FY26 Bureau of Land Management Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management - Bureau wide
This grant supports partnerships and projects to research, protect, and educate about cultural and paleontological resources on public lands, aligning with Interior Department and BLM heritage goals.
Funder: Bureau of Land Management
Due Dates: August 14, 2026 (Full application deadline, 5:00 p.m. ET)
Funding Amounts: $30,000–$75,000 per award | ~40 awards | Total program funding: $830,000 | Up to 5 years/project
Summary: Supports projects that improve access to, use of, and stewardship of cultural and paleontological heritage resources on BLM-managed public lands.
Key Information: Not open to individuals or for-profit organizations; applications must specify state in project title; certain BLM offices are not accepting applications.
Description
This funding opportunity from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) aims to foster partnerships that enhance the access, preservation, and educational use of cultural and paleontological resources on BLM-managed public lands. Projects must support the Department of the Interior’s priorities and BLM’s Cultural Heritage and Paleontology Program goals, which include scientific research, resource protection, public education, and tribal engagement.
Eligible projects may involve:
- Inventory, excavation, records research, and collections-based research to improve understanding of America’s natural and cultural history
- Monitoring and stabilizing at-risk heritage resources
- Training future cultural resource management practitioners and paleontologists
- Cultural heritage data and records management, including digitization and geospatial data creation
- Preservation and increased public access to museum collections
- Outreach and education programs to broaden public engagement and promote conservation ethics
- Partnerships with Native American communities and support for BLM’s Tribal consultation efforts
- Development and maintenance of historic sites with interpretive and educational potential
Certain BLM offices—including Headquarters (national scope projects), Eastern States, Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and the National Operations Center (NOC)—are not accepting applications under this NOFO.
