BLM-WO (National) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs | L19AS00008

Opportunity Information: Apply for L19AS00008

The BLM-WO (National) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L19AS00008) was a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) discretionary funding opportunity offered through the U.S. Department of the Interior. It focused on supporting work tied to recreation and visitor services on BLM-managed public lands, with an emphasis on outdoor recreation management, visual resource considerations, and travel management needs. The overall intent was to help the BLM deliver high-quality recreation experiences while also protecting the natural and scenic values that make these places attractive and sustainable over time.

At the heart of the opportunity is the idea that BLM lands provide some of the most varied recreation settings in the western United States, ranging from easily accessible sites near towns to more remote backcountry environments. The BLM described these lands as uniquely positioned to serve both local communities and visiting recreationists because they are often close to where people live: more than 120 urban centers and thousands of rural towns are within 25 miles of BLM lands. The program framing emphasizes that these public lands, once characterized as "the lands nobody wanted," are now widely recognized as a major national outdoor asset, described as "America's Great Outdoors" and a "Backyard to Backcountry" resource. In practical terms, that means projects supported under this opportunity were expected to connect recreation access and visitor experiences with community benefits, stewardship, and long-term conservation.

The funding instrument type was a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more active federal role than a standard grant. Under cooperative agreements, applicants should expect meaningful involvement by the agency in shaping or participating in the project during implementation, such as coordination, technical input, or shared responsibilities aligned with BLM priorities. The funding activity category was Natural Resources, and the CFDA number associated with the program was 15.225, which is commonly used for BLM assistance programs. The opportunity was labeled as "unrestricted" eligibility, meaning it was open to a wide range of applicant types, subject to any additional eligibility conditions that might have been included in the full announcement text.

In terms of award size and scale, the opportunity listed an award ceiling of $75,000 and anticipated making about 6 awards. That suggests the program was designed for relatively targeted, project-based efforts rather than large capital developments, and it likely favored proposals that could produce clear, practical outcomes within a modest budget. The description strongly ties recreation and visitor services to local economic strength and conservation outcomes, signaling that competitive proposals would likely demonstrate both public benefit (better recreation opportunities, improved visitor experiences, safer or more sustainable access) and resource benefit (protecting scenic qualities, managing impacts, and aligning with conservation goals). The inclusion of visual resources and travel management also implies attention to how roads, trails, routes, signage, and other access-related infrastructure affect both visitor use patterns and the character of the landscape.

The application timeline was structured with rolling cut-off dates during a defined open window. The opportunity opened April 25, 2019 and closed June 26, 2019 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. There were two rounds, with Round One applications due May 25, 2019 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time and Round Two applications due June 26, 2019 at 4:30 PM Eastern Time. This structure typically allows the agency to review applications in batches while still giving later applicants a final deadline, and it can also encourage early submission for consideration in the first review round.

Overall, this opportunity can be summarized as a national-level BLM funding call intended to strengthen recreation management and visitor services on BLM public lands, while integrating scenic/visual resource values and travel management considerations. It reflects BLM's stated goal of expanding and improving recreational opportunities for American families, operating as a "good neighbor and partner" to nearby communities, and managing recreation in ways that maximize benefits to individuals and communities while supporting desired social, economic, and environmental outcomes.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-WO (National) Outdoor Recreation Management, Visual Resources, and Travel Management Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.225.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 25, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 26, 2019 Rolling cut-off dates Open from April 25, 2019 #191 June 26, 2019, 430 PM EST Round One #191 Applications Due May 25, 2019, 430 PM EST Round Two #191 Applications Due June 26, 2019, 430 PM EST. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 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 L19AS00008

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: