Opportunity Information: Apply for G12AS20021
Apply for G12AS20021
- The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808 U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 12, 2012 and posted on Mar 12, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 22, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $428,664.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- 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 financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Californian CESU Program.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G12AS20021) was a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding announcement designed to support applied research and technology development related to geospatial data. Structured as a cooperative agreement, it emphasized close collaboration between USGS and the recipient to build or improve ways to distribute, use, and analyze geospatial data products that describe ecosystem conditions and environmental change, with a particular focus on ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes. The program sat within the USGS research and data collection assistance listing (CFDA 15.808) and was issued through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, which is intended to link federal agencies with academic and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education.
The core purpose of the funded work was to develop technologies that make complex geospatial datasets easier to access and more useful to scientists and decision-makers. The announcement highlighted three tightly connected goals: first, improving distribution mechanisms for geospatial data products (meaning better ways to publish, serve, and deliver data to users); second, facilitating practical use of these products through visualization and tabulation tools (for example, mapping interfaces, dashboards, summaries, and user-friendly ways to extract statistics); and third, enhancing capabilities that enable further scientific studies into patterns and trends in ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes over space and time. In effect, this opportunity was not only about producing new datasets, but also about building the supporting technical infrastructure and tools that allow those datasets to be discovered, interpreted, and analyzed at scale.
The geospatial data products referenced in the announcement covered a broad set of environmental layers that, when combined, support carbon and greenhouse gas research. These included ecosystem attributes such as structure and composition (for instance, information that could relate to vegetation type, biomass, or habitat characteristics), ecosystem processes such as forest fires (capturing disturbances that can rapidly shift carbon dynamics), carbon storage and greenhouse gas flux estimates themselves, and key biophysical attributes like soils and hydrology that influence carbon cycling and emissions. The opportunity also pointed to land use and land cover change mapping, which is essential for tracking how human and natural changes affect carbon storage, and climate data, which provides the environmental context that drives many ecosystem processes. Taken together, the listed data types suggest an integrated, multi-layer geospatial approach aimed at understanding and monitoring ecosystem carbon behavior and related greenhouse gas patterns.
Eligibility was limited and specific. Because the award was issued under the CESU Program, only participating partners of the Californian CESU were eligible to apply. This reflects the CESU model, where work is conducted through established partnerships rather than open competition among all organizations. The announcement did not require cost sharing or matching, reducing the financial barrier for eligible partners. It also stated that the USGS expected to make one award, indicating a single-project, single-recipient approach rather than multiple smaller grants.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding opportunity was posted and created on March 12, 2012, with an original and current closing date of March 22, 2012, making the application window relatively short. The opportunity later archived on June 12, 2012. Estimated total funding was listed as $428,664, while the award ceiling and floor were both shown as $0, which commonly indicates that specific award ranges were not set in that particular field and that applicants needed to refer to the full announcement for detailed budget expectations or that the listing format did not capture the range properly. The activity category was identified as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, aligning with the emphasis on building tools, data delivery methods, and analytical capability for ecosystem carbon and greenhouse gas research.
For applicants or interested parties seeking the full solicitation details at the time, the listing pointed to Grants.gov for the complete announcement and provided a direct contact at USGS: Faith Graves (703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov) for assistance accessing the announcement electronically. Overall, this opportunity can be understood as a targeted, partnership-based investment by USGS to strengthen geospatial data infrastructure and usability in support of ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas flux science, leveraging the Californian CESU network to carry out the work collaboratively.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G12AS20021)?
G12AS20021 was a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding opportunity issued through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Californian CESU. It was designed to support applied research and technology development related to geospatial data, with an emphasis on improving how geospatial data products are distributed, used, and analyzed for ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas flux research.
Which federal agency offered this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
What type of award was used for this opportunity?
The announcement was structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the work emphasized close collaboration between USGS and the recipient.
What was the main purpose of the funded work?
The core purpose was to develop technologies that make complex geospatial datasets easier to access and more useful to scientists and decision-makers, particularly for understanding ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes across space and time.
What were the key goals highlighted in the announcement?
The opportunity highlighted three connected goals: (1) improving distribution mechanisms for geospatial data products (better ways to publish, serve, and deliver data), (2) facilitating practical use through visualization and tabulation tools (such as mapping interfaces, dashboards, summaries, and user-friendly statistics extraction), and (3) enhancing capabilities that enable further scientific studies into patterns and trends in ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes over time and geography.
Was this opportunity focused on creating new datasets, building tools, or both?
It was not only about producing new datasets. It also emphasized building the supporting technical infrastructure and tools that allow geospatial datasets to be discovered, interpreted, and analyzed at scale.
What kinds of geospatial data products were referenced in the opportunity?
The announcement referenced a broad set of environmental geospatial layers, including ecosystem attributes (such as structure and composition), ecosystem processes (including forest fires), carbon storage and greenhouse gas flux estimates, biophysical attributes like soils and hydrology, land use and land cover change mapping, and climate data.
Why were land use and land cover change and climate data mentioned?
Land use and land cover change mapping is important for tracking how human and natural changes affect carbon storage, while climate data provides environmental context that drives ecosystem processes and influences carbon cycling and emissions.
What scientific topics or outcomes did USGS want to enable with this work?
The work was intended to strengthen the ability to study patterns and trends in ecosystem carbon storage and greenhouse gas fluxes over space and time by making relevant geospatial products easier to access, visualize, tabulate, and analyze.
Who was eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility was limited to participating partners of the Californian CESU because the award was issued under the CESU Program.
Is this an open competition for any university, nonprofit, or company?
No. Based on the announcement, only participating partners of the Californian CESU were eligible to apply, reflecting the CESU partnership model rather than open competition among all organizations.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement stated that cost sharing or matching was not required.
How many awards did USGS expect to make under this opportunity?
USGS expected to make one award, indicating a single-project, single-recipient approach.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding was listed as $428,664.
What were the award ceiling and award floor amounts?
The listing showed an award ceiling of $0 and an award floor of $0. This commonly indicates that a specific range was not set in that field of the listing or that the listing format did not capture the range properly, and applicants would have needed to refer to the full announcement for budget expectations.
What was the application timeline for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted and created on March 12, 2012, and the closing date (original and current) was March 22, 2012, making the application window relatively short.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity archived on June 12, 2012.
What was the CFDA listing associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity sat within the USGS research and data collection assistance listing, identified as CFDA 15.808.
What activity category did this opportunity fall under?
The activity category was listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Where could applicants find the complete solicitation details?
The listing pointed applicants to Grants.gov for the complete announcement.
Who was the USGS contact for help accessing the announcement electronically?
The listed USGS contact was Faith Graves. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.
How does the CESU network relate to this funding opportunity?
The CESU network is intended to link federal agencies with academic and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. This opportunity leveraged the Californian CESU partnership structure to carry out the work collaboratively.
What does it mean that the award emphasized close collaboration with USGS?
Because it was a cooperative agreement, the funded effort was intended to be carried out with close involvement and collaboration between USGS and the recipient, aligning tool and technology development with USGS needs for geospatial data distribution and use.
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