BLM Utah Assisting BLM Partner Repositories to Meet DOI Museum Standards | L18AS00058

Opportunity Information: Apply for L18AS00058

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah State Office is offering a discretionary funding opportunity, issued as a cooperative agreement, to strengthen partnerships with non-federal repositories that house archaeological, historical, and paleontological collections originating from public lands in Utah. These collections reflect roughly 13,000 years of human history and millions of years of biological prehistory, and while they are often stored in museums or other repositories around the country, the objects themselves remain federal property. Through this program, BLM aims to ensure these fragile and irreplaceable resources are preserved, properly documented, and made available for appropriate educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational uses. A key part of the program is also supporting the cultural resources responsibilities connected to consultation and accountability with Native American communities, particularly for objects tied to tribal cultural patrimony.

The main goal is to help partner repositories meet Department of the Interior (DOI) Museum Program standards for collections management while encouraging broader public and scholarly engagement with BLM-Utah materials. BLM is looking to support practical, on-the-ground collections work such as improving curation practices to DOI standards, conducting proactive collections-based studies, and maintaining accountability through regular inventories. The opportunity also emphasizes identifying and addressing risk within collections by monitoring at-risk heritage resources and stabilizing objects that may be deteriorating or otherwise vulnerable. In addition to object-level care, the program can support repository facilities and infrastructure as they relate to the curation and preservation of heritage resources.

Another major focus is strengthening collections information and access. Proposed projects may include heritage resources data management efforts like digitizing records, improving documentation, and completing special projects that involve BLM museum collections, such as research studies, interpretation, and proactive conservation. The program also seeks to increase accessibility of museum objects to the public, Native American communities, and researchers, which can include improvements that make collections easier to find, understand, request for study, or engage with through exhibits and programming. Volunteer involvement is explicitly encouraged as well, with support available for fostering volunteer partnerships that help maintain and care for BLM-origin objects.

Tribal engagement is built into the objectives, with an emphasis on fostering partnerships with tribal governments and tribal programs regarding the long-term care of culturally significant items. The opportunity also highlights work connected to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), specifically supporting inventories and summaries of human remains and associated objects subject to NAGPRA, along with research activities that help develop or complete those required inventories and summaries. This reflects BLMs intent to improve compliance, accountability, and respectful stewardship of sensitive collections.

Overall, BLM frames the public benefit of these projects around improving long-term preservation for future generations while expanding responsible use and understanding of Utahs heritage resources. Expected outcomes include stronger museum practices aligned with federal standards, better inventories and documentation, reduced collections risk through stabilization and monitoring, more robust research and interpretation, and expanded education and outreach. Potential public-facing products and activities include museum exhibits, scientific research outputs, educational and interpretive opportunities, and interpretive programs and materials that promote public learning and ethics in archaeology and paleontology. The program is also meant to support compliance with applicable U.S. laws and regulations and to advance respectful collaboration with Native American communities, including repatriation where applicable or improved long-term care when items remain in collections.

Key grant details from the posting include: Funding Opportunity Title, "BLM Utah Assisting BLM Partner Repositories to Meet DOI Museum Standards"; Funding Opportunity Number, L18AS00058; CFDA 15.224; issuing agency, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management; award type, cooperative agreement; activity area, natural resources; eligibility listed as unrestricted (open broadly, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice); an award ceiling of $50,000; and an anticipated eight awards. The opportunity was created July 16, 2018, with an original closing date of August 16, 2018.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM Utah Assisting BLM Partner Repositories to Meet DOI Museum Standards" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.224.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 16, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 16, 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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 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 L18AS00058

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