Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Chesapeak Watershed CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the name of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Chesapeake Watershed CESU. It is associated with Funding Opportunity Number (FON) G15AS00121.

2. Which federal agency is offering the award?

The funding announcement is issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a discretionary funding opportunity.

3. What type of award is being offered?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This typically means USGS is expected to have substantial involvement in the project compared to a standard grant.

4. How many awards are expected to be made?

The opportunity lists an expected number of awards of 1.

5. What is the estimated total amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding listed is $20,821.

6. Are there minimum or maximum award amounts (award floor/ceiling)?

The posted summary shows an award ceiling of 0 and an award floor of 0. In context, this generally indicates the fields were not specified in the summary rather than implying no funding. The estimated total funding amount ($20,821) is the clearest indicator of the likely project scale.

7. Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed for this opportunity.

8. What is the main scientific focus of the project?

The core scientific aim is to improve how researchers detect and measure sublethal biological changes in animals, with a particular emphasis on pollinators, in response to exposure to a rapidly expanding class of pesticides described as the fastest-growing pesticide class globally (cited as Gibbons et al., 2014).

9. What does "sublethal biological changes" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this announcement, sublethal effects refer to biological changes that occur before obvious mortality or overt impacts are visible. The intent is to measure early and mechanistic signals of stress or altered condition rather than focusing only on whether animals die or show clear outward harm.

10. What kinds of measurements or endpoints does the opportunity emphasize?

The project is designed to evaluate sublethal effects by measuring biomarker responses at the cellular and molecular level. Examples mentioned include molecular markers, cellular stress indicators, or other mechanistic endpoints that can detect changes in condition.

11. What technology or tool is being tested in the proposed research?

The described project centers on testing an innovative sustained-release chemical delivery device. The research is positioned as a proof-of-concept and a technology-forward collaboration.

12. What is the purpose of using a sustained-release chemical delivery device?

The intent is to use a controlled delivery approach and then determine whether the device can reliably produce detectable biological responses (biomarkers) that signal changes in animal condition before more visible harm occurs.

13. Why is there a special emphasis on pollinators?

The opportunity highlights pollinators as a particularly sensitive group and links pollinator health to broader ecosystem health and national concerns around pollination.

14. How does this work connect animal health to ecosystem health?

The announcement frames individual animal health as an early-warning indicator for ecosystem condition, based on the idea that ecosystem health is reflected in the health of its animals, especially sensitive groups like pollinators.

15. Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are already participating partners in the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

16. What is a CESU, as described in the announcement?

CESUs are structured partnerships intended to support research, technical assistance, and education through collaboration among federal agencies and partner institutions.

17. What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808, described as USGS Research and Data Collection.

18. How is this opportunity categorized?

The listing categorizes the opportunity within Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

19. When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted July 1, 2015, and created July 20, 2015. It shows an original closing date of July 17, 2015 and a current closing date of July 31, 2015.

20. Is this opportunity still open?

No. The listing indicates it was archived on October 1, 2015.

21. Where would applicants find the full solicitation details and required forms?

The additional information link points to Grants.gov, where the full solicitation details and any required forms or instructions would have been provided.

22. Who is the point of contact for questions or help accessing the full announcement?

The contact listed is Faith Graves at USGS. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.

23. What makes this a "national-level science problem" opportunity?

The announcement describes the focus as a national-level science problem that requires novel methods and outside technical expertise, particularly around detecting and measuring sublethal biological changes tied to pesticide exposure.

24. What is the expected orientation of the work: basic research, applied research, or both?

Based on the description, the work is positioned as a proof-of-concept research effort and a technology-forward collaboration, emphasizing methods development and demonstrating measurable biomarker responses rather than only documenting overt outcomes.

25. Does the summary specify the exact pesticide class involved?

The summary describes the pesticides as a rapidly expanding class and cites them as the fastest-growing pesticide class globally (Gibbons et al., 2014), but it does not name the class in the provided text.