FY26 Bureau of Land Management Eastern Nevada Conservation, Recreation and Development - NEVADA BLM | L26AS00091

Opportunity Information: Apply for L26AS00091

The FY26 Bureau of Land Management Eastern Nevada Conservation, Recreation and Development grant (NEVADA BLM; Funding Opportunity Number L26AS00091) is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Bureau of Land Management to support archaeology-focused work in Lincoln County, Nevada. The core purpose is to locate, study, protect, and responsibly manage archaeological resources, while staying aligned with U.S. Department of the Interior priorities and broader Eastern Nevada conservation and development goals. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements under the Natural Resources activity category (CFDA 15.017), which typically implies active federal involvement or collaboration during the project rather than a simple pass-through grant.

Projects proposed under the Lincoln County Archeology Initiative are expected to meet at least one of several clear objectives. These include protecting archaeological sites in place where they are found, caring for and improving stewardship of archaeological collections and associated records, and producing research results that are communicated in clear and accessible ways. The program also emphasizes public outreach and involvement in archaeology, suggesting that education, interpretation, and community engagement components are encouraged. Another major theme is balancing current land uses with long-term resource protection, which includes preserving archaeological resources for future generations and restoring damaged watersheds when that work helps safeguard sites. Overall, proposals should demonstrate sound cultural resource management that supports both scientific understanding and cultural heritage protection.

A key eligibility and scope constraint is the age threshold for funded resources. Because the Lincoln County Land Act relies on the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA; Public Law 96-95) definition of “archaeological resources,” only proposals focused on resources at least 100 years old are eligible for funding. Anything newer than 100 years is explicitly excluded and will not be funded, so applicants need to design projects around sites, materials, and contexts that meet that minimum age requirement and can be supported with appropriate documentation or justification.

Applicant eligibility is broad for public and nonprofit sectors but excludes certain groups. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township 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; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this notice of funding opportunity.

The notice also flags an important restriction related to youth hiring and internship programs. This NOFO does not support applicants who want to hire interns or crews under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993. The BLM notes that the Public Lands Corps Act is the specific legal authority that allows BLM to “hire” interns under that framework, and projects seeking to use Youth Conservation Corps-style crews must instead be pursued through a different funding channel: NOFO 15.243, BLM Youth Conservation Opportunities on Public Lands. In practical terms, applicants should avoid building their project staffing model around Public Lands Corps hiring under this opportunity and should route youth-crew concepts to the appropriate NOFO.

From a funding and timing standpoint, the program lists an award ceiling of $250,000 and anticipates making about five awards. The opportunity was created on June 12, 2026, and the original application closing date is August 14, 2026. Applicants should plan proposals that are realistically achievable within this funding range and that clearly connect proposed activities to the stated objectives: site protection, collections and records care, research and reporting in understandable formats, public engagement, and land-and-watershed actions that directly support the long-term preservation of archaeological resources in Lincoln County.

• The Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY26 Bureau of Land Management Eastern Nevada Conservation, Recreation and Development - NEVADA BLM" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.017.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-14. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for L26AS00091

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