Opportunity Information: Apply for R12AC30018
Apply for R12AC30018
- The Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "A.Seed Bank Study at the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.538 Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program..
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 10, 2013 and posted on Feb 10, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 24, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $148,458.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $148,458.00 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).
- This is a Notice of Intent, no competition is being sought.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "A. Seed Bank Study at the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge" is a continuation cooperative agreement from the Bureau of Reclamation (Lower Colorado Region) supporting restoration-focused research under the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP). It is tied to an existing partnership framework between the Bureau of Reclamation and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), issued under the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (R11AC40039), with the general terms and conditions of a prior task agreement (H8R07060001) applying unless specifically changed. The announcement is explicitly a Notice of Intent, meaning it is non-competitive and not soliciting applications broadly; it indicates the agency planned to move forward with the specified partner rather than run an open competition.
The overall purpose of the work is to improve native habitat restoration success at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge by better understanding and managing the soil seed bank, especially the portion dominated by invasive or weedy species. In arid and riparian restoration settings like the Lower Colorado River corridor, one of the biggest practical challenges is that disturbed soils often contain large reserves of weed seeds that germinate rapidly after irrigation or rainfall, outcompeting native grasses and forbs. This project targets that bottleneck directly by testing field and greenhouse approaches designed to reduce the weed seed bank before planting and to identify establishment methods that give native species a competitive advantage.
Task 1 focuses on a field-based seed bank study that tests whether repeated tilling and watering cycles can reduce the abundance of weed species in the soil seed bank over time. The approach is straightforward but data-driven: half of a field is put under a treatment regime where it is tilled, watered, and then tilled again, repeating this cycle three or more times during the first year. Soil samples are collected before each scheduled cycle so researchers can measure how the composition and density of seeds change as the cycles progress. The other half of the field serves as a comparison area with no such tilling cycles, allowing a clear treatment-versus-no-treatment evaluation. The intent is to determine whether "flushing" the seed bank by stimulating germination (via watering) and then disrupting seedlings (via tilling) can meaningfully deplete weed pressure prior to restoration planting, thereby increasing the likelihood that native grasses and herbaceous perennial forbs will establish successfully.
Task 2 shifts from diagnosing the seed bank problem to developing practical restoration techniques that establish native plants while suppressing invasive species. After the seed bank study portion is completed, UNLV conducts controlled planting, seeding, and weed suppression trials in its research greenhouse facility. Soil collected from the study is placed into pots and watered to encourage germination of seeds present in the samples. As plants emerge, they are counted and identified to species, producing a detailed picture of what is actually viable in the soil and how readily different species germinate under favorable conditions. When germination slows, the protocol calls for applying gibberellic acid, a plant growth regulator often used in germination studies to break dormancy or stimulate additional germination, to reveal seeds that may not emerge under normal watering alone. This greenhouse component strengthens the project by making the seed bank assessment more complete and by helping distinguish between seeds that germinate readily versus those requiring additional cues.
The announcement notes that Task 2 is being enhanced beyond the original agreement through three phased additions. Phase 1 is experimental seeding, where native grass and forb species are tested in seed plots both as monocultures and as mixed species combinations, helping identify which mixes or single-species plantings perform best under the tested conditions. Phase 2 involves collecting and cataloging native seed, building a supply of locally adapted seed material that can support future restoration work. Local adaptation matters in desert and riparian systems because seed sourced from nearby environments is often better suited to local temperature patterns, soils, and hydrology, and can improve long-term survival and resilience. Phase 3 evaluates native forb and grass planting methods with the goal of increasing survival of planted natives while also testing different strategies for weed suppression and control, linking the research back to field-ready practices.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number R12AC30018, categorized as a continuation award using a cooperative agreement instrument (which typically implies substantial federal involvement or collaboration during the project rather than a hands-off grant). It falls under the Natural Resources activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.538 (Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program). The expected number of awards is one, consistent with the Notice of Intent and the named university partnership. The total estimated funding is $148,458, and notably the award floor and ceiling are the same ($148,458), indicating a fixed planned award amount rather than a range. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The posting date was February 10, 2013, with an original and current closing date of February 24, 2013, and an archive date of March 26, 2013. The listed contact for access issues is Shawna Thompson, Grants Officer, Bureau of Reclamation, with phone number 702-293-8570 and email smthompson@usbr.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "A. Seed Bank Study at the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the Bureau of Reclamation (Lower Colorado Region).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is R12AC30018.
