BLM Utah Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument/Kanab Field Office Visitor Interpretation, Education, and Public Outreach Project | L18AS00076

Opportunity Information: Apply for L18AS00076

The BLM Utah Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) and Kanab Field Office (KFO) Visitor Interpretation, Education, and Public Outreach Project was a Bureau of Land Management funding opportunity to create a cooperative partnership focused on improving how the public learns about, experiences, and responsibly uses a large and highly visited set of public lands in southern Utah. GSENM, created in 1996 as the first national monument managed by the BLM, and parts of the KFO together cover about 2.4 million acres within the National Landscape Conservation System. The area is known for striking red rock landscapes, geologic layers spanning from the Permian through the Quaternary (including fossil-rich Cretaceous formations), and a wide range of ecosystems that shift from low desert to high-elevation forests, plus riparian zones fed by springs, seeps, and streams. These lands also support diverse plant and wildlife communities, including endemic species, and they draw both recreationists and researchers because of their rugged, remote character and scientific value.

The core purpose of the project was to expand and strengthen visitor interpretation, environmental education, and public outreach in response to rapidly growing use. BLM operates four visitor centers and two contact stations in nearby communities (including Big Water, Cannonville, Escalante, Glendale, Kanab, and Paria) that provide orientation, interpretive displays, and education programming for residents and travelers. Visitation was increasing by roughly 10 percent per year and had reached more than 230,000 visits in 2017, alongside about $400,000 in sales, which underscored the need for more capacity and more modern ways to deliver information. Many popular destinations are in remote backcountry areas accessed by rough, unmaintained routes that often require four-wheel drive travel, horseback access, or hiking, which increases the importance of clear guidance on safety, routes, ethics, and resource protection.

BLM sought a partner organization to provide "boots on the ground" staffing and volunteer support, along with financial or in-kind contributions, to help coordinate and deliver these public-facing programs. The partnership was designed to support Department of the Interior priorities and align with BLM planning and strategy documents, including the BLM 15-Year Strategy and GSENM/KFO management plan goals. A major theme was building a long-term conservation and stewardship ethic among visitors and local communities, consistent with the Interior Department priority described as "Creating a Conservation Stewardship Legacy Second only to Teddy Roosevelt." By strengthening interpretation and outreach, BLM aimed to help the public better understand the agency's multiple-use mission and to encourage voluntary compliance with rules that protect natural, cultural, and paleontological resources.

In practical terms, the project envisioned an organization supporting up to ten positions dedicated to visitor services and outreach. These roles would help inform visitors about how to access recreation areas and facilities, explain ongoing scientific studies on GSENM/KFO lands, and promote responsible recreation messages such as Leave No Trace, Tread Lightly, and Respect and Protect. The work also included developing, coordinating, and helping facilitate youth education programs and broader public outreach events. Another emphasis was improving digital information delivery and modernizing infrastructure so visitors could access timely, accurate guidance more easily, especially given the dispersed nature of recreation across a vast landscape.

The expected public benefits were broad: better visitor experiences, improved resource protection through education and stewardship messaging, increased opportunities for the public to engage with recreational, natural, and cultural values, and stronger relationships with surrounding communities. The opportunity also highlighted potential economic and operational advantages, such as more efficient service delivery, support for veteran and regional employment, and positive spillover effects to local economies connected to tourism and outdoor recreation. A key requirement was that any award under this opportunity must benefit the general public rather than serving private interests.

Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, under CFDA 15.225 (Natural Resources). Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement). The funding opportunity number was L18AS00076, posted July 31, 2018, with an original closing date of August 30, 2018. BLM anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $110,000, to support the partnership effort described above.

• The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM Utah Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument/Kanab Field Office Visitor Interpretation, Education, and Public Outreach Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.225.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 31, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 30, 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 $110,000.00 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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