Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida-Caribbean CESU | G18AS00070

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00070

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), within the Department of the Interior, released a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida-Caribbean CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00070). This opportunity was issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning the USGS expects to have substantial involvement in the project after an award is made, such as collaborating on planning, technical direction, data needs, or project coordination rather than simply providing funds with minimal agency interaction. The program sits within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA number 15.808, which is commonly used for USGS research and related science support.

The central purpose of the opportunity is to fund scientific studies focused on the Florida Everglades. The USGS is looking for work that addresses one or more Everglades topics that are directly relevant to Everglades restoration managers. In practical terms, that means projects should be framed around restoration decision-making needs, such as producing data, analyses, tools, or syntheses that managers can use to guide restoration planning, evaluate outcomes, or adjust strategies over time. The opportunity also explicitly ties the research to Priority 1a under the Secretary of the Interior initiative described as "Create a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt" and specifically emphasizes using science to identify best practices for managing land and water resources while adapting to environmental change. In other words, proposals are expected to connect Everglades science to actionable management practices and to consider changing conditions, which could include shifting hydrology, water quality pressures, habitat change, climate-related impacts, sea level rise, invasive species dynamics, or other stressors relevant to the Everglades system.

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the South Florida-Caribbean CESU, with eligibility described as "Others" and clarified in the full announcement text under the additional eligibility information. CESUs are collaborative partnerships among federal agencies, universities, and other organizations designed to support mission-relevant research and technical assistance, so this funding is aimed at organizations already participating in that CESU partnership rather than the general public or all universities nationwide.

The total available funding listed has an award ceiling of $450,000, and the USGS anticipated making one award under this announcement. The opportunity was posted on June 6, 2018, with an original closing date of June 22, 2018, indicating a short application window. Overall, the grant is best understood as a targeted, single-award cooperative research effort intended to deliver Everglades-focused science that restoration managers can use to identify and apply best practices for land and water management in a changing environment.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Florida-Caribbean CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 06, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 22, 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 $450,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for G18AS00070

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