Department of the Interior announces $4.4M in funding for Ecosystem Restoration Projects
Eligible applicants: local governments, higher education institutions, nonprofits. Applications are due September 30, 2023
Announcement Type: Funding Opportunity Announcement
Opportunity: BIL Ecosystem Restoration Program – invasive species, revegetate mined lands, and native seed strategy for rehabilitation and restoration projects.
Overview and Eligible Uses: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contains provisions that invest in DOI initiatives and benefit the communities and areas where the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) serves.
OIA is requesting proposals for FY 2023 following BIL Ecosystem Restoration Program Guiding Principles for:
Invasive Species (Activity 6),
Revegetate Mined Lands (Activity 8), and
Native Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration (Activity 9) projects.
Applicants must submit one proposal per project. If you plan on submitting a proposal to more than one project activity, you MUST submit a separate application for EACH project.
Projects should align with at least one of DOI’s Ecosystem Restoration Program Guiding Principles:
Driven by sound restoration principles and science, evidence, or indigenous knowledge
Improves ecosystem resilience or climate change adaptability
Focuses on restoring natural processes and uses nature-based solutions where possible
Restores biodiversity or improves critical cores and connectivity
Takes a landscape-level approach
Provides benefits at the community level
Contributes to workforce development
Amount: OIA estimates funding 10 projects totaling $4.35M, with $1.35M going towards activity 6 projects - invasive species, $1M going towards activity 8 projects - revegetate mined lands, and $2M going towards activity 9 projects - native seed strategy for rehabilitation and restoration.
Award Type: Discretionary Grant (Discretionary Financial Assistance to the U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States)
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are non-federal entities such as local government agencies (including local hospitals/health centers and utilities) and institutions of higher education in Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and any non-profit organizations whose mission directly benefits the insular areas listed.
Key Dates: Applications must be electronically submitted by September 30, 2023 no later than 5:00 p.m. ET. The expected award date is October 30, 2023.
Key Links:
Grant opportunity announcement
For a full list of currently available grant programs under the Infrastructure Law and other helpful tools, take a look at our Helpful Resources page.
This tracker will continue to send updates when new funding opportunities are announced.