Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Rivers CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Great Rivers CESU funding opportunity, Funding Opportunity Number G14AS00054. It was a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary grant solicitation issued as a cooperative agreement through the Center of Excellence for Geospatial Information Science (CEGIS).

Which agency is offering the award?

The award was offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with the solicitation issued through CEGIS.

What is the main purpose of the solicitation?

The core purpose was to support research in geographic information science, with a specific emphasis on developing and applying geospatial methods in High Performance Computing (HPC) environments.

How does this work support USGS mission needs?

The work was intended to strengthen USGS mission needs tied to The National Map and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Expected outputs would likely focus on practical and scalable methods for producing, managing, integrating, and using national-scale geospatial data products and services.

What type of award mechanism is used?

The solicitation was issued as a cooperative agreement. This model typically includes substantial federal involvement and requires the project to be carried out in cooperation with USGS.

What research areas or topics were highlighted as being of interest?

The announcement identified a broad research scope aligned with CEGIS priorities, including:

• Design of electronic topographic maps
• Automated data integration and generalization
• Geospatial semantics and ontologies for The National Map
• Improved representation of geospatial data and real-world phenomena
• Use of HPC to process large geospatial datasets and computationally intensive workflows
• Applied areas such as multi-hazard research and lidar

What does "automated data integration and generalization" refer to in this context?

Within the description provided, this refers to consolidating geospatial data from multiple sources and simplifying it appropriately for different map scales, using automated methods.

What does it mean to build geospatial semantics and ontologies for The National Map?

As described in the announcement, this means improving how geospatial features are defined, related, and interpreted by both humans and software, supporting better organization and use of The National Map content.

Why is High Performance Computing (HPC) emphasized?

HPC was emphasized to enable handling large geospatial datasets and computationally intensive workflows, supporting scalable approaches suitable for national-scale mapping and analysis.

How many awards were expected?

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

What was the estimated funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount was $120,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching was required.

Was there a stated minimum or maximum award size?

The listing showed an award ceiling of 0 and an award floor of 0. This typically indicates that the funding level is guided by the agency estimate and the proposed scope rather than fixed minimums or maximums.

What is the funding activity category?

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

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The relevant CFDA number was 15.817 under the National Geospatial Program, associated with building The National Map.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was restricted to organizations that were already participating partners in the Great Rivers CESU Program. Applicants needed to be part of the Great Rivers CESU network and able to demonstrate complementary research interests and capacity to perform the HPC-enabled geospatial science work described.

Can an organization apply if it is not a Great Rivers CESU partner?

No. The eligibility requirement specified that only existing participating partners in the Great Rivers CESU Program were eligible.

What is a CESU, based on this listing?

CESUs were described as structured partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, and other research entities to deliver research, technical assistance, and education.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted and created on April 14, 2014. The original and current closing date was April 25, 2014.

Was this a short application window?

Yes. Based on the posted date (April 14, 2014) and closing date (April 25, 2014), the solicitation had a short turnaround window.

When was the opportunity archived?

The listing indicated the opportunity was archived on July 14, 2014.

Where was the opportunity accessible?

The opportunity was accessible through Grants.gov, with additional reference information available via the CEGIS website.

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

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

What kinds of project outcomes were implied by the description?

Based on the stated purpose and mission alignment, the implied outcomes were practical, scalable approaches to producing, managing, integrating, and using national-scale geospatial data products and services, particularly those relevant to The National Map and NSDI and suited for HPC environments.

How closely did proposals need to align with CEGIS priorities?

The description indicates the research scope was broad but clearly anchored in CEGIS priorities, suggesting that successful projects would align closely with the highlighted topic areas and directions.

What applied data types or domains were explicitly mentioned?

The announcement explicitly mentioned multi-hazard research and lidar as applied areas of interest, signaling an emphasis on methods capable of processing or analyzing large volumes of elevation and remote sensing data efficiently and at scale.