Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the funding opportunity number and title?

The funding opportunity is Funding Opportunity Number G11AS20084, titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU."

Which federal agency issued this opportunity?

This opportunity was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC).

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement instrument. This typically means USGS is expected to be actively involved during the period of performance, rather than providing funds with minimal interaction.

Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity.

What is the CFDA program associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA program listed is 15.808, "U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection."

What funding activity category does this fall under?

The funding activity falls under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What is the main purpose of the award?

The purpose is to support research and technical assistance focused on data management for the Northwest Climate Science Center.

What kind of work is the project intended to support?

The project is aimed at designing and structuring a data management approach that better supports climate-related research. The emphasis is on developing a coherent design and structure for organizing, documenting, maintaining, and enabling long-term usability of climate science data, not simply creating a place to store files.

Is the project focused only on file storage or something broader?

It is explicitly broader than file storage. The announcement emphasizes designing a data management approach that addresses how data are organized, documented, maintained, and made usable by others over time.

How does the opportunity address data sharing across organizations?

A central theme is enterprise-wide data sharing across the broader Climate Science Center system and its connected network, described as the CSC/NCCWSC/LCC network. The intent is to contribute to a consistent, interoperable way for Climate Science Centers and related partners to share data rather than operating in isolated systems.

What enterprise-wide elements does the opportunity call for?

The opportunity specifically calls out identifying the tools, capabilities, processes, and standards needed across the enterprise. This points to work such as assessing needs, recommending or piloting tools, defining workflows for data submission and stewardship, and aligning practices with standards so data can be discovered, accessed, and reused across centers.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated making a single award.

What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount was $400,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The notice states that no cost sharing or matching was required.

Was there an award ceiling or floor?

The posted summary lists no award ceiling or floor (both shown as 0). This generally indicates the summary did not specify formal minimum or maximum request amounts, even though an estimated total funding amount was provided.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to participating partners of the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. The listing labels eligible applicants as "Others," but clarifies that eligibility is restricted to Rocky Mountain CESU partners.

Can non-CESU partners apply?

Based on the notice, no. Organizations had to be participating partners of the Rocky Mountain CESU Program to be eligible.

What is the CESU Program context for this opportunity?

The opportunity was issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is a network of partnerships designed to provide research, technical assistance, and education for resource management agencies.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

The notice indicates it was posted and created on August 3, 2011.

What was the application closing date?

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

How long was the application window?

Based on the posted/created date (August 3, 2011) and the closing date (August 15, 2011), the application window was short.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on November 3, 2011.

Where were additional details made available?

Additional details were available via Grants.gov.

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

The point of contact listed was Faith Graves at USGS. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov. The notice indicates applicants could contact this person if they had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically.

What Northwest organization or program was directly supported by the project?

The award purpose was tied specifically to data management for the Northwest Climate Science Center.

What broader network is referenced for interoperability and sharing goals?

The notice references the broader Climate Science Center system and the connected CSC/NCCWSC/LCC network as the context for enterprise-wide sharing and interoperability.

In one sentence, what is this opportunity about?

It is a CESU-restricted cooperative agreement opportunity intended to fund a single project to design a robust, shareable data management approach for climate science work at the Northwest Climate Science Center, with an explicit goal of strengthening data sharing and standardization across the broader Climate Science Center network.