Recovering small Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow subpopulations the | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Recovering small Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow subpopulations".

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS 11 NERO 0061.

3) Which agency offered this opportunity?

This was a National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity.

4) Is this a new competitive grant or a continuation award?

It was described as a continuation award intended to support ongoing applied conservation research rather than launching a brand-new, broadly competed project.

5) Where does the project take place?

The work is focused in Everglades National Park.

6) What species is the project focused on?

The project focuses on the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, a federally listed endangered bird.

7) What is the main purpose of the project?

The central aim is to provide park managers with clear, data-driven insight into how sparrow numbers and breeding activity respond to hydrologic restoration actions in the Everglades, including changes to water delivery, timing, and water levels associated with restoration efforts.

8) What types of outcomes is the project trying to inform?

The project is intended to help managers understand which restoration-related water management actions are helping or harming specific sparrow subpopulations by linking population and breeding measures to hydrologic conditions.

9) What are the main monitoring metrics mentioned in the scope?

The scope emphasizes measuring:

• Density (how many sparrows occur in a given area)
• Breeding status (whether individuals are nesting and successfully reproducing)

10) How is the project designed to be management-oriented?

The work is framed as practical monitoring and analysis that goes beyond documenting trends, aiming to explicitly connect population and breeding responses to restoration-related hydrology so results can support decision-making in the park.

11) What is the mark-recapture component of the work?

A major component is the continuation of a long-term mark-recapture study in "subpopulation A". Mark-recapture typically involves capturing birds, applying unique identification bands, releasing them, and later re-sighting or re-capturing individuals to estimate factors like survival, movement, and population size.

12) Which birds are included in banding and re-sighting activities?

The agreement specifies banding and re-sighting of both adult and juvenile Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows.

13) Why does the project include both adult and juvenile birds?

Including both age classes helps distinguish recruitment of young birds from year-to-year survival of adults, supporting clearer interpretation of population changes.

14) What data management deliverables are described?

The project includes incorporating up-to-date georeferenced information (spatially referenced location data) into an existing relational database developed for the sparrow.

15) What is the purpose of adding georeferenced data to the relational database?

Strengthening the spatial and relational structure of the dataset is intended to improve the ability to:

• Link sparrow observations, banding histories, and breeding metrics with location
• Support analyses of restoration impacts in relation to habitat and hydrologic conditions
• Map subpopulation boundaries
• Detect shifts in distribution over time
• Maintain continuity with earlier years of monitoring

16) What type of award instrument is implied?

The announcement emphasizes collaborative implementation between the university cooperator and NPS, reflecting a cooperative agreement structure where responsibilities and decision-making are shared.

17) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity fell under the Natural Resources activity category.

18) What CFDA program is referenced?

The opportunity referenced CFDA 15.945, titled Cooperative Research and Training Programs - Resources of the National Park System.

19) How many awards were expected?

A single award was expected.

20) What was the total funding amount for the award?

The total funding amount was $101,774.

21) What were the award floor and ceiling?

Both the award floor and award ceiling were $101,774, indicating a fixed total amount for the single expected continuation award.

22) Was cost sharing or matching required?

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

23) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

24) What does the limited eligibility suggest about the nature of the opportunity?

The limited eligibility, short timeline, and continuation framing suggest it was structured to continue an established research partnership supporting ongoing work rather than inviting broad competition across many organization types.

25) When was the opportunity posted?

The posting date was July 14, 2011.

26) What was the application deadline?

The closing date was July 19, 2011.

27) When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on July 20, 2011.

28) How long was the application window?

Based on the posted and closing dates provided (July 14, 2011 to July 19, 2011), the application window was very short, consistent with a continuation action.

29) Who was the contact listed for access issues?

The listed contact for access issues was Peggy Wall, Administrative Officer.

30) What contact phone number was provided?

The phone number provided was 410-260-2473.