Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

Funding Opportunity Number G12AS20068 is a discretionary USGS grant offered through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Gulf Coast CESU. It is issued by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC) and uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, which generally means the USGS expects to have substantial involvement in the work rather than simply awarding funds and receiving a final report. The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the CFDA listing is 15.808 (U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection). The opportunity was posted June 25, 2012, with an application deadline of July 6, 2012, and it was later archived on September 25, 2012.

The purpose of the project is to support collaborative research focused on how shoreline and barrier island restoration along the Louisiana Gulf Coast affects both a threatened shorebird and its supporting food web. The work targets the wintering habitat of the threatened Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) and also considers other wintering and migratory shorebirds that are of conservation concern. The study area named in the announcement includes Whiskey Island and the Isles Dernieres, which are barrier island systems that have been subject to restoration efforts and are important coastal habitats for shorebirds. In plain terms, the grant is meant to help determine whether restoration actions are improving, degrading, or otherwise changing the habitat conditions that Piping Plovers and other shorebirds rely on during wintering and migration periods.

A major scientific emphasis is on measuring "response and recovery rates" after restoration, and this includes two connected pieces: the birds and the benthic macroinvertebrate community. Benthic macroinvertebrates are bottom-dwelling organisms like worms, small crustaceans, and mollusks that live in or on sediments and form an important part of shorebird diets, directly influencing foraging success and habitat quality. By tracking how these prey communities respond and how quickly they recover following restoration-related disturbance or habitat alteration, the project can link physical restoration outcomes (changes in sediments, shore profiles, and intertidal areas) to ecological outcomes that matter for threatened species management. The birds component centers on the Piping Plover's use of restored or altered shoreline habitats, with attention to potential impacts on wintering conditions such as prey availability, foraging efficiency, and overall habitat suitability.

The announcement anticipates a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $250,000. The award ceiling and floor are both listed as zero, which typically indicates the agency did not set formal minimum or maximum award limits in the public summary and instead expects applicants to propose budgets appropriate to the scope described. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds to be eligible or competitive.

Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are already partners in the Gulf Coast CESU Program. CESUs are formal partnerships that connect federal agencies with universities, research institutions, and other eligible entities to deliver research, technical assistance, and education aligned with natural resource management needs. Because the opportunity is issued under the CESU authority, applicants outside the Gulf Coast CESU partnership would not be eligible unless they were participating partners under that specific CESU.

For applicants or interested parties who needed the full announcement at the time, the listing directed users to Grants.gov and provided a point of contact at USGS: Faith Graves (703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov) for assistance accessing the full announcement electronically.

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