The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grant program is open for proposals under the Department of the Interior’s Ecosystem Restoration Program, specifically for projects within American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This funding opportunity is aligned with President Biden’s infrastructure goals and focuses on ecosystem restoration, environmental resilience, and community benefits in these U.S. territories. The four main project areas include invasive species prevention, revegetation of mined lands, implementation of the Native Seed Strategy, and early detection and rapid response for invasive species.

The available funding for this opportunity totals $6,009,607, distributed across four activities: $1,650,602 for invasive species prevention, $2,048,569 for revegetating mined lands, $1,910,436 for the native seed strategy, and $400,000 for early detection surveillance projects (divided evenly at $100,000 per territory). Eligible applicants include local government agencies (such as health centers and utilities), institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations that serve these insular areas.

Applicants should submit proposals detailing project descriptions, timelines, statements of need, goals, objectives, and anticipated benefits. Proposals must also include at least one performance measure for evaluating outputs and outcomes. If submitting multiple projects, applicants must prioritize their projects and clearly indicate this priority order in their applications. All proposals should be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by the due date of January 30, 2025.

OIA emphasizes projects that align with ecosystem restoration principles, such as improving ecosystem resilience, using nature-based solutions, and supporting biodiversity. Projects should benefit underserved or disadvantaged communities and contribute to local workforce development. Additionally, applicants must document the disadvantaged status of communities affected by their projects, referencing data sources like the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) or other approved indicators.

Applications will be evaluated on clarity, alignment with program goals, budget reasonableness, and timeline feasibility. Reviewers will also consider an applicant’s prior performance if they have previously received OIA grants. Recipients must comply with federal regulations outlined in 2 CFR Part 200 and must report both financial and performance metrics semi-annually.