Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number 09HQPA0013) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary funding announcement offering support through a cooperative agreement for a single project focused on spatial modeling of natural and cultural resources in the Mojave Desert. The central idea is to strengthen collaboration between USGS and partner universities within the Great Basin CESU network to develop and apply GIS-based, geospatially corrected data products that can be used across multiple land management and research needs. Although the work is framed broadly for the Mojave Desert, a key example and likely focal use case is the Gold Butte Desert Wildlife Management Area in Lincoln County, Nevada, where human use pressures and resource sensitivity create a strong need for better planning tools.

The project is designed to produce practical, decision-oriented spatial analyses that integrate information about cultural resources, sensitive species habitat, and major vegetation communities. These mapped and modeled outputs are intended to directly support an integrated management plan for Gold Butte by giving managers clearer visibility into where important resources occur, where risks or conflicts may be emerging, and how different management actions could be prioritized. The announcement highlights that this information will feed into real-world planning decisions, including sensitive species management, recreation planning, law enforcement considerations, travel and route management, and other on-the-ground programs that depend on knowing where sensitive or high-value areas are located.

A major technical emphasis is on habitat modeling for a range of sensitive species, specifically including plants, reptiles, and birds. To do this credibly, the work must rely on GIS layers that are geospatially rectified and that combine biological, physical, and social datasets. In other words, the modeling is not limited to ecology alone; it also considers human dimensions and landscape factors that shape impacts and management constraints. The announcement also makes clear that quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is not a minor administrative step but a core technical requirement, because data layers need to be accurate, consistent, and suitable for analysis as well as for comparison with other current or ongoing work. This implies careful documentation of sources, validation checks, and standardized preparation of spatial datasets so they can be confidently used by federal land managers and partners.

Beyond research outputs, the project explicitly includes technical assistance and education components aimed at supporting federal land managers and their collaborators. That signals an applied, partnership-driven approach where the recipient is expected not only to generate models and maps, but also to help managers understand, use, and potentially maintain or update the data products and methods. In practice, that often means producing usable GIS deliverables, providing guidance on interpretation, and ensuring that tools and datasets are accessible for planning workflows rather than remaining purely academic products.

In terms of award structure and funding, the opportunity anticipated one award with an estimated total funding amount of $51,480, and the award floor and ceiling were both set at exactly $51,480, indicating a fixed-size award rather than a range. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the associated CFDA number is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The opportunity was posted and created on November 5, 2008, with an original and current closing date of November 14, 2008, and an archive date of December 14, 2008.

Eligibility was limited to Great Basin CESU partners (as part of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit network) with demonstrated ability and experience to conduct research aligned with the described goals, and applicants could not be employed by a federal agency. The administering agency is the U.S. Geological Survey. For access issues or announcement-related assistance, the listed contact was Faith Graves, Contract Specialist, at 703-648-7356.

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