Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU | G18AS00030

Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00030

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00030) was a discretionary funding announcement from the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the Columbia Environmental Research Center. It was structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement in the work as it is carried out, rather than simply providing funds with minimal interaction. The program area is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, reflecting that the work is intended to support technical planning and analysis tied to natural resource management and species recovery.

At its core, the opportunity sought to fund one CESU partner to participate in a high-level planning process focused on recovery of the endangered Pallid Sturgeon within the Missouri River Recovery Program. The Pallid Sturgeon is a listed species whose recovery efforts are closely tied to how the Missouri River is managed and restored, so the planning process is not just academic; it is meant to inform real-world restoration decisions and prioritization. The USGS role described here centers on providing scientific and technical participation in planning rather than on-the-ground construction or implementation of restoration projects.

A key technical element in the description is the reference to an "effects analysis" for Missouri River restoration activities, described in the sense of Murphy and Weiland (2011). In practical terms, this signals a structured approach for evaluating how specific restoration actions are expected to affect the river system and the biological outcomes of concern, including Pallid Sturgeon recovery. The opportunity was positioned within an ongoing interagency and stakeholder context: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with a broad stakeholder body organized through the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC). That framing indicates the funded partner would likely be expected to work in a collaborative environment where multiple agencies and stakeholder interests contribute to the planning process, and where technical products must be usable in a decision-making setting that balances ecological goals with broader river management considerations.

In terms of scale and administrative details, the announced award ceiling was $128,279, with an expectation of a single award. The funding assistance listing tied to the opportunity was CFDA 15.808. The opportunity was created on March 21, 2018, with an original application closing date of April 5, 2018, indicating a relatively short application window typical of some targeted cooperative agreements aimed at specific, time-sensitive planning needs. Eligibility was limited to CESU partners, with the notice indicating that further clarification would be provided in an "Additional Information on Eligibility" section, meaning it was not an open competition to all entities but instead restricted to organizations within the relevant Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit network.

Overall, this grant was essentially a focused, one-award cooperative agreement intended to bring a CESU-affiliated partner into a coordinated, stakeholder-engaged planning effort supporting Missouri River restoration decision-making, with a particular emphasis on scientifically grounded evaluation of restoration effects as they relate to endangered Pallid Sturgeon recovery.

• 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, Gulf Coast 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 Mar 21, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 05, 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 $128,279.00 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 G18AS00030

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