MT (BLM) Invasive and Noxious Plant Management | L19AS00011

Opportunity Information: Apply for L19AS00011

The MT (BLM) Invasive and Noxious Plant Management grant opportunity is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding program focused on protecting ecosystem health on public lands in Montana by preventing and reducing the spread of invasive plants and state-designated noxious weeds. The core problem the program targets is the rapid expansion of weeds that can outcompete native vegetation, permanently alter plant communities, and degrade the ecological functions that public lands are meant to support. BLM frames invasive and noxious plants as a major driver of long-term damage to native habitats, with significant public costs for control and management and wide ripple effects across wildlife habitat, watershed function, recreation, working landscapes, and local economies.

This opportunity emphasizes that invasive and noxious weeds are not just an isolated public-lands issue. Their spread affects farms and ranches, parks, forests, natural areas, and even residential settings, and they can easily move across jurisdictional boundaries, impacting adjacent private lands and creating economic losses, particularly for agriculture and other land-based industries. The program also highlights the role of human activity (trade, travel, tourism) in accelerating the movement of invasive species, and it calls attention to the increased vulnerability of disturbed sites, especially those affected by more frequent wildfires and other disruptions, where weeds often gain a foothold quickly. Because noxious weeds are legally designated by states as harmful to public health, the environment, or the economy, the program treats their control as both an ecological and public-interest responsibility.

BLM intends to use this funding to collaborate with partner organizations on coordinated, cross-boundary weed management that improves efficiency across multiple jurisdictions. Projects can include coordinated treatments to remove existing infestations, rapid response to new invasions, systematic inventories and mapping, long-term monitoring, prevention actions, and education and outreach that reduce future introductions and spread. The program explicitly links project outcomes to broader Department of the Interior priorities, including Secretarial Order 3347 (Conservation Stewardship and Outdoor Recreation) by improving habitat and supporting outdoor recreation values, and Secretarial Order 3372 (Reducing Wildfire Risks through Active Management) by helping reduce fuel loads and improving post-disturbance resilience where invasive plants can exacerbate fire cycles.

A central theme of the grant is the use of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, meaning applicants are expected to choose the most effective mix of control tools for the specific weed species, site conditions, and management goals. Control methods may include targeted herbicide application, grazing strategies, and mechanical removal, with an emphasis on selecting the most effective and targeted herbicide when chemical treatment is used. The program also stresses that control actions should not stop at treatment; stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration of disturbed areas are important to prevent reinfestation and to reestablish functional native plant communities. Implementation must be paired with monitoring, including post-application monitoring to evaluate herbicide effectiveness and overall treatment success, and then adjusting strategies over time through adaptive management as conditions change or new invasive threats appear.

BLM lays out strategic goals that successful projects should address: inventorying and documenting weed locations; prioritizing specific undesirable plant species or groups of species within defined geographic areas; implementing treatment and containment actions; monitoring and evaluating both weed control and site rehabilitation efforts; and using results to inform future management. The program also places a strong emphasis on public-facing components, including developing and sharing education and outreach materials, promoting public engagement and learning opportunities, and supporting events or products that help communities understand prevention and responsible land use practices. A key requirement is that every proposed project must clearly state a benefit to the public, reflecting the public stewardship mission of BLM-managed lands.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument (meaning BLM anticipates substantial involvement or collaboration during the project). The opportunity number is L19AS00011 and it falls under CFDA 15.230 (Natural Resources). Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full notice). The opportunity opened April 24, 2019 and closed June 22, 2019 at 4:30 PM Eastern, with two application rounds (Round One due May 23, 2019 and Round Two due June 22, 2019). The award ceiling was $200,000, with an expectation of about 15 awards.

Projects funded under this program are expected to align with key federal planning and vegetation management requirements and guidance, including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and relevant BLM policies and manuals. The notice points to NEPA guidance (including BLM Handbook 1790-1), the Integrated Weed Management Manual (IWM-9015), and the Integrated Vegetative Management Handbook (BH-1740) as core references that shape how projects are designed, reviewed, and implemented. Overall, the grant is structured to support practical, on-the-ground weed prevention and control paired with monitoring, restoration, and public outreach, with the broader goal of sustaining healthy native landscapes and the economic and recreational benefits they provide.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MT (BLM) Invasive and Noxious Plant Management" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.230.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 24, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 2019 Open from April 24, 2019 - June 22, 2019, 430 PM EST Round One - Applications Due May 23, 2019, 430 PM EST Round Two - Applications Due June 22, 2019, 430 PM EST. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 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.

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