Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Great Basin CESU funding opportunity (G12AS20026)?

This funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G12AS20026) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) cooperative agreement offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Great Basin CESU. The project is focused on improving how protected areas (protected lands and waters) are documented and understood across the United States.

What is the main goal of this project?

The main objective is to evaluate how well existing national data systems capture information about protected lands and waters, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and use those findings to guide updates to the Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), a major national dataset supported through a cooperative USGS effort.

What is PAD-US and how does it relate to this opportunity?

PAD-US stands for the Protected Areas Database of the United States. This opportunity is designed to generate analysis and practical improvements that directly inform updates, corrections, and ongoing maintenance of PAD-US.

What kind of work is expected under this cooperative agreement?

The work is described as having two connected tracks: (1) an analytical and policy research track that reviews how protected areas are currently documented in national data systems, and (2) a hands-on data development and data management track that uses the research findings to improve PAD-US.

What does the analytical and policy research track focus on?

The analytical and policy research component focuses on understanding the existing "data framework" used to document protected areas, including what information is available, how complete it is, and what limitations it has for real-world conservation and land management decisions.

What does the opportunity mean by reviewing the protected areas "data framework"?

It refers to examining the current national systems and approaches used to record and describe protected areas, including what is captured in those systems, how consistent the information is, where gaps exist, and how well the data reflects protected area conditions and intentions.

What does "protected area coverage" mean in the context of this project?

Protected area coverage refers to where protected lands are located and how much area is represented within the national data systems being evaluated, including how comprehensively those areas are captured in the datasets.

What does "management intent" mean in the context of this project?

Management intent refers to what protection is meant to achieve, how land is managed, and how those intentions are represented (or potentially misrepresented) in existing data systems. The project includes evaluating how these intentions are recorded and where improvements may be needed.

What does the data development and management track involve?

The practical track involves updating and improving PAD-US based on insights from the research and review. The description emphasizes that the research should directly inform how the national protected areas database is refined, corrected, and maintained.

Is this project purely technical (data/GIS), or does it include policy and social considerations?

It is not purely technical. The project explicitly calls for reviewing protected areas documentation in light of contemporary social and organizational conceptions of biodiversity in conservation and land management. This signals that evolving conservation priorities and institutional practices should be considered when assessing how "protected" status and goals are represented in national datasets.

What is meant by "contemporary social and organizational conceptions" in the project description?

This refers to how current social perspectives, institutional practices, and organizational priorities influence what counts as "protected," how protection goals are defined, and how those goals should be reflected in a national dataset like PAD-US.

What disciplines or expertise are relevant for this project?

The opportunity indicates collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues, implying a team environment that may include conservation science, GIS and data stewardship, policy analysis, land management, and potentially social science perspectives related to governance and conservation objectives.

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This typically implies substantial federal involvement or collaboration during the project period, rather than a more hands-off grant structure.

How much funding is available under this opportunity?

The estimated total funding amount listed for this opportunity is $275,000.

How many awards were expected?

The opportunity listed one expected award.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 15.808, identified as U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to entities that are already participating partners in the Great Basin CESU Program. This opportunity is not broadly open to the general public or all institutions.

What is a CESU and why does it matter for eligibility?

CESUs are partnership networks designed to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, tribes, and other organizations to provide research, technical assistance, and education. For this opportunity, only Great Basin CESU partners are eligible to apply.

When was this opportunity posted and when were applications due?

The opportunity was posted on April 23, 2012, and the application closing date was May 4, 2012.

When was this opportunity archived?

The archive date listed for this opportunity is July 26, 2012.

Who was the contact person for questions about accessing the full announcement?

The listed contact was Faith Graves at USGS.

How could applicants contact the listed point of contact?

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

Where was additional general opportunity information referenced?

Additional general opportunity information was referenced through Grants.gov via the link provided in the notice.