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FAQs: USGS CESU Grant (Funding Opportunity Number G13AS00102)

What is Funding Opportunity Number G13AS00102?

G13AS00102 is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) funding opportunity issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, specifically through the South Florida Caribbean CESU. It supported science and technology/research and development work tied to restoration and conservation planning in the Greater Everglades region of South Florida.

Which agency issued this opportunity?

The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Which CESU network does this opportunity fall under?

This opportunity was released through the South Florida Caribbean CESU.

What was the main purpose of this grant opportunity?

The purpose was to fund research and technical assistance focused on "Setting Conservation Priorities for Dynamic Reserve Design." The work aimed to help evaluate and rank land acquisition priorities to support the formation of a new National Wildlife Refuge in South Florida, within the broader Everglades restoration context.

What kind of work was USGS looking to fund?

USGS sought partners who could apply advanced, up-to-date analytical tools to support conservation planning and land acquisition prioritization. The description emphasizes decision-support approaches that can compare alternatives transparently and account for uncertainty and tradeoffs.

What is "Structured Decision Making" and why was it emphasized?

Structured Decision Making is a formal and transparent method for comparing management alternatives using defined objectives, measurable criteria, and explicit treatment of tradeoffs and uncertainty. It was emphasized because the project was intended to produce defensible, clearly documented prioritization results that could be used in real-world conservation and restoration decisions.

How does this opportunity relate to Everglades restoration?

The opportunity was positioned within USGS's ongoing ecological and hydrological research and monitoring that supports Greater Everglades restoration. The announcement notes that USGS-generated science is intended to feed directly into restoration decisions, particularly as conditions and outcomes may shift with climate change and sea level rise.

Did the opportunity specifically mention climate change or sea level rise?

Yes. The description highlighted the growing need to account for climate change and sea level rise when deciding where conservation investments will remain valuable over time.

What types of factors might be considered in ranking land acquisition priorities under this opportunity?

While the announcement did not provide a fixed list, it indicated that prioritization would likely consider factors such as ecological function, habitat connectivity, resilience to sea level rise, hydrologic benefits, and long-term conservation return on investment.

What award instrument was used (grant, contract, cooperative agreement)?

The award instrument was a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement indicates the project was expected to involve substantial involvement and collaboration with USGS scientists. In other words, the work was not expected to operate as a fully independent grant effort; collaboration with USGS was a built-in expectation.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to organizations that are already participating partners in the South Florida Caribbean CESU.

What is a CESU and why does it matter for eligibility?

CESUs are partnership networks designed to streamline collaboration among federal agencies, universities, nonprofits, and other research entities. They support research, technical assistance, and education aligned with agency mission needs. For this opportunity, being a participating partner in the South Florida Caribbean CESU was a requirement to be eligible.

Was cost sharing or matching funds required?

No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds.

How much funding was available?

USGS anticipated a total estimated funding amount of $150,000.

How many awards did USGS expect to make?

USGS anticipated making one award.

Was there an award ceiling or floor?

The administrative fields for award ceiling and award floor were listed as zero. This generally indicates the agency did not specify per-award minimum or maximum bounds in those particular fields, even though the total estimated funding amount was provided.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The associated CFDA number listed was 15.808, titled "U.S. Geological Survey Research and Data Collection."

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posting date and creation date were July 15, 2013, and the closing date was July 26, 2013.

Was the opportunity later archived?

Yes. The opportunity was later archived on October 15, 2013.

Where were applicants directed to find the full announcement and submission details?

The announcement pointed applicants to Grants.gov for the full opportunity information and submission-related details.

Who was the listed contact for questions or help accessing the announcement?

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

What region and planning focus did this opportunity support?

The effort was focused on the Greater Everglades region of South Florida and supported restoration and conservation planning, with a specific emphasis on conservation priority setting and reserve design that can adapt to dynamic environmental conditions.