Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North West Alaska CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), North West Alaska CESU grant, issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G11AS20067.

Who is the funding agency?

The funding agency is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

What type of funding instrument is being offered?

The funding instrument type is a grant.

What program mechanism is used for this award?

This opportunity was offered under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is a partnership-based mechanism used by federal agencies to obtain research, technical assistance, and educational support from cooperating institutions.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose was to support discretionary research focused on improving how scientists model glacier-driven freshwater runoff and the related movement of biogeochemical materials across a region.

What scientific problem is this grant trying to address?

The opportunity targets the need for a comprehensive, regional-scale framework to simulate how glacier runoff is changing and how those hydrologic changes translate into shifts in biogeochemical fluxes, such as the transport of nutrients, carbon, sediments, and other constituents from glaciated landscapes into rivers and coastal oceans.

What does "biogeochemical fluxes" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this announcement, biogeochemical fluxes refer to how water carries materials like nutrients, carbon, sediments, and other constituents from glaciated landscapes into downstream systems, including rivers and coastal oceans.

What geographic area is emphasized in the announcement?

The announcement emphasizes glacier runoff along the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and discusses implications for Alaska and the broader North Pacific Ecoregion.

Why is glacier runoff along the Gulf of Alaska considered important?

The USGS highlighted the magnitude of glacier runoff along the Gulf of Alaska, noting that it can exceed the annual discharge of the Mississippi River, indicating that the freshwater input is very large and influential for downstream coastal systems.

How does this research connect to coastal ocean conditions?

The opportunity was aimed at helping develop modeling tools and approaches that connect glacier melt and runoff dynamics to coastal ocean structure and circulation, with specific mention of effects on the Alaska Coastal Current (ACC), described as freshwater-driven.

What is the Alaska Coastal Current (ACC) in this announcement?

The ACC is described in the opportunity as a freshwater-driven coastal current whose conditions and circulation can be influenced by large freshwater inputs such as glacier runoff.

Is this intended to be a single-site study or broader in scope?

The focus was on developing a framework rather than a single site study, with the intent that methods could be applied across the region and support broader assessments of change.

What are the expected real-world implications of the funded work?

The USGS framed the work as having significant real-world implications, stating that the resulting knowledge would matter for Alaska, the broader North Pacific Ecoregion, and global understanding of glacier change and downstream impacts.

How much funding was expected to be available?

The estimated total funding available was $25,000.

Was only one award expected or multiple awards?

Only one award was expected.

Is there an award ceiling or floor stated?

The listing did not specify an award ceiling or floor; both were shown as $0. This typically indicates that formal ceiling/floor values were not set in those specific fields even though an overall estimated total was provided.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving the award.

What is the assistance listing / CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is tied to CFDA number 15.808, identified as U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.

What is the broad activity category for this grant?

The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was restricted to organizations that were already participating partners of the North West Alaska CESU.

Is this opportunity open to all universities and nonprofits?

No. The announcement indicates eligibility was not open competition; eligible recipients had to be a partner in the North West Alaska CESU.

What applicant category is listed in the announcement?

The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," with the clarification that applicants must be North West Alaska CESU partners.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted and created on August 3, 2011.

What was the application closing date?

The original and current closing date was August 15, 2011.

How long was the application window?

Based on the posted date (August 3, 2011) and closing date (August 15, 2011), the application window was roughly two weeks.

What does it mean that the opportunity is archived?

The archive date was September 14, 2011, meaning the notice was moved into an archived status after the solicitation period ended.

Who is the point of contact listed for questions or access issues?

The listed point of contact is Faith Graves, Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer.

How can the point of contact be reached?

Faith Graves can be reached by phone at 703-648-7356.

What kind of research outputs does this opportunity appear to encourage?

Based on the description, the opportunity emphasized development of modeling tools and a regional-scale simulation framework linking glacier runoff changes to hydrologic shifts and resulting changes in downstream biogeochemical fluxes and coastal current dynamics.