Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00189

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00189

This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G23AS00189) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the US Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through its Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC). It sits within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 15.808) and is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Because it is a CESU-based award, eligibility is limited to organizations that are official participating partners of the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). In practice, this means it is not an open competition to the general public; it is targeted to an established network partner that can carry out field-based scientific work in coordination with USGS.

The focus of the work is field data collection in big sagebrush ecosystems, with an emphasis on generating site-level measurements that describe plant species composition, vegetation structure, and soil conditions. Big sagebrush shrublands are highlighted as a cornerstone ecosystem across the western United States because they provide habitat for many wildlife species and also support livestock grazing, which is closely tied to the economic stability of many rural western communities. At the same time, the opportunity statement notes that these plant communities are declining and being reshaped by multiple pressures, particularly invasive annual grasses and climate-related changes. The project is framed as a way to strengthen the scientific basis for understanding current conditions in sagebrush systems by collecting standardized field observations at selected shrubland sites.

The overarching goal is to enable CESU-partner scientists to conduct on-the-ground sampling of vegetation and soils in big sagebrush habitats. The immediate objective is a dataset that characterizes, at chosen study locations, which plant species are present (composition), how vegetation is arranged and built in three-dimensional terms (structure, such as cover and height patterns), and the condition of soils (key properties relevant to ecosystem function and resilience). While the announcement summary does not spell out exact protocols, it clearly centers on systematic field measurements that can be used to document ecosystem status and inform future research or management decisions related to sagebrush decline, invasion risk, and climate stressors.

In terms of funding and timing, the opportunity was created on January 25, 2023, with an original closing date of March 27, 2023. The award ceiling is $20,000, indicating a relatively small, targeted field effort rather than a large multi-year research program. The instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically signals substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project, such as coordination on study design, methods, data management expectations, or reporting. The notice lists the expected number of awards as not specified in the provided source text, but the limited ceiling and CESU eligibility suggest a focused award intended to accomplish the defined data-collection objective efficiently within the CESU partnership framework.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" 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 2023-01-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-27. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G23AS00189

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