Opportunity Information: Apply for R12SF80301
Apply for R12SF80301
- The Bureau of Reclamation Denver Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WaterSMART Applied Science Grants for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.557 Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 21, 2012 and posted on May 18, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 28, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $685,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- In accordance with Public Law 111 11, Section 9504, of the SECURE Water Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661 666c, as delegated to Reclamation in Departmental Manual 255 DM 1.1B., eligible applicants include any a. States and Territories identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, as amended and supplemented specifically Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands b. Irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery in the Western United States or Territories as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, as amended and supplemented specifically Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands c. Tribes located in the Western United States d. Universities located in the United States e. Nonprofit research institutions located in the United States f. Nonprofit organizations located in the United States o Nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for funding under all three funding categories if the proposal addresses fish or wildlife habitat in wetland, riparian, or aquatic areas and there is a nexus to a Reclamation project or activity.
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Opportunity Summary:
The WaterSMART Applied Science Grants for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative (Funding Opportunity Number R12SF80301) was a discretionary federal grant competition run by the Bureau of Reclamation (Denver Office) under CFDA 15.557 (Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives). The overall purpose was to build and apply practical science that helps land and water managers make better decisions as climate change and other stressors reshape water availability, ecosystems, and the long-term management of natural, cultural, and working landscapes across the Desert LCC region. The opportunity is framed around the idea that managers are being asked to solve problems that are increasingly interconnected, like drought and altered runoff patterns, land use change, protection of sensitive species, control of invasive species, and the preservation of traditional, historical, or culturally significant sites, all while uncertainty increases as climate impacts intensify.
A key feature of this program is its grounding in the Landscape Conservation Cooperative model. LCCs are described as management-science partnerships designed to connect scientific capacity with real on-the-ground management needs, particularly around climate adaptation and water conservation. Rather than funding isolated research for its own sake, the grant emphasizes coordinated, cross-jurisdictional work that informs integrated resource management across landscapes. Each LCC operates within a specific geography while also being part of a broader national (and ultimately international) network, which signals an intent to standardize and share approaches, methods, and lessons learned beyond a single project area. The Desert LCC, specifically, is portrayed as a cooperative directed by land, water, wildlife, and cultural resource managers together with interested public and private organizations, meaning proposals were expected to be relevant to partner priorities and usable by decision-makers.
The eligible project topics were developed collaboratively by Desert LCC member agencies and regional stakeholders, using a structured process that included reviewing more than forty technical reports and assessments, holding six outreach meetings and workshops, and engaging directly with stakeholders and interested parties. That process produced a set of priority FY 2012 science needs that define what the program wanted to fund. These priorities focus heavily on the relationship between water and ecosystems and on improving the information base needed to plan under climate uncertainty. The seven listed science needs include: (1) understanding interactions between ecosystems and hydrology; (2) assessing how climate change and land/resource management affect watersheds and related hydro-ecologic resources; (3) evaluating climate impacts on surface-water- and groundwater-dependent habitats and species; (4) examining climate impacts on the interaction between surface water and groundwater resources; (5) investigating how climate change may affect future water supplies and resource availability for both people and ecosystems; (6) improving monitoring and inventory of watersheds, related infrastructure, and ecosystems, including attention to pathogens and invasive species; and (7) improving hydrologic forecasting and modeling methods, with emphasis on better understanding and communicating uncertainty. Collectively, these priorities point toward applied science deliverables such as decision-relevant models, monitoring designs, datasets, forecasting tools, and syntheses that can directly support adaptation strategies.
In terms of funding parameters, the announcement anticipated about seven awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $685,000. Individual awards were expected to range from $1 up to a ceiling of $150,000, indicating that projects could vary from small, targeted efforts to more robust applied studies, as long as they fit within the program goals and scope. The funding instrument type was a grant, and a cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to provide non-federal or other qualifying contributions consistent with the program rules and authorizing authorities.