What type of announcement is this?
This is explicitly a Notice of Intent. It is non-competitive and is not soliciting applications broadly.
Is this opportunity open for anyone to apply?
No. The Notice of Intent indicates the agency planned to move forward with a specified partner rather than run an open competition.
Who is the intended partner for this continuation award?
The work is tied to an existing partnership framework between the Bureau of Reclamation and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
What funding instrument will be used?
The opportunity is a continuation award using a cooperative agreement instrument.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
As described in the opportunity summary, a cooperative agreement typically implies substantial federal involvement or collaboration during the project, rather than a hands-off grant.
Is this award connected to any existing agreements?
Yes. It is issued under the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (R11AC40039), and the general terms and conditions of a prior task agreement (H8R07060001) apply unless specifically changed.
What program is this work supporting?
The work supports restoration-focused research under the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (LCR MSCP).
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA is 15.538 (Lower Colorado River Multi Species Conservation Program).
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Natural Resources.
How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
What is the total estimated funding amount?
The total estimated funding is $148,458.
Is the funding amount a range or a fixed amount?
It is a fixed planned amount in the posting: the award floor is $148,458 and the award ceiling is $148,458.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The purpose is to improve native habitat restoration success at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge by better understanding and managing the soil seed bank, especially where it is dominated by invasive or weedy species.
Why is the soil seed bank a focus for restoration at this site?
In arid and riparian restoration settings like the Lower Colorado River corridor, disturbed soils can contain large reserves of weed seeds that germinate rapidly after irrigation or rainfall and outcompete native grasses and forbs. The project targets this practical bottleneck by testing approaches intended to reduce the weed seed bank before planting and to identify establishment methods that give native species a competitive advantage.
Where will the field study take place?
The field-based work is focused at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.
What is Task 1?
Task 1 is a field-based seed bank study that tests whether repeated tilling and watering cycles can reduce the abundance of weed species in the soil seed bank over time.
How is Task 1 designed?
Half of a field is put under a treatment regime where it is tilled, watered, and then tilled again, repeating this cycle three or more times during the first year. Soil samples are collected before each scheduled cycle to measure how the composition and density of seeds change. The other half of the field serves as a comparison area with no such tilling cycles.
What is the goal of the tilling-and-watering approach in Task 1?
The intent is to determine whether "flushing" the seed bank by stimulating germination (via watering) and then disrupting seedlings (via tilling) can meaningfully deplete weed pressure prior to restoration planting, increasing the likelihood that native grasses and herbaceous perennial forbs will establish successfully.
What is Task 2?
Task 2 focuses on developing practical restoration techniques to establish native plants while suppressing invasive species, using controlled planting, seeding, and weed suppression trials in UNLV's research greenhouse facility.
How does the greenhouse seed bank assessment work in Task 2?
Soil collected from the study is placed into pots and watered to encourage germination of seeds present in the samples. As plants emerge, they are counted and identified to species, providing a picture of what is viable in the soil and how readily different species germinate under favorable conditions.
What happens when germination slows in the greenhouse trials?
The protocol calls for applying gibberellic acid, a plant growth regulator used in germination studies to break dormancy or stimulate additional germination, to reveal seeds that may not emerge under normal watering alone.
How is Task 2 being enhanced beyond the original agreement?
The announcement states Task 2 is being enhanced through three phased additions: (1) experimental seeding, (2) collecting and cataloging native seed, and (3) evaluating native forb and grass planting methods along with different strategies for weed suppression and control.
What is included in Phase 1 (experimental seeding)?
