Opportunity Information: Apply for FA NOFO0026 002
The Bureau of Land Managements National Interagency Fire Center Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) is offering a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: FA NOFO0026 002) to support applied research and science delivery that improves wildland fire and fuels management. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements, which typically means the funder expects active involvement and coordination during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The opportunity sits at the intersection of disaster prevention and relief, environment and natural resources, and science and technology research and development, reflecting JFSPs role in producing actionable fire science for managers, investigators, and partner agencies. The listed maximum award amount is up to $500,000 per award.
This announcement is organized around three task statements. The first focuses on accelerating science to action in fire-prone ecosystems where fire regimes are changing, with an emphasis on moving research results into real-world use. This includes spurring innovation in fire management through knowledge exchange and place-based partnerships, meaning proposals should show strong collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and local or regional partners, and should be designed with clear pathways for adoption by fire and land management communities. The second task statement targets evaluation of fire potential forecasts, encouraging work that assesses how well fire potential forecasting products perform, how they are used in decision-making, and how they might be improved for operational planning and risk management. The third task statement supports research that strengthens wildland fire investigations, which can include improving methods, data, and tools used to determine fire origin and cause, document fire behavior and effects, and support investigative processes that stand up to technical and legal scrutiny.
Applicants are instructed to consult the JFSP database for the specific requirements tied to each task statement at https://www.firescience.gov/, suggesting that critical details such as scope boundaries, required outputs, evaluation criteria, and any task-specific eligibility or partnership expectations are posted there rather than fully described in the notice text. Eligibility is open to a range of organizations, including state governments, independent school districts, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education.
The application deadline is firm: proposals must be submitted no later than September 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time, using the electronic submission process on the JFSP website. Submissions through Grants.gov are not accepted, and the notice emphasizes that no exceptions will be made to the closing date or time, so applicants should plan to use the JFSP portal and allow time for account setup, uploads, and any internal approvals before the deadline.Apply for FA NOFO0026 002
- The Bureau of Land Management in the disaster prevention and relief, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Primary Announcement (3 task statements)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.232.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-18. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the Bureau of Land Management's National Interagency Fire Center Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) to support applied research and science delivery that improves wildland fire and fuels management. The Funding Opportunity Number is FA NOFO0026 002.
2) What is the purpose of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) in this announcement?
The announcement reflects JFSP's role in producing actionable fire science for managers, investigators, and partner agencies. The emphasis is on applied research and science delivery that can be used in real-world wildland fire and fuels management.
3) What type of award will be made (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Awards will be made as cooperative agreements. This typically means the funder expects active involvement and coordination during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
4) What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount is up to $500,000 per award.
5) What topic areas does this opportunity cover?
The opportunity sits at the intersection of disaster prevention and relief, environment and natural resources, and science and technology research and development, with a focus on applied fire science that improves wildland fire and fuels management.
6) How is the announcement organized?
The announcement is organized around three task statements, each describing a major focus area for proposed work.
7) What is Task Statement 1 about?
Task Statement 1 focuses on accelerating science to action in fire-prone ecosystems where fire regimes are changing. It emphasizes moving research results into real-world use, spurring innovation through knowledge exchange, and building place-based partnerships. Proposals are expected to show strong collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and local or regional partners, with clear pathways for adoption by fire and land management communities.
8) What is meant by "science to action" in this opportunity?
Based on the notice, "science to action" refers to intentionally moving research results into real-world use by fire and land management communities, including through knowledge exchange and partnerships designed to support adoption.
9) What are "place-based partnerships" and why do they matter here?
The notice describes place-based partnerships as collaborations tied to local or regional contexts. They matter because proposals under Task Statement 1 should demonstrate strong collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and local or regional partners, and be designed with clear pathways for adoption in those real-world settings.
10) What is Task Statement 2 about?
Task Statement 2 targets evaluation of fire potential forecasts. It encourages work that assesses how well fire potential forecasting products perform, how they are used in decision-making, and how they might be improved for operational planning and risk management.
11) What does the notice mean by evaluating fire potential forecast products?
It means assessing the performance of fire potential forecasting products, understanding how they are used in decision-making, and identifying opportunities to improve them to better support operational planning and risk management.
12) What is Task Statement 3 about?
Task Statement 3 supports research that strengthens wildland fire investigations. This can include improving methods, data, and tools used to determine fire origin and cause, document fire behavior and effects, and support investigative processes that stand up to technical and legal scrutiny.
13) What kinds of outcomes are emphasized for wildland fire investigations under Task Statement 3?
The notice emphasizes strengthening investigative processes by improving methods, data, and tools related to origin and cause determination, documenting fire behavior and effects, and ensuring investigative work can withstand technical and legal scrutiny.
14) Where can applicants find the task-specific requirements?
Applicants are instructed to consult the JFSP database at https://www.firescience.gov/ for the specific requirements tied to each task statement. The notice indicates that critical details (such as scope boundaries, required outputs, evaluation criteria, and any task-specific eligibility or partnership expectations) may be posted there rather than fully described in the notice text.
15) Are all requirements contained in the notice text?
No. The notice explicitly instructs applicants to consult the JFSP database for task-specific requirements, suggesting key details may not be fully included in the notice text.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is open to a range of organizations, including:
- State governments
- Independent school districts
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are not institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
17) Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. The notice specifically lists private institutions of higher education as eligible.
18) Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes, qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (as described in the notice).
19) Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. The notice lists federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations as eligible.
20) What is the application deadline?
The deadline is firm: proposals must be submitted no later than September 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
21) What happens if an application is submitted after the deadline?
The notice emphasizes that no exceptions will be made to the closing date or time. Applications must be submitted by the stated deadline.
22) How do applicants submit proposals?
Proposals must be submitted using the electronic submission process on the JFSP website.
23) Can applicants submit through Grants.gov?
No. Submissions through Grants.gov are not accepted for this opportunity.
24) What should applicants do to avoid last-minute submission problems?
The notice stresses that applicants should plan to use the JFSP portal and allow time for account setup, file uploads, and any internal approvals before the deadline, because no exceptions will be made for late submissions.
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