Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU | G18AS00064

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00064

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00064) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) funding call issued through the Department of the Interior, specifically by the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC). It is a discretionary opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project (for example, collaboration on study design, coordination on deliverables, or joint interpretation and application of results), rather than simply issuing a hands-off grant.

The purpose of the project is to support research that builds a program focused on the soil seed bank and its role in ecological restoration across the southwestern United States. A soil seed bank refers to the reserve of viable seeds present in the soil that can germinate over time; understanding what species are present, how long they persist, and what conditions trigger germination can strongly influence restoration outcomes. Through this opportunity, USGS SBSC is looking for work that strengthens the scientific basis for restoration planning by clarifying how seed banks can be assessed and leveraged to improve restoration success rates while also reducing costs. In practical terms, the research is aimed at helping land managers make better decisions about when natural regeneration might be sufficient, when and where seeding efforts are likely to be effective, and how to allocate restoration resources more efficiently in challenging dryland and desert ecosystems typical of the Southwest.

Eligibility is limited to partners within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically connected to the Colorado Plateau CESU, as indicated by the listing of eligible applicants as "Others" with clarification in the opportunity text. The CESU framework is designed to facilitate collaborative research between federal agencies and partner institutions, often universities or research organizations, to address priority conservation and land management questions. Only one award is expected under this announcement.

The funding level for the single anticipated award is capped at $78,681 (the award ceiling). The opportunity was created on June 6, 2018, with an original closing date of June 20, 2018, indicating a short application window. The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the CFDA number associated with the program is 15.808, which corresponds to USGS research and related activities.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as targeted, applied research funding meant to help establish or expand a structured research program on soil seed banks, with the explicit management goal of making restoration in the southwestern U.S. more reliable and more cost-effective.

• 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, Colorado Plateau 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 20, 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 $78,681.00 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 G18AS00064

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