2022 ABPP Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant | P22AS00054

Opportunity Information: Apply for P22AS00054

The 2022 ABPP Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant (BLAG) is a competitive grant program run by the National Park Service through its American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP). Its purpose is to help protect historically significant battlefield landscapes by funding the acquisition and long-term preservation of eligible lands connected to the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. The program is designed to keep these places from being lost to development by supporting purchases that permanently protect the land and maintain its historic character for public benefit.

Funding for these grants comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and every award requires a dollar-for-dollar non-Federal match. In practical terms, applicants must bring an equal amount of non-Federal funds to the table for the acquisition, whether that match comes from state or local funds, private fundraising, philanthropic contributions, or other eligible non-Federal sources. The grants can be used for two main types of acquisitions: buying land outright in fee simple, or purchasing permanent protective interests in land, most commonly conservation easements, that restrict future development and safeguard the battlefield setting.

Eligibility is tightly tied to specific, federally recognized battlefield inventories. For Civil War sites, the land must be associated with battlefields listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission report, Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields (1993). For Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites, the land must relate to principal battlefields and associated sites identified in ABPP's Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States (2007), often referred to as the survey reports. These eligible sites have identifying battlefield or survey codes, and the program generally expects proposed acquisitions to fall within the established battlefield boundaries shown in ABPP survey data. When deciding among proposals, the program places particular emphasis on protecting land within the battlefield "core" areas, which represent the most historically significant or intact portions of a site. Boundary and core area maps are made available through ABPP resources, and proposals that secure core lands are typically more competitive.

The program accepts applications on a rolling basis, meaning proposals can be submitted and reviewed as they come in rather than waiting for a single fixed deadline cycle. Even so, the review and award process prioritizes projects at eligible battlefield and associated sites rated as Preservation Priority I and II, giving those applications precedence in processing, evaluation, and award recommendations. For locations that lack survey-defined boundaries, including sites labeled as "Needing Further Study" in the 2007 report, applicants must propose defensible boundaries using established National Register guidance, specifically National Register Bulletin 40 (historic battlefields) and/or National Register Bulletin 21 (defining boundaries). A key eligibility rule applies when a proposed acquisition overlaps a battlefield boundary: more than 50 percent of the land being acquired must lie within the boundary for the project to qualify.

Who can apply is also clearly limited by statute. Under 54 U.S.C. 308103(b), this funding opportunity is restricted to state and local governments. Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations are not direct applicants under this program, but they can still participate by partnering with a state or local government that has jurisdiction over the property being acquired or placed under easement. In those partnership arrangements, the state or local government serves as the official grant recipient and can function as a pass-through entity for federal funds to a nonprofit partner, consistent with federal regulations governing subawards and pass-through entities.

Key opportunity details from the notice include that it is a discretionary grant administered by the National Park Service (CFDA 15.928), with an award ceiling of up to $2,000,000 per award. The opportunity was posted under Funding Opportunity Number P22AS00054, with an original closing date listed as December 31, 2022, though applications are described as accepted and evaluated on a rolling basis. Overall, the BLAG program is best understood as a targeted land protection tool: it funds permanent acquisitions that secure nationally significant battlefield resources, favors high-priority and core-area lands, and requires strong local or state leadership backed by a full non-federal match.

• The National Park Service in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2022 ABPP Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.928.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-12-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-12-31. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for P22AS00054

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