Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary cooperative agreement offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program. It supports applied research on breeding birds in managed forest communities within the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), with the goal of producing practical, decision-ready science for forest managers.

2. What is the main purpose of the project?

The project aims to help forest managers better understand breeding bird populations and improve habitat management strategies across the UMRS. The work is designed to produce results that can be used directly in management decisions, not just general scientific findings.

3. What geographic area does the project focus on?

The work focuses on managed forest landscapes within the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS).

4. What kind of research is being funded?

The opportunity supports field-based breeding bird surveys combined with rigorous quantitative analysis. A major emphasis is on methods that adjust for differences in detectability among bird species so that estimates of frequency and density are more reliable than raw counts alone.

5. Who is eligible to apply?

Only organizations that are active, participating partners of the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) are eligible for an award under this announcement.

6. What type of award is being offered?

The award type is a cooperative agreement. Under the CESU structure, this is intended to promote collaborative research, technical assistance, and education among federal agencies and partner institutions.

7. What does "cooperative agreement" imply for the work?

Based on the description provided, the funding mechanism is designed for collaborative work under the CESU program, meaning the project is framed as a partnership-oriented effort rather than a standalone grant.

8. What is the expected role of the selected CESU partner?

The selected Great Rivers CESU partner is expected to: (1) choose and evaluate appropriate study sites within managed forest landscapes in the UMRS, (2) conduct field surveys of breeding birds, (3) apply advanced analytical methods to estimate detection frequencies and densities, and (4) translate results into fine-scale habitat suitability models and a final deliverable document for forest managers.

9. What are the major project activities?

The major activities described include selecting study sites, conducting breeding bird field surveys, performing quantitative analyses that account for imperfect detection, and developing fine-scale habitat suitability models that link bird metrics to habitat conditions and forest management characteristics.

10. Why does the opportunity emphasize detection frequencies and densities?

The description highlights that some birds are easier to detect than others, so raw counts may not represent true abundance or distribution. The project therefore calls for analytical methods that adjust for detectability and support more defensible estimates of bird density and detection frequency.

11. What outputs or deliverables are expected?

The opportunity calls for translating survey and analysis results into fine-scale habitat suitability models and producing a deliverable document aimed at forest managers. The document is intended to summarize findings and provide usable guidance grounded in the model outputs and survey data.

12. What are "fine-scale habitat suitability models" in this project?

In this context, fine-scale habitat suitability models are spatially detailed models that relate bird presence and abundance (informed by detection-adjusted densities) to habitat conditions and forest management characteristics. The intent is to produce outputs detailed enough to inform on-the-ground management decisions.

13. Who is the intended audience for the project results?

The primary intended audience is forest managers working across the Upper Mississippi River System, since the project is explicitly designed to support management decisions and improve habitat management strategies.

14. What is the maximum award amount?

The posted award ceiling (maximum award amount) is $234,194.

15. What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G24AS00157.

16. What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808.

17. How is the opportunity categorized?

It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

18. When was the opportunity created and when did it close?

The opportunity was created on November 7, 2023, and the original closing date was December 8, 2023.

19. Is this opportunity limited to a specific CESU network?

Yes. Eligibility is limited to active, participating partner organizations affiliated with the Great Rivers CESU.

20. What makes this project "applied research" rather than purely academic research?

The stated goal is to generate practical, decision-ready science that forest managers can use. The project design includes management-relevant modeling and a manager-focused deliverable document intended to support real-world habitat and forest management decisions.