BLM-AZ, Wildland Urban Interface Community Fire Assistance | L18AS00051

Opportunity Information: Apply for L18AS00051

The BLM-AZ Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Community Fire Assistance opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number L18AS00051) is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, under CFDA 15.228. It was created on July 11, 2018, with an original application closing date of August 13, 2018. Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement, which generally means the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) expects to have an active role in the project during the period of performance, such as coordination, technical input, or oversight tied to work occurring on or near BLM-managed lands.

The program is rooted in the National Fire Plan, established in 2001 in response to growing risks from catastrophic wildland fires, especially where communities meet or border fire-prone landscapes (the wildland-urban interface). The central purpose is to help communities that are at risk reduce wildfire hazards and improve readiness by building local capacity and implementing practical mitigation actions. In plain terms, the funding is meant to help communities plan better, reduce fuels that can drive severe fires, and educate residents and local stakeholders so that fire risk is lowered before a major incident occurs.

Projects supported under this opportunity can include community-based efforts that strengthen local capability, such as wildfire risk assessments, collaborative planning, and the development of community strategies and action plans. It also supports mitigation activities and community or homeowner education programs that encourage defensible space, fire-adapted practices, and local participation in reducing hazards. A major emphasis is on hazardous fuels reduction work, which can include the actual on-the-ground treatments as well as the training, monitoring, and maintenance necessary to ensure those treatments remain effective over time. Importantly, the eligible locations for fuels work can include federal land managed by BLM and also adjacent nonfederal land when the work is designed to mitigate the threat of catastrophic fire to communities and natural resources in high-risk areas. This allows projects to be designed around real fire behavior and community boundaries rather than being limited strictly by land ownership lines, as long as the work clearly contributes to protecting communities and nearby resources.

In addition to risk reduction and preparedness, the opportunity highlights a community economic benefit: projects should, where possible, enhance local and small business employment opportunities. This reflects a broader National Fire Plan goal of pairing hazard mitigation with local workforce development and contracting that can help rural and fire-prone communities build economic resilience while improving public safety.

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of applicant types, subject to any additional eligibility details that may be specified in the full notice. The total maximum funding level per award is capped at $545,000 (award ceiling), and the BLM anticipated making about three awards under this particular announcement. Overall, the grant is designed for organizations capable of coordinating with BLM and local partners to plan and carry out WUI-focused wildfire mitigation and preparedness efforts that measurably reduce hazardous fuels, improve community readiness, and support longer-term maintenance and education to keep risk from rebounding.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-AZ, Wildland Urban Interface Community Fire Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.228.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 11, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 13, 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 $545,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for L18AS00051

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