Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA G2008 STAR K1
Apply for EPA G2008 STAR K1
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing Ecosystem Services From Agricultural Lands Management, Quantification, And Developing Decision Support Tools" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.509 Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 26, 2009 and posted on Feb 26, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 2009 Please refer to the full announcement, including Section IV for additional information on submission methods and due dates.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) City or township governments Private institutions of higher education State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- See Section III of the announcement for additional eligibility information.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Enhancing Ecosystem Services From Agricultural Lands Management, Quantification, And Developing Decision Support Tools" is a joint research solicitation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was released under USDA's Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grants Program and EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) research program (CFDA 66.509). The central aim is to fund research that improves understanding of the ecosystem services produced by agricultural lands, measures and quantifies those services in practical and credible ways, and develops decision support tools that help translate scientific findings into actionable management and policy choices.
A key focus of the announcement is the concept of ecosystem services, defined here as the goods and services generated by natural and managed ecosystems that people rely on for health, livelihoods, and overall welfare. In agricultural contexts, these services can include things like soil formation and fertility, water filtration and storage, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, erosion control, pollination support, pest regulation, habitat provision, and broader contributions to landscape resilience. The agencies emphasize that these benefits are increasingly at risk because land use is intensifying globally, and agricultural ecosystems in particular have seen declines in ecosystem services as production pressures increase and management practices shift.
The opportunity is motivated not only by the general decline of ecosystem services, but also by rapid and ongoing land use change affecting agricultural regions. The announcement points to the conversion of land from traditional farming into alternative farming approaches, suburban and urban development, and other non-agricultural uses. This pattern of change matters because it can permanently alter the ecological functions of a landscape, reduce the capacity of farmland to provide services like water quality protection or wildlife habitat, and create tradeoffs between near-term economic returns and long-term environmental stability. The agencies are looking for research that can clarify how both natural variability and management actions influence ecosystem services, especially as land transitions accelerate.
Another notable element is the explicit mention that proposed work may involve geospatial information. That signals an interest in approaches such as remote sensing, GIS-based modeling, spatially explicit monitoring networks, landscape pattern analysis, and mapping tools that can quantify ecosystem services across fields, watersheds, or regions. In practical terms, applicants might be expected to connect on-the-ground measurements with spatial datasets, or to develop spatial decision tools that help farmers, conservation planners, and local governments evaluate the ecosystem service impacts of different land management scenarios.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered through grants and cooperative agreements. The total estimated funding was $4,500,000 with an expectation of 9 awards, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated in the summary information. The opportunity was posted on February 26, 2009, with an original and current closing date of May 26, 2009, and an archive date of June 25, 2009. While the listing summarizes the purpose and basic parameters, it directs applicants to the full announcement, particularly Section IV, for official submission instructions, methods, and detailed due date requirements.
Eligibility was broad and included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, county and city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with other entities as described in the announcement's eligibility section. Interested applicants were instructed to consult Section III of the full solicitation for the complete eligibility rules and any limitations or special conditions.
The sponsoring agency listed is the Environmental Protection Agency, reflecting the STAR program role, with coordination implied with USDA given the joint framing. For access issues related to the full announcement, the contact provided was Anne Sergeant at (202) 343-9661. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted research investment to reverse or slow ecosystem service declines tied to agricultural land management and land use change, while also producing practical measurement approaches and decision tools that stakeholders can use to make informed choices about agriculture, conservation, and development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Enhancing Ecosystem Services From Agricultural Lands Management, Quantification, And Developing Decision Support Tools."
Which agencies are offering this grant opportunity?
This is a joint research solicitation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was released under USDA's Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grants Program and EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) research program (CFDA 66.509).
What is the main purpose of the funding?
The central aim is to fund research that (1) improves understanding of ecosystem services produced by agricultural lands, (2) measures and quantifies those services in practical and credible ways, and (3) develops decision support tools that translate scientific findings into actionable management and policy choices.
What are "ecosystem services" in the context of this opportunity?
In this announcement, ecosystem services are defined as the goods and services generated by natural and managed ecosystems that people rely on for health, livelihoods, and overall welfare.
What kinds of ecosystem services from agricultural lands are mentioned?
The opportunity describes agricultural ecosystem services that can include soil formation and fertility, water filtration and storage, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, erosion control, pollination support, pest regulation, habitat provision, and broader contributions to landscape resilience.
Why are USDA and EPA emphasizing ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes?
The agencies highlight that ecosystem service benefits are increasingly at risk due to global land-use intensification. Agricultural ecosystems, in particular, have experienced declines in ecosystem services as production pressures increase and management practices change.
How does land use change factor into the research goals?
The opportunity is motivated by rapid and ongoing land use change affecting agricultural regions, including conversion from traditional farming to alternative farming approaches, suburban and urban development, and other non-agricultural uses. The agencies are seeking research that clarifies how natural variability and management actions influence ecosystem services, especially as these land transitions accelerate.
What types of tradeoffs does the announcement highlight?
It notes that land use change can create tradeoffs between near-term economic returns and long-term environmental stability, and that conversions can permanently alter ecological functions and reduce a landscape's capacity to provide services such as water quality protection or wildlife habitat.
Does the opportunity indicate interest in geospatial approaches?
Yes. The announcement explicitly mentions that proposed work may involve geospatial information, signaling interest in approaches such as remote sensing, GIS-based modeling, spatially explicit monitoring networks, landscape pattern analysis, and mapping tools to quantify ecosystem services across fields, watersheds, or regions.
What is meant by "decision support tools" in this solicitation?
Decision support tools are described as tools that help translate scientific findings into actionable management and policy choices. The announcement suggests these tools may help stakeholders evaluate ecosystem service impacts of different land management scenarios.
Who are the intended users of the research outputs and tools?
The opportunity references potential users such as farmers, conservation planners, and local governments, particularly in the context of spatial decision tools and scenario evaluation.
What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This was a discretionary funding opportunity offered through grants and cooperative agreements.
How much total funding was estimated for this opportunity?
The total estimated funding was $4,500,000.
How many awards were expected?
The announcement indicated an expectation of 9 awards.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was stated in the summary information provided.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on February 26, 2009.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date was May 26, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was June 25, 2009.
Where should applicants look for official submission instructions and detailed requirements?
The listing directs applicants to the full announcement, particularly Section IV, for official submission instructions, methods, and detailed due date requirements.
Who was eligible to apply based on the summary information?
Eligibility was described as broad and included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state governments, county and city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with other entities as described in the announcement's eligibility section.
Where can applicants find the complete eligibility rules and any limitations?
Applicants were instructed to consult Section III of the full solicitation for complete eligibility rules and any limitations or special conditions.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The EPA STAR research program listing associated with this opportunity includes CFDA 66.509.
Which agency is listed as the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency listed is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reflecting the STAR program role, with coordination implied with USDA given the joint framing.
Who is the contact person for access issues related to the full announcement?
The contact provided for access issues is Anne Sergeant at (202) 343-9661.
What overall outcomes is the opportunity trying to achieve?
Overall, the opportunity is positioned as a targeted research investment to reverse or slow ecosystem service declines tied to agricultural land management and land use change, while also producing practical measurement approaches and decision tools that stakeholders can use to make informed choices about agriculture, conservation, and development.
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