Opportunity Information: Apply for G15AS00119
Apply for G15AS00119
- The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecoystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808 U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 1, 2015 and posted on Jul 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 17, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $12,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of Great Lakes Northern Forests Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00119) was a discretionary research award offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through its Western Ecological Research Center, under the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) Program. It was issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning the work was expected to involve active collaboration with USGS rather than operating as a hands-off grant. The opportunity sat within the Science and Technology/Research and Development category and was tied to CFDA 15.808 (USGS Research and Data Collection). The announcement was posted on July 1, 2015, with an application deadline of July 17, 2015, and it later moved to archive status on October 1, 2015.
The project itself was titled "Genetic structure of Golden Eagle populations in western San Diego County" and focused on improving understanding of landscape connectivity for golden eagles in Southern California. In practical terms, the work aimed to use genetic information along with local population size estimates to clarify how golden eagles in this region are connected (or potentially fragmented) across the landscape. That connectivity question matters because managers need to know whether birds are part of a stable local breeding population, whether they are frequently replaced by immigrants from other areas, and how movement and gene flow might be affected by development, habitat change, and other human-caused pressures.
USGS framed the need for the project around growing concern for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in western San Diego County and a lack of up-to-date ecological information required for effective management. The description notes that golden eagle populations in California often include a mix of resident breeding adults, resident non-breeders such as subadults, and seasonal itinerant birds that move through the area. Understanding that mix is important because each group can respond differently to threats, and a population that looks healthy based on occasional sightings could still be vulnerable if it relies heavily on transient individuals or if breeding territories are being lost or disrupted.
The opportunity also highlighted diet and foraging ecology as a key part of management context. Historical diet studies in San Diego County indicate golden eagles use a wide variety of prey, including ground and tree squirrels, lagomorphs (such as rabbits and hares), coots and ducks, skunks, gray foxes, house cats, young pigs, young deer, and carrion. By pointing to this broad prey base, the announcement emphasized that managing golden eagles is not only about protecting nests; it also requires understanding habitat quality and food availability across each nesting territory, as well as how human activities may alter prey communities, increase disturbance, or introduce new risks.
Funding was modest, with an estimated total of $12,000 and an expectation of making one award. The listed award ceiling and floor were both shown as $0, which typically indicates the announcement did not formally constrain the award amount in those fields even though a total estimate was provided elsewhere. No cost sharing or matching was required. Eligibility was limited to partners within the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU, meaning only organizations that were already participating members of that specific CESU network could apply. CESUs are structured partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, tribes, and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education, so this opportunity was intentionally restricted to that partner community rather than open to the general public.
For applicants and administrative questions, the announcement directed people to Grants.gov for the full posting and listed a USGS contact: Faith Graves (703-648-7356, fgraves@usgs.gov) for assistance accessing the complete announcement materials.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Funding Opportunity Number G15AS00119?
G15AS00119 was a discretionary research funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the Western Ecological Research Center under the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) Program. It was released as a cooperative agreement, with the work intended to be carried out in active collaboration with USGS.
Which agency offered this opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through its Western Ecological Research Center.
What type of award was this?
This opportunity was issued as a cooperative agreement. That indicates USGS expected to be substantially involved in the project rather than providing a hands-off grant.
What was the project title and focus?
The project was titled "Genetic structure of Golden Eagle populations in western San Diego County." It focused on improving understanding of landscape connectivity for golden eagles in Southern California by using genetic information alongside local population size estimates.
What problem or management need was the project intended to address?
USGS described growing concern for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in western San Diego County and a lack of up-to-date ecological information needed for effective management. The project was intended to help clarify how birds in the region are connected across the landscape (or potentially fragmented), which affects how managers interpret population stability and vulnerability.
What does "landscape connectivity" mean in the context of this project?
In this context, landscape connectivity refers to how golden eagles in western San Diego County are linked through movement and gene flow, including whether the local birds represent a stable breeding population, whether they are replaced by immigrants from other areas, and how development and habitat change may influence those connections.
Why did the announcement emphasize genetics and population size estimates?
The opportunity stated that genetic information, combined with local population size estimates, could help determine how golden eagles are connected across the landscape and whether the population may be fragmented. This supports management decisions about long-term stability and the role of immigration versus local recruitment.
What kinds of golden eagle groups were mentioned as being present in California populations?
The announcement noted that California golden eagle populations can include a mix of resident breeding adults, resident non-breeders (such as subadults), and seasonal itinerant birds that move through the area.
Why does it matter whether eagles are residents, non-breeders, or seasonal itinerants?
The announcement indicated that each group can respond differently to threats. It also suggested that a population could appear healthy based on sightings yet still be vulnerable if it relies heavily on transient individuals or if breeding territories are being lost or disrupted.
What threats or pressures were mentioned as relevant to connectivity and management?
The opportunity tied connectivity and population stability to development, habitat change, and other human-caused pressures that can affect movement patterns, gene flow, disturbance levels, and overall habitat conditions.
Was diet or foraging ecology part of the management context described?
Yes. The announcement highlighted diet and foraging ecology as an important part of management context, emphasizing that conservation is not only about protecting nests but also about understanding habitat quality and food availability across nesting territories.
What prey items were listed as part of the historical golden eagle diet in San Diego County?
The announcement cited historical diet studies indicating a broad prey base, including ground and tree squirrels, lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), coots and ducks, skunks, gray foxes, house cats, young pigs, young deer, and carrion.
What was the estimated funding amount and expected number of awards?
The estimated total funding was $12,000, and the opportunity indicated an expectation of making one award.
Why did the award ceiling and floor show as $0?
The listing showed both the award ceiling and floor as $0, which typically signals that those specific fields were not used to formally constrain the award amount in the announcement, even though a separate estimated total ($12,000) was provided.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated that no cost sharing or matching was required.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to partners within the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU. In other words, only organizations that were participating members of that specific CESU network could apply.
Was this opportunity open to the general public?
No. The opportunity was intentionally restricted to the partner community within the Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU, rather than being open to all applicants.
What is the CESU Program in the context of this opportunity?
The announcement described CESUs as structured partnerships designed to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, tribes, and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education. This opportunity was issued under the CESU Program and restricted to a specific CESU network.
What category and CFDA number were associated with this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was in the Science and Technology/Research and Development category and was tied to CFDA 15.808, described as USGS Research and Data Collection.
When was the announcement posted and when was the application deadline?
The announcement was posted on July 1, 2015, and the application deadline was July 17, 2015.
When did the opportunity move to archive status?
The opportunity later moved to archive status on October 1, 2015.
Where were applicants directed to find the full posting and official materials?
The announcement directed applicants to Grants.gov for the full posting.
Who was listed as the USGS contact for help accessing the complete announcement materials?
The announcement listed Faith Graves as the USGS contact for assistance accessing the complete announcement materials.
What contact information was provided for the USGS contact?
The contact information provided was Faith Graves, phone 703-648-7356, email fgraves@usgs.gov.
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