Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Appalachian CESU | G17AS00037

Opportunity Information: Apply for G17AS00037

The Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, South Appalachian CESU" (Funding Opportunity Number G17AS00037). This award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the USGS expects to be substantially involved in the project as it is carried out, rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal participation. The opportunity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category and is listed under CFDA 15.808.

The purpose of the project is to support research that examines how multiple species may be vulnerable to climate change. The underlying need described in the notice is that species do not all react to climate shifts in the same way; responses vary by biology, habitat, geographic range, and other traits and pressures. Because of that variation, the USGS is interested in work that can help evaluate climate change impacts across species at a national scale. To accomplish this, the project is expected to analyze aggregated species data compiled from across the United States and combine (or interpret) those data alongside additional information about the species themselves. In practical terms, the opportunity is pointing toward synthesis-oriented work: pulling together existing datasets, aligning them with species attributes or related contextual information, and using that combined view to assess or compare vulnerability patterns across many species rather than focusing on a single location or one species at a time.

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically tied to the South Appalachian CESU. The formal eligibility line is listed as "Others," with clarification provided in the opportunity's additional eligibility language (not included in the excerpt), but the headline statement makes clear the intent is to fund a CESU partner. This is consistent with CESU mechanisms, which are designed to facilitate collaboration among federal agencies and CESU-member institutions around applied research and technical assistance.

The funding parameters are relatively small and targeted. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $50,000, and the USGS anticipated making one award. The opportunity was created on February 6, 2017, with an original closing date of February 21, 2017, indicating a short application window and a time-sensitive need for the work.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a focused, one-award cooperative agreement to support a CESU partner in conducting a multi-species climate vulnerability analysis using aggregated, nationwide species datasets and complementary species information, with the goal of strengthening the USGS capacity to assess climate change impacts across the United States at broad scales.

• The Department of the Interior, 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 Appalachian 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 Feb 06, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 21, 2017. (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 $50,000.00 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 G17AS00037

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