Native grass and forb species are tested in seed plots as monocultures and as mixed species combinations to help identify which mixes or single-species plantings perform best under the tested conditions.
What is included in Phase 2 (native seed collection and cataloging)?
Phase 2 involves collecting and cataloging native seed to build a supply of locally adapted seed material that can support future restoration work.
Why does the opportunity emphasize locally adapted native seed?
The description notes local adaptation matters in desert and riparian systems because seed sourced from nearby environments is often better suited to local temperature patterns, soils, and hydrology, which can improve long-term survival and resilience.
What is included in Phase 3 (planting methods and weed suppression)?
Phase 3 evaluates native forb and grass planting methods to increase survival of planted natives while also testing different strategies for weed suppression and control, linking the research back to field-ready practices.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting date was February 10, 2013.
What was the closing date?
The original and current closing date was February 24, 2013.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was March 26, 2013.
Who is the point of contact listed for access issues?
The contact listed for access issues is Shawna Thompson, Grants Officer, Bureau of Reclamation.
How can the listed contact be reached?
Phone: 702-293-8570. Email: smthompson@usbr.gov.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Natural Resources
Next opportunity: Postdoctoral Training Program in Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacoepidemiology (T32)
Previous opportunity: Youth Conservation Program
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for R12AC30018
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (R12AC30018) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Woody Biomass Utilization Grant Apply for USDA FS 2013 WBU Funding Number: USDA FS 2013 WBU Agency: Forest Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| R6 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program TO STATE FISH GAME AGENCIES ONLY Apply for F13AS00085 Funding Number: F13AS00085 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Wetmore Emergency Stabilization Plan, in Wetmore, Colorado. Apply for L13AS00032 Funding Number: L13AS00032 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $124,000 |
| BLM CA Sacramento County Sheriffs Department Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center Apply for L13AS00027 Funding Number: L13AS00027 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| Lower Columbia Watershed Restoration Cooperative Agreement with Columbia River Estuary Studey Taskforce Apply for P13AS00008 Funding Number: P13AS00008 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| BLM CA Desert Tortoise Information and Youth Education Programs Apply for L13AS00033 Funding Number: L13AS00033 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $90,000 |
| Vertical Tube Evaporator (VTE) Demonstration Project Apply for R13AC80012 Funding Number: R13AC80012 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Denver Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $478,635 |
| BLM WY Mule Deer Habitat Analysis in Wyoming Range Apply for L13AS00034 Funding Number: L13AS00034 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Bat Detection, Monitoring and Date Anaysis in Montana Apply for L13AS00029 Funding Number: L13AS00029 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $40,000 |
| Bird Inventory and Monitoring in MT Apply for L13AS00035 Funding Number: L13AS00035 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Moffat County Tourism Association Visitor Information Center in Colorado. Apply for L13AS00036 Funding Number: L13AS00036 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,000 |
| Management, Protection, and Research of Chacoan Sites on lands under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation Apply for NPSNOIP13AC00058 Funding Number: NPSNOIP13AC00058 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Colorado River Restoration Apply for FWS CRR 1 Funding Number: FWS CRR 1 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $972,800 |
| NAWMP Implementation IIC Apply for FWS IIC 1 Funding Number: FWS IIC 1 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $73,050 |
| Upper Columbia Region Habitat Improvement Apply for R13SS10001 Funding Number: R13SS10001 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $53,921 |
| Desalination and Water Purification Research and Development (DWPR) Apply for R13SF80007 Funding Number: R13SF80007 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Denver Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| Montana Youth Initiative Program Apply for L13AS00028 Funding Number: L13AS00028 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $90,000 |
| Bay Delta Restoration Program Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Grants Apply for R13AF20005 Funding Number: R13AF20005 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Mid Pacific Region Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FMI New Mexico Mines NRDA Restoration Plan and Enviromental Assessment Apply for F13AS00075 Funding Number: F13AS00075 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,500,000 |
| PRIVATE LANDOWNERS NETWORK Apply for FWS R9 BHR RF Funding Number: FWS R9 BHR RF Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $25,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "R12AC30018", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.