Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Desert Southwest CESU research funding announcement (Funding Opportunity Number G14AS00048) issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and administered through the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC).

Which agency offered the opportunity?

The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with administration handled through the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC).

What is the purpose of the project described in the announcement?

The project supported science and technology research aimed at improving how land cover change is evaluated in relation to long-running bird monitoring data.

What was the central research question?

The central question was whether landscapes immediately surrounding North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes across the United States have experienced land cover changes that are similar in both quality (type of change) and rate (how quickly change occurs) to broader land cover change patterns measured at larger spatial scales across Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs).

Why does the representativeness of BBS route corridors matter?

Many bird trend analyses and conservation planning decisions rely on the assumption that habitats sampled along roads and routes reflect conditions across the broader landscape. This project was designed to test that assumption by comparing land cover change near BBS routes to change across larger regions (BCRs).

What monitoring program’s data was referenced?

The opportunity referenced the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and its long-running bird monitoring data.

What spatial scale was used for the broader regional comparison?

The broader comparison was described at the scale of Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs).

What type of award was used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The award mechanism was a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement indicates USGS expected substantial involvement with the recipient during the project, rather than a fully hands-off relationship.

What program area did this opportunity fall under?

The announcement was categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA program was associated with this funding?

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

How much funding was available?

The estimated total funding available was $98,600.

How many awards were expected?

The announcement indicated an expectation of making a single award.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The listing stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Why did the award ceiling and floor show as $0?

The award ceiling and floor were both shown as $0 in the listing, which typically indicates a precise ceiling/floor was not specified in the summary record, even though the total estimated funding for the anticipated award was provided.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to organizations that were already participating partners in the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (DSCESU).

Could an organization outside the Desert Southwest CESU apply?

No. Because the opportunity was issued under the CESU framework, only entities that were members of the Desert Southwest CESU were eligible, rather than the general public or all applicants nationwide.

What is a CESU in the context of this opportunity?

CESUs are formal partnership networks that connect federal agencies with universities, tribes, and other research organizations to deliver applied research, technical assistance, and education in support of public land and resource management.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

It was posted and created on March 20, 2014.

What was the application closing date?

The opportunity closed on March 28, 2014 (the same date was shown for both the original and current closing dates).

Was the opportunity archived, and if so, when?

Yes. The opportunity was later archived on June 20, 2014.

Where were additional details provided?

Additional details were made available through Grants.gov.

Who was the point of contact for questions or access issues?

The listed point of contact was Faith Graves at USGS.

How can the point of contact be reached?

Faith Graves could be reached at 703-648-7356 or by email at fgraves@usgs.gov.

What was the key practical aim of the research described?

In practical terms, the project aimed to test how representative BBS route corridors are of the wider regions (BCRs) that conservation planners often use.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. Based on the provided dates, the closing date was March 28, 2014, and the record was archived on June 20, 2014.