Eligibility was broad but tied to Western water and resource management contexts and to the SECURE Water Act authorities cited in the notice. Eligible applicants included: states and territories identified under the Reclamation Act of June 17 (as amended), specifically a large list of Western states plus American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations involved in water or power delivery in those same eligible areas; tribes located in the Western United States; U.S.-based universities; U.S.-based nonprofit research institutions; and U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. The notice also clarifies a condition for nonprofit organizations: they were eligible under all three funding categories when the proposal addressed fish or wildlife habitat in wetland, riparian, or aquatic areas and there was a nexus to a Reclamation project or activity. That extra condition signals that Reclamation wanted nonprofit-led work to be clearly connected to Reclamation-related water management infrastructure, operations, or responsibilities, rather than purely general conservation research.
The timeline shows this was a FY 2012 opportunity posted May 18, 2012 (created May 21, 2012), with an application deadline of June 28, 2012, and it was archived June 29, 2012. For applicant support, the listed contact was the Grants Officer, Michelle Maher, at 303-445-2025, with instructions to call if the full announcement could not be accessed electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name and funding opportunity number for this grant?
This opportunity is titled WaterSMART Applied Science Grants for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is R12SF80301.
Which federal agency ran this grant competition?
The competition was run by the Bureau of Reclamation, specifically the Denver Office.
Is this a discretionary grant competition?
Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary federal grant competition.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.557, described as Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives.
What is the overall purpose of the Desert LCC WaterSMART Applied Science Grants?
The overall purpose was to build and apply practical science that helps land and water managers make better decisions as climate change and other stressors reshape water availability, ecosystems, and the long-term management of natural, cultural, and working landscapes across the Desert LCC region.
What kinds of management challenges is the program trying to address?
The program is framed around interconnected problems such as drought, altered runoff patterns, land use change, protection of sensitive species, control of invasive species, and preservation of traditional, historical, or culturally significant sites, all under increasing uncertainty as climate impacts intensify.
What is a Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) in this context?
LCCs are described as management-science partnerships designed to connect scientific capacity with real on-the-ground management needs, particularly around climate adaptation and water conservation. The grant emphasizes coordinated work that informs integrated resource management across landscapes rather than isolated research.
How is the Desert LCC described in the opportunity?
The Desert LCC is portrayed as a cooperative directed by land, water, wildlife, and cultural resource managers together with interested public and private organizations. Proposals were expected to be relevant to partner priorities and usable by decision-makers.
Does the grant focus on basic research or applied, decision-relevant work?
The emphasis is on applied science deliverables that support management decisions (for example, decision-relevant models, monitoring designs, datasets, forecasting tools, and syntheses), not research conducted solely for its own sake.
How were the eligible project topics and priorities developed?
The topics were developed collaboratively by Desert LCC member agencies and regional stakeholders through a structured process that included reviewing more than forty technical reports and assessments, holding six outreach meetings and workshops, and engaging stakeholders and interested parties. This produced the FY 2012 science needs that define what the program wanted to fund.
What are the priority science needs (eligible project topics) listed in the announcement?
The seven listed FY 2012 science needs are:
- Understanding interactions between ecosystems and hydrology.
- Assessing how climate change and land/resource management affect watersheds and related hydro-ecologic resources.
- Evaluating climate impacts on surface-water- and groundwater-dependent habitats and species.
- Examining climate impacts on the interaction between surface water and groundwater resources.
- Investigating how climate change may affect future water supplies and resource availability for both people and ecosystems.
- Improving monitoring and inventory of watersheds, related infrastructure, and ecosystems, including attention to pathogens and invasive species.
- Improving hydrologic forecasting and modeling methods, with emphasis on better understanding and communicating uncertainty.
What kinds of deliverables does the program appear to be seeking?
Based on the described priorities, the program points toward applied outputs such as decision-relevant models, monitoring designs, datasets, forecasting tools, and syntheses that can directly support climate adaptation and integrated resource management.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The announcement anticipated about seven awards.
