Youth Conservation Activities on Reclamation Lands | BOR MP 18 N017

Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR MP 18 N017

The "Youth Conservation Activities on Reclamation Lands" opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Funding Opportunity Number BOR MP 18 N017; CFDA 15.546) focused on putting young people to work on hands-on conservation projects across Reclamation-managed lands and recreation areas. Reclamation manages major water infrastructure in the West, including 58 power plants and a large network of reservoirs and recreation sites, and it oversees roughly 6.5 million acres of land and water that are largely available for public outdoor recreation. The core purpose of this award is to support youth conservation crews that help protect and improve the natural, cultural, and recreational resources connected to these water projects, while also giving participants meaningful job experience, public service exposure, and education tied to stewardship.

The program is built around cost-shared youth employment, education, and engagement for individuals ages 16 to 25. Work is carried out by "Youth Conservation Crews" performing appropriate conservation activities on Reclamation lands, particularly projects that Reclamation staff either will not perform or cannot perform with existing employees. The intended result is twofold: tangible, on-the-ground improvements to public lands and recreation resources, and personal development for participating youth through training, teamwork, and practical experience in conservation and public lands management.

This funding is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which signals that Reclamation expects to be substantially involved during implementation. Reclamation’s role includes federal monitoring and oversight of the funded activities, such as reviewing and approving financial and performance reports, reviewing payment requests, and verifying completion of deliverables identified in the project’s scope of work. Oversight can also include site visits, conference calls, and other on-site or off-site monitoring. If the recipient requests it, Reclamation may also provide technical assistance to support the project’s objectives, but the recipient remains responsible for carrying out the work.

On the recipient side, the selected organization must implement the scope of work in line with both the award terms and an existing Master Cooperative Agreement (Master Cooperative Agreement No. R16AC00052). The recipient is expected to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and to secure any necessary permits and approvals. If the scope of work includes construction-related tasks, the recipient is responsible for construction inspection, oversight, and acceptance. Where relevant, the recipient must also coordinate with and obtain approvals from site owners and operators, reflecting the reality that recreation sites and project lands often involve multiple stakeholders and operational constraints.

A key feature of this notice is that it was issued with a single-source justification rather than full and open competition. Reclamation states it did not solicit broad competition because the applicant was considered uniquely qualified based on demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, capacity for voluntary support, ability to cost-share (if applicable), specialized technical expertise, or similar qualifications. In practice, that means the opportunity was framed around partnering with a specific qualified nonprofit youth corps provider already positioned to deliver the work effectively under the existing master agreement.

The legal authority cited for the agreement comes from two longstanding federal youth and conservation statutes: the Public Land Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721-1730) and the Youth Conservation Corps Act of 1970 (16 U.S.C. 1701-1707), as amended. These laws authorize the Secretary (and by delegation, agencies like Reclamation) to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified youth or conservation corps to carry out "appropriate conservation projects" on public lands. The notice also clarifies the breadth of eligible project types under this authority, covering conservation, restoration, construction, or rehabilitation of natural, cultural, historic, archaeological, recreational, or scenic resources.

Administrative details included in the listing indicate the eligible applicants are nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The award ceiling is $90,000, with one expected award. The notice was created April 3, 2018, with an original closing date of April 17, 2018. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted cooperative partnership to deploy youth crews for practical conservation and recreation-related projects on Reclamation lands, with close federal involvement to ensure accountability, compliance, and measurable public benefits.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Youth Conservation Activities on Reclamation Lands" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.546.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 03, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 17, 2018. (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 $90,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for BOR MP 18 N017

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