Opportunity Information: Apply for F15AS00360
Apply for F15AS00360
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Grants (Generic)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650 Research Grants (Generic).
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 17, 2015 and posted on Jul 17, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 23, 2015 This is a Notice of Intent to Single Source to the New Jersey Institute of Technology. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $70,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $70,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00360), offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), supports research aimed at improving how wildlife managers estimate the abundance of wild animal populations using camera trap data. Accurate abundance estimates are a core need in conservation and management, but collecting field data can be expensive, time-consuming, and difficult in remote or rugged environments. Camera traps can generate large volumes of observations at relatively low cost, yet there is still uncertainty about when and how camera trap detections can be translated into abundance estimates that are scientifically solid and defensible for management decisions. The central purpose of this cooperative agreement is to evaluate and advance statistical approaches that can turn camera-trap presence and count information into reliable estimates of population size.
The project focuses on testing newer, technically demanding analytical methods such as spatial capture-recapture and integrated population models, specifically in the context of camera trapping. These approaches are considered promising but are still developing and not widely established for the exact application described here, particularly when camera traps are used in targeted ways rather than distributed broadly across a landscape. The work will use existing camera trap datasets for desert bighorn sheep, including situations where some animals are marked and others are unmarked, since the presence or absence of individually identifiable animals can strongly affect which methods are feasible and how precise the results can be. If the existing methods do not work well enough for these data, the project is expected to pivot toward creating new statistical and/or methodological solutions. The announcement also notes that simulated datasets can be used, which allows researchers to test performance under known conditions, explore assumptions, and diagnose bias or uncertainty in a controlled way.
A major scientific theme in this opportunity is "targeted sampling." Instead of placing cameras evenly across a large area, the approach concentrates sampling at locations where animals predictably occur, such as water sources for ungulates in desert environments. This strategy can be efficient, but it also creates analytical challenges because detection is not uniform across space and behavior. FWS highlights prior collaboration with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) on a similar problem for bears, where sampling was targeted at salmon streams rather than spread across broad landscapes. That earlier work required new statistical designs because the established methods did not neatly fit the sampling approach. This grant continues that same line of work, extending it to desert bighorn sheep and camera-trap based abundance estimation, and building on prior joint work between NJIT and FWS on how scale influences resource selection, another area described as novel and advanced.
Administratively, this opportunity is categorized as a discretionary award using a Cooperative Agreement, under the Natural Resources funding activity category. It was posted on July 17, 2015, with an original and current closing date of July 23, 2015, and it is explicitly described as a Notice of Intent to Single Source to NJIT. That means it is not being competed broadly; instead, FWS signaled an intention to make a single award to NJIT due to their specific expertise and the ongoing collaborative research trajectory. Eligible applicants are listed as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with the academic research focus.
In terms of funding, the announcement indicates an estimated total funding figure of $70,000, with an award floor of $25,000 and a ceiling of $70,000, and it anticipates one award. Within the narrative description, FWS states the total project may reach $60,684.00, but only $29,838.75 would be provided initially to start the work. The remaining funds would be considered after a mid-year review based on progress, initial results, and the likelihood of meeting project objectives, with a final decision on additional funding no later than December 2015. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
The legal authorities cited for the program include the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 (as amended), the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (as amended), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The grants.gov listing provides an additional information link and a point of contact for access issues: Michelle L. Willcox, Program Analyst/Grants Specialist, at 505-248-7486 or MichelleWillcox@fws.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00360) to support research that improves how wildlife managers estimate wild animal population abundance using camera trap data.
What is the main goal of the project?
The central purpose is to evaluate and advance statistical approaches that translate camera-trap presence and count information into reliable estimates of population size that are scientifically solid and defensible for management decisions.
Why is this research needed?
Accurate abundance estimates are a core need in conservation and management, but field data collection can be expensive, time-consuming, and difficult in remote or rugged areas. Camera traps can produce large volumes of observations at relatively low cost, yet uncertainty remains about when and how camera detections can be converted into robust abundance estimates.
What kinds of camera-trap data will the research use?
The work will use existing camera trap datasets for desert bighorn sheep, including cases where some animals are marked and others are unmarked. This matters because whether animals are individually identifiable strongly affects which statistical methods can be used and how precise the resulting abundance estimates can be.
What analytical methods does FWS want to test or develop?
The opportunity emphasizes testing newer, technically demanding approaches such as spatial capture-recapture and integrated population models in the specific context of camera trapping. These methods are considered promising but are still developing and are not widely established for the targeted camera placement scenarios described in the announcement.
What happens if existing statistical methods do not work well for these datasets?
If the existing approaches are not adequate for the desert bighorn sheep camera-trap data, the project is expected to pivot toward creating new statistical and/or methodological solutions.
Are simulated datasets allowed or encouraged?
Yes. The announcement notes that simulated datasets can be used to test method performance under known conditions, examine assumptions, and diagnose bias or uncertainty in a controlled setting.
What is meant by "targeted sampling" in this opportunity?
Targeted sampling refers to placing cameras at locations where animals predictably occur (for example, water sources for ungulates in desert environments) rather than distributing cameras evenly across a broad landscape. This can be efficient but creates analytical challenges because detection is not uniform across space or behavior.
Why does targeted sampling create analytical challenges?
Because cameras concentrated at predictable animal-use sites can lead to non-uniform detection patterns. That non-uniformity can complicate how camera detections are translated into population estimates, and it may require specialized study designs or statistical adjustments to reduce bias and improve defensibility.
Has FWS done similar work before?
Yes. FWS references prior collaboration with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) on a similar targeted-sampling problem for bears, where cameras/sampling were focused on salmon streams rather than broadly across landscapes. That earlier effort required new statistical designs because established methods did not neatly fit the targeted approach.
How does this opportunity relate to that prior collaboration?
This grant continues the same line of work, extending it to desert bighorn sheep and camera-trap-based abundance estimation. It also builds on prior joint work between NJIT and FWS on how scale influences resource selection, which the announcement describes as novel and advanced.
What type of award is this?
This opportunity is categorized as a discretionary award using a Cooperative Agreement under the Natural Resources funding activity category.
Is this opportunity open for broad competition?
No. It is explicitly described as a Notice of Intent to Single Source to NJIT, meaning FWS signaled its intention to make a single award to NJIT rather than competing it broadly.
Who is eligible to apply (per the listing)?
Eligible applicants are listed as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with the academic research focus described.
How much funding is available?
The announcement lists an estimated total funding amount of $70,000, with an award floor of $25,000 and a ceiling of $70,000, and it anticipates one award.
Is there a different total project figure mentioned in the narrative?
Yes. Within the narrative description, FWS states the total project may reach $60,684.00.
How will the funding be released?
FWS states that $29,838.75 would be provided initially to begin the work. The remaining funds would be considered after a mid-year review based on progress, initial results, and the likelihood of meeting project objectives, with a final decision on additional funding no later than December 2015.
How many awards does FWS expect to make?
The listing anticipates one award.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on July 17, 2015. The original and current closing date is July 23, 2015.
What agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What legal authorities are cited for this program?
The listing cites the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 (as amended), the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (as amended), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Who can be contacted for grants.gov access issues or additional help (as listed)?
The point of contact provided is Michelle L. Willcox, Program Analyst/Grants Specialist, at 505-248-7486 or MichelleWillcox@fws.gov.
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