What was the estimated total funding available under the program?
The estimated total program funding level was $685,000.
What was the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to range from $1 up to a ceiling of $150,000.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument type was a grant.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to provide non-federal or other qualifying contributions consistent with the program rules and authorizing authorities.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included:
- States and territories identified under the Reclamation Act of June 17 (as amended), including a list of Western states and American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations involved in water or power delivery in those same eligible areas.
- Tribes located in the Western United States.
- U.S.-based universities.
- U.S.-based nonprofit research institutions.
- U.S.-based nonprofit organizations (with an additional condition described in the notice).
Is there any special eligibility condition for nonprofit organizations?
Yes. The notice clarifies that nonprofit organizations were eligible under all three funding categories when the proposal addressed fish or wildlife habitat in wetland, riparian, or aquatic areas and there was a nexus to a Reclamation project or activity. This indicates the nonprofit-led work needed a clear connection to Reclamation-related water management infrastructure, operations, or responsibilities.
What geographic scope is implied by the eligibility rules?
Eligibility is tied to Western water and resource management contexts (and the authorities cited in the notice), including Western states and certain U.S. territories listed in the announcement, plus tribes located in the Western United States.
What fiscal year did this opportunity correspond to?
The announcement indicates this was a FY 2012 opportunity, including reference to FY 2012 science needs.
When was the opportunity posted and when was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted May 18, 2012 (created May 21, 2012). The application deadline was June 28, 2012.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The timeline states the listing was archived June 29, 2012, which indicates it is no longer an open competition.
Who was the point of contact for applicant support?
The listed contact was the Grants Officer, Michelle Maher, at 303-445-2025.
What should an applicant do if they could not access the full announcement electronically?
The notice instructs applicants to call the Grants Officer if the full announcement could not be accessed electronically.
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| Dendroecology and Age Structure Analysis of Whitebark and Limber Pines Apply for L12AS00104 Funding Number: L12AS00104 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| BLM CA CCESU Seabird Disease Surveillance for the California Coastal National Monument and Environs Apply for L12AS00107 Funding Number: L12AS00107 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $99,000 |
| Teacher Ranger Teacher Program Curriculum Support Apply for NPS NOIR1246121013 Funding Number: NPS NOIR1246121013 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| City of Phoenix Research Pilot Project on Methods to Manage Concentrate Produced From Wastewater Effluent Apply for R12SF32011 Funding Number: R12SF32011 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $347,495 |
| BLM WY Jack Morrow Hills Antelope GPS Distribution Apply for L12AS00071 Funding Number: L12AS00071 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Center Support Apply for NPS NOIR1465125174 Funding Number: NPS NOIR1465125174 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Skagway Historic District,Dyea Apply for P12AS10520 Funding Number: P12AS10520 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $32,000 |
| Conduct Aerial Surveys for Sonoran Pronghorn within the U.S. and for Desert Bighorn Sheep within Cabeza Prieta NWR Apply for F12AS00179 Funding Number: F12AS00179 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $102,000 |
| Preservation of the Sacristy Barrel Vault/Roof at San Jose de Tumacacori Apply for NPS NOIR8690120011 Funding Number: NPS NOIR8690120011 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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| Geoscientists in the Parks Apply for NPS NOIWASOP12AC10502 Funding Number: NPS NOIWASOP12AC10502 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $268,824 |
| Applying spatial models to better understand the nature of ship whale encounters Apply for NPS NOIR9815120514 Funding Number: NPS NOIR9815120514 Agency: National Park Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Grants for FY 2012 Apply for R12SF80035 Funding Number: R12SF80035 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Denver Office Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| BLM CA Cosumnes River Preserve Environmental Education Program Apply for L12AS00080 Funding Number: L12AS00080 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $90,000 |
| BLM WY Goshen County Cultural Inventory Apply for L12AS00108 Funding Number: L12AS00108 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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