Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Colorado Plateau CESU funding opportunity. The Funding Opportunity Number is G14AS00062.

2) Which federal agency is offering this grant?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a discretionary grant awarded as a cooperative agreement.

3) What type of award is being offered (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The funding is offered as a cooperative agreement, which is a form of federal assistance where substantial involvement by the federal agency is typically expected compared to a standard grant.

4) Who is administering the opportunity within USGS?

The opportunity is administered through the USGS Canyonlands Research Station (CRS), which is part of the Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC).

5) What is the main focus of the project?

The project focus is research and development supporting science and technology needs for dryland ecosystem management, specifically targeting soil rehabilitation in Bandelier National Monument.

6) What does "soil rehabilitation" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Based on the notice description, soil rehabilitation refers to researching and developing techniques to improve the stability and fertility of soils, including in areas historically considered too difficult or risky to manage. The intent is practical, field-relevant work that can be applied to real management problems.

7) Why is this work being prioritized now?

The opportunity is framed as urgent because dryland and semi-arid ecosystems across the western United States are being affected by rapid environmental change, including rising temperatures, prolonged drought, and insect outbreaks. These stressors are linked to major plant mortality events and ecosystem shifts, increasing the need for effective rehabilitation strategies to support resilience and recovery.

8) How is Bandelier National Monument affected by these broader ecological changes?

The notice describes Bandelier as a place where sustained drought, large-scale tree mortality, and altered fire regimes are already reshaping ecosystems, changing community composition and ecosystem functioning. Soil rehabilitation is positioned as a key need in that setting.

9) Does the opportunity mention specific examples of ecological impacts in the region?

Yes. The announcement highlights extensive mortality of Pinus edulis (pinyon pine) across more than a million hectares in the southwestern United States, linked to drought conditions consistent with global-change-driven patterns.

10) What kinds of outcomes is the funding trying to support?

The stated intent is to fund research into rehabilitation techniques that improve soil stability and fertility, especially for difficult sites, in ways that are directly useful for management decisions in dryland ecosystems under intensified drought and disturbance.

11) How does soil rehabilitation connect to other resource concerns in the park?

The notice connects soils to vegetation establishment, erosion control, hydrology, and fire behavior, and frames rehabilitation as important for ecosystem resilience and recovery. It also emphasizes protecting both cultural and natural resources in Bandelier and similar parks.

12) Is the opportunity tied to cultural resource protection as well as natural resource management?

Yes. The text emphasizes risk to both cultural and natural resources if action is not taken quickly, and notes that negative consequences could be irreversible.

13) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The assistance listing is associated with CFDA 15.808, titled U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.

14) What activity category does this opportunity fall under?

The activity category is classified as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

15) How many awards were expected?

The opportunity anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).

16) What is the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount listed is $36,056.

17) Are there published minimum or maximum award amounts?

The listing shows the award ceiling and floor as $0 and $0. This typically indicates that the standard fields do not express a funding range in the grants.gov record, even though an estimated total amount of $36,056 is provided.

18) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity indicates no cost sharing or matching requirement.

19) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are already participating partners in the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

20) Can a non-CESU organization apply?

Based on the information provided, no. The core eligibility requirement is that the applicant must be a participating partner in the Colorado Plateau CESU network, rather than a general public applicant.

21) What is a CESU in general terms?

CESUs are collaborative partnerships designed to deliver research, technical assistance, and education services for public resource management needs, often linking federal agencies with universities, tribes, NGOs, and other partners.

22) Where should applicants look for full details and any additional eligibility clarification?

The announcement directs applicants to grants.gov for full details, and notes that applicants should refer to additional eligibility information in the full notice for clarification.

23) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted (and created) on April 14, 2014.

24) What was the application deadline?

The original and current closing date listed is April 25, 2014.

25) Was this opportunity later archived?

Yes. It was archived on July 14, 2014.

26) How long was the application window?

Based on the posted date of April 14, 2014 and closing date of April 25, 2014, the window was 11 days.

27) Who is the contact person for questions or access issues?

The listed contact is Faith Graves at USGS.

28) What are the contact details provided for the USGS point of contact?

Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.

29) What is the geographic and management setting emphasized by the opportunity?

The work is focused on Bandelier National Monument and is discussed in the broader context of dryland and semi-arid ecosystems across the western United States, particularly in the southwestern region experiencing drought, tree mortality, and disturbance-driven change.

30) What is the underlying management problem the research is meant to address?

The opportunity emphasizes that environmental stressors (rising temperatures, prolonged drought, and insect outbreaks) are driving ecosystem change and plant mortality. In that context, the research is meant to help identify soil rehabilitation strategies that support recovery and resilience and can be applied to practical management problems in difficult-to-rehabilitate areas.