals a preference for sourcing and producing plant materials that reflect local or regionally adapted populations, which improves establishment success, helps maintain local genetic integrity, and supports more resilient plant communities. By boosting the supply chain for appropriate native materials, BLM is aiming to improve restoration outcomes, reduce reliance on non-native or poorly adapted mixes, and create on-the-ground benefits that align with national restoration and pollinator priorities while directly supporting desert tortoise habitat restoration and long-term recovery in the Mojave.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM CA Support of National Seed Strategy to Produce Ecologically Native Plant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.231.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 09, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 09, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 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.

Apply for L17AS00144

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