Joint Fire Science Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.232
- Agency
-
Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 389 $73,902,773 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury accounts
-
- 14-1125-0-1-302
- 14-1125-0-1-010
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management funds wildland fire research, resource management studies, and fire science knowledge exchange through the Joint Fire Science Program (CFDA 15.232), with the most recent grant awards disbursed on September 17, 2025, and active solicitations closing on September 17, 2026.
The program funds research and studies addressing wildland fire and resource management across concrete, operational domains: fuel reduction and treatment effectiveness in diverse ecosystems (grasslands, forests, savannas); post-fire recovery and ecosystem resilience; fire regime forecasting and modeling under climate change; prescribed fire effects on water quality and quantity; invasive species management through fire; carbon dynamics in boreal and other fire-prone systems; wildfire risk assessment and community adaptation; fire communications and social acceptance; and regional fire science knowledge exchange and practitioner engagement. Recent awards illustrate this scope: a $300,931 study of wetland and beaver dam analog structures for dual fire and aquatic species management in Idaho; a $572,315 project examining how invasive cogongrass affects fire behavior in the Southeast; a $664,442 cooperative agreement for the Northwest Fire Science Consortium to improve information delivery and co-production between researchers and managers; and a $627,404 award assessing prescribed fire effects on water quantity and quality in Oklahoma reservoirs.
The program is predominantly Cooperative Agreements (99% of 386 awards), with a small number of Project Grants (1% of 3 awards). Funding concentrates within the Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management: the Idaho Region has funded 239 awards totaling $50.8 million federal dollars obligated; the Bureau of Land Management central office has funded 136 awards for $20.9 million; and the National Office, California Region, and Oregon-Washington office account for the remaining awards and $2.2 million combined. The program has obligated $73.9 million in federal dollars across 389 awards since 2002, with non-federal cost-share bringing total obligations to $83.5 million.
Award activity has been consistent in recent years: 2021 saw 19 awards, 2022 had 17, 2023 peaked at 54, 2024 delivered 31, and through September 2025, 17 awards have been made. Typical individual awards range from $25 thousand to $300 thousand for focused research projects, while regional fire science exchanges and consortia receive awards in the $500 thousand to $664 thousand range. The program established in 1998 continues active solicitation.
Currently open are three competitive NOFOs posted July 7, 2026, all closing September 17, 2026: the Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES) award solicits proposals from current master and doctoral students in wildland fire and related sciences to conduct supplemental thesis or dissertation research paired with practical experience in fire management and development of manager-relevant products; the Primary Announcement solicits proposals in two topic areas—drivers of changing wildfire regimes and smoke impacts from prescribed and wildfire—with all three research needs under the first topic required for responsiveness; and the Regional Fire Science Exchange Announcement seeks individual proposals for nine regions (Alaska, Appalachians, Great Basin, North Atlantic, Northern Rockies, Northwest, Oak Woodlands, Pacific Islands, Southwest) to lead and execute two-year exchanges connecting scientists, managers, and practitioners. Proposals submit through the JFSP website at firescience.gov, not Grants.gov.
Objective and description
- Objective
The Joint Fire Science Program encourages interested parties to perform research and studies pertaining to wildland fire and resource management, to enhance decision-making ability of fire, fuels, natural resource, and land managers and others to mee
- Description
In 1998 the U.S. Congress directed the DOI and USDA FS to establish a Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), with the goal of prioritizing and providing sound scientific studies to support the land management agencies and other stakeholders in addressing wildland fire issues. The program focuses on providing wildland fire science research to support effective land management decisions, complementing and extending the capabilities of other federal fire research programs. JFSP's mission is to deliver credible research tailored to the needs of fire and land managers. The program engages with the management/practitioner community to develop focused research priorities, solicits proposals through a rigorous peer-review process, and ensures effective science exchange to facilitate informed decision-making.
Eligibility
- Beneficiary eligibility
Anyone/General Public.
- Uses of assistance
Funds may be used for approved projects that address wildland fire management needs of federal and local government land managers.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Projects are generally funded for no more than three years. Most projects funded are awarded in one lump sum at the start of the project; however some projects are funded year-by-year.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
For more information and local requirements, cooperative project proposals should be coordinated with the Bureau of Land Management, National Interagency Fire Center. No State Plan is required.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Proposals are peer-reviewed. The twelve person Joint Fire Science Program Governing Board will analyze peer review comments and make all funding decisions. General criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their direct relationship to federal wildland fire management, qualifications of principal investigator and institution, and a balanced review including relevance to program objectives, merit and cost effectiveness. Joint Fire Science Program proposals will be reviewed for relevancy in relation to the posted announcement for proposals task statement, scientific methods and study design, science deliverables, collaboration/leverage, and administrative adequacy. Successful proposals will provide a strong science delivery and application plan that clearly demonstrates the use of both passive and active technology transfer methods.
- Award procedure
Projects are reviewed at the National and State level and funding recommendations are made through National and State's annual work plan. Final budget approvals rest with the National Office and State Director. For the Joint Fire Science Program all applications are peer-reviewed. The twelve person Joint Fire Science Program Governing Board will analyze peer review comments and make all funding decisions.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Award time varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each project at the time the Notice of Funding Opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the point of contact listed in the funding opportunity announcement. Most awards are anticipated after the fiscal year announcement closes.
- Appeals
Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Land Management will provide all applicants with information on why their proposal was not selected for award.
Grant opportunities
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Latest 50 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 389 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University | $6,093,716 | 8% |
| 2 | Board Of Regents Of Nevada System Of Higher Education | $5,211,345 | 7% |
| 3 | University Of Alaska Fairbanks | $4,503,365 | 6% |
| 4 | Oregon State University | $4,119,471 | 6% |
| 5 | Regents Of The University Of Idaho | $3,819,731 | 5% |
| 6 | Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition | $3,619,634 | 5% |
| 7 | Northern Arizona University | $3,095,103 | 4% |
| 8 | University Of Wisconsin System | $2,827,281 | 4% |
| 9 | The Regents Of The University Of California | $2,810,433 | 4% |
| 10 | The Ohio State University | $2,161,115 | 3% |
10 of 92 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$65,905 |
| FY2025 | $3,472,825 |
| FY2024 | $8,481,147 |
| FY2023 | $12,878,685 |
| FY2022 | $1,677,054 |
| FY2021 | $3,388,395 |
| FY2020 | $4,531,721 |
| FY2019 | $648,710 |
| FY2018 | $417,810 |
| FY2017 | $5,249,610 |
| FY2016 | $8,446,670 |
| FY2015 | $3,918,201 |
| FY2014 | $7,435,064 |
| FY2013 | $5,665,288 |
| FY2012 | $3,302,399 |
| FY2011 | $3,755,958 |
| FY2010 | $901,377 |
| FY2009 | -$274,235 |
| FY2008 | $30,000 |
Show all 19
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.232?
Assistance Listing 15.232 is Joint Fire Science Program, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Land Management (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Joint Fire Science Program?
Its CFDA number is 15.232: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.232 awarded?
389 grant awards under 15.232 have obligated $73,902,773 in federal funds to 92 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.232?
The recipients obligated the most under Joint Fire Science Program are Colorado State University ($6,093,716), Board Of Regents Of Nevada System Of Higher Education ($5,211,345) and University Of Alaska Fairbanks ($4,503,365).
How much did 15.232 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.232 obligated $3,472,825 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 15.232?
2 of the latest 50 opportunities under 15.232 are open or forecasted. The latest, Department of Interior Wildland Fire Service BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP)Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES), was posted on July 7, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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