Opportunity Information: Apply for L18AS00084
The BLM-CO Archaeology and Cultural Resources Study Project, Tres Rios Field Office (Funding Opportunity Number L18AS00084) is a Bureau of Land Management cooperative agreement intended to support archaeology and cultural resource work on BLM-administered lands in southwestern Colorado, with a strong focus on the Mesa Verde Escarpment. The central purpose is public-facing as much as it is scientific: BLM is looking to strengthen stewardship and historic preservation by expanding what the public knows about the region's archaeological record and why it matters. The opportunity is framed around the idea that archaeological resources are part of a shared national heritage, and that cultural resource programs should operate in the public interest by making knowledge accessible, understandable, and relevant through outreach and interpretation.
The project area, the Mesa Verde Escarpment, is highlighted as exceptionally important because it sits on BLM lands directly next to Mesa Verde National Park, a globally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the adjacent national park is widely known, the escarpment on public lands has seen comparatively limited fieldwork, and past investigations have already identified sites of high significance. BLM emphasizes that the escarpment is critical for understanding Ancestral Puebloan lifeways across the broader Mesa Verde cultural landscape, suggesting that additional work could fill major gaps in regional history and settlement patterns. The area contains a deep time record spanning more than 10,000 years, with the densest concentration of Ancestral Puebloan habitation sites on public lands, and it also includes places of traditional and sacred importance to more than 27 Native American tribes with ties to the region today. In terms of chronology, the opportunity notes consistent habitation from the Basketmaker III period through Pueblo III, roughly A.D. 600 to 1300, which aligns with periods of major social, architectural, and demographic change in the northern Southwest.
BLM's Tres Rios Field Office is seeking a partner to develop and implement cultural resource projects that increase public education and outreach, specifically centered on the Mesa Verde Escarpment. The agency outlines a broad menu of possible activities rather than prescribing a single narrow scope, leaving room for proposals that combine research, training, documentation, and communication. Examples explicitly mentioned include an archaeological field school (which would blend education and supervised hands-on training), research study projects, cultural resource inventories to locate sites and evaluate them as potential historic properties, archaeological site condition assessments to document threats or preservation needs, and public outreach and education efforts. Outreach is described in modern terms as well, including the potential use of social media and other strategies to broaden awareness and support for preservation and stewardship.
Administratively, this is a discretionary opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, under CFDA number 15.224, and it uses a cooperative agreement instrument, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during project implementation. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of applicants (subject to any further clarifications that may have appeared in the full notice). BLM anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $45,000. The opportunity was originally posted on July 26, 2018, with an original closing date of August 28, 2018.Apply for L18AS00084
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-CO Archaeology and Cultural Resources Study Project, Tres Rios Field Office" 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 26, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 28, 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 $45,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BLM-CO Archaeology and Cultural Resources Study Project, Tres Rios Field Office?
It is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) cooperative agreement opportunity to support archaeology and cultural resource work on BLM-administered public lands in southwestern Colorado, with a strong focus on the Mesa Verde Escarpment.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is L18AS00084.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), through the Tres Rios Field Office.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during project implementation compared to a standard grant.
What is the central purpose of the project?
The project is intended to strengthen stewardship and historic preservation by expanding public knowledge of the region's archaeological record and why it matters. The opportunity emphasizes that cultural resource programs should operate in the public interest by making knowledge accessible, understandable, and relevant through outreach and interpretation.
Is this opportunity focused only on scientific research?
No. The opportunity is described as public-facing as much as it is scientific. BLM is explicitly looking for efforts that increase public education and outreach alongside archaeology and cultural resource work.
Where will the funded work take place?
The work is intended for BLM-administered lands in southwestern Colorado, specifically centered on the Mesa Verde Escarpment within the Tres Rios Field Office area.
Why is the Mesa Verde Escarpment highlighted as a priority area?
BLM describes the Mesa Verde Escarpment as exceptionally important because it is on BLM lands directly adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the national park is widely known, the escarpment on public lands has seen comparatively limited fieldwork, and previous investigations have already identified highly significant sites. BLM indicates that additional work could fill major gaps in regional history and settlement patterns.
How does this project relate to Mesa Verde National Park?
The project area sits next to Mesa Verde National Park and is framed as critical to understanding the broader Mesa Verde cultural landscape, especially because the BLM-administered escarpment has received less study than the nearby park.
What kinds of cultural resources and time periods are referenced in the opportunity?
The opportunity notes a deep time record spanning more than 10,000 years. It highlights consistent habitation from Basketmaker III through Pueblo III (roughly A.D. 600 to 1300), a period associated with major social, architectural, and demographic change in the northern Southwest.
Does the opportunity mention Ancestral Puebloan sites specifically?
Yes. BLM states that the Mesa Verde Escarpment contains the densest concentration of Ancestral Puebloan habitation sites on public lands and that the area is critical for understanding Ancestral Puebloan lifeways across the broader Mesa Verde cultural landscape.
Does the opportunity address Native American tribal connections to the area?
Yes. The opportunity states that the area includes places of traditional and sacred importance to more than 27 Native American tribes with ties to the region today.
What is BLM looking for from a partner?
BLM's Tres Rios Field Office is seeking a partner to develop and implement cultural resource projects that increase public education and outreach, specifically centered on the Mesa Verde Escarpment.
Is there a single required scope of work?
No. The opportunity outlines a broad menu of possible activities rather than prescribing one narrow scope, leaving room for proposals that combine research, training, documentation, and communication.
What activities are explicitly mentioned as examples?
Examples listed in the opportunity include: an archaeological field school (education with supervised hands-on training), research study projects, cultural resource inventories to locate sites and evaluate them as potential historic properties, archaeological site condition assessments to document threats or preservation needs, and public outreach and education efforts.
Can proposals include training or education components?
Yes. An archaeological field school is specifically mentioned as an example, indicating that education and supervised hands-on training are within the scope of activities BLM is interested in supporting.
What does BLM mean by cultural resource inventories in this context?
As described in the opportunity, inventories would involve locating sites and evaluating them as potential historic properties.
What does an archaeological site condition assessment involve, according to the notice?
The opportunity describes condition assessments as documentation of threats or preservation needs at archaeological sites.
Is public outreach required or encouraged?
Public outreach is strongly emphasized. The central purpose includes making archaeological knowledge accessible and relevant through outreach and interpretation, and outreach and education are explicitly listed among the example activities.
Does the opportunity mention modern outreach methods like social media?
Yes. The notice references using social media and other strategies to broaden awareness and support for preservation and stewardship.
How many awards did BLM anticipate making?
BLM anticipated making one award.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $45,000.
Is this a competitive/discretionary opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a discretionary opportunity.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.224.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to a wide range of applicants (subject to any additional clarifications that may be included in the full notice).
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on July 26, 2018.
What was the original application deadline?
The original closing date was August 28, 2018.
What overall outcomes is BLM trying to achieve?
Based on the notice, BLM is aiming to strengthen stewardship and historic preservation by increasing public understanding of archaeological resources as part of a shared national heritage, and by supporting work that fills knowledge gaps about the Mesa Verde Escarpment while communicating those findings through outreach and interpretation.
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