BLM ORWA Master Secure Rural Schools

Since 2000, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Program provides Federal funds to counties that traditionally have been supported by timber payments. These payments make up for the loss in timber payments caused by the decline in timber harvest on Federal lands that occurred in the 1990s. There are three separate â¿¿titles under this legislation:i. Title I â¿¿ Secure Payments for States and Counties containing Federal Landii. Title II - Special Projects on Federal Landiii. Title III â¿¿ County Funds.This grant offering is strictly for Title II funds of the Act, which are administered by the federal government and in this specific instance, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Title II funds are managed by Federal agencies. However, it does not limit project applicants to federal agencies such as the BLM. Any individual or organization can submit a project application. The Act defines a wide variety of activities that can be accomplished with Title II funds. However, the project must benefit Federal lands or resources. A fifteen member Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) representative of 3 distinctive categories, appointed by the Secretary reviews the project applications and recommends to the Secretary, or designee which should be funded. (More often than not, the designee for the Secretary is known as the BLM Designated Federal Officer, DFO, which is often the BLM District Manager unless otherwise noted.)