Opportunity Information: Apply for R13AS80010
Apply for R13AS80010
- The Bureau of Reclamation Denver Office in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WaterSMART Applied Science Grants for the Southern Rockies 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 1, 2013 and posted on May 1, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- 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, 1902 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, 1902 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 opportunity for the Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) was a Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Denver Office, competitive grant program designed to fund practical, management-ready science that helps resource managers respond to climate change and other growing pressures on landscapes and water systems. The program sits within Reclamation's broader participation in the LCC network, which is built to connect science providers with the on-the-ground decision makers responsible for land, water, wildlife, and cultural resources. In plain terms, the goal was not basic research for its own sake, but applied projects that produce tools, data, or decision support that managers can actually use to plan, prioritize, and adapt in the Southern Rockies region as conditions change.
The opportunity recognized that resource managers are facing interrelated challenges such as water scarcity, land use conversion, sensitive species protection and recovery, invasive species, and impacts to traditional and historic resources, with climate change acting as a force multiplier. Because Reclamation's mission is tied closely to water projects and operations, the funded work needed a clear connection to water resources management under changing climate conditions. At the same time, the program explicitly allowed projects that were not solely about water, as long as there was a meaningful nexus: for example, endangered species issues that could constrain diversions, or riparian habitat and archaeological sites that could be affected by reservoir operations and flow management. The announcement also encouraged, where appropriate, consideration of Native American ancestral knowledge and cultural landscape perspectives so that natural and cultural resources could be treated in a more integrated way.
Reclamation framed eligible projects around the Southern Rockies LCC's priority science needs for FY 2013. These priorities emphasized decision-relevant modeling and vulnerability assessment, especially in riparian and wetland contexts where water management and ecological outcomes are tightly linked. The listed needs included developing models to guide habitat protection or preservation to support desired population levels for riparian-obligate and wetland species; evaluating how species and habitats might be vulnerable as habitats shrink; identifying migration routes and connectivity corridors and pairing that with adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability; and clarifying how climate change and other stressors may alter source-water runoff and, in turn, surface water and groundwater interactions. Another major priority was integrating climate projections and ecological flow requirements into hydrologic models to produce water supply scenarios that can inform allocation decisions balancing human use and ecological needs. The LCC also highlighted practical data management needs, such as cataloging and acquiring spatial datasets to better identify focal resources and associated management needs, as well as identifying Tribal information needs related to conserving and managing natural and cultural resources. The notice pointed out that not every LCC science need necessarily fit this particular funding announcement, but the list was provided to show the broader set of issues the cooperative was working on.
Administratively, this was a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number R13AS80010) under CFDA 15.557 (Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives). The program required cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants needed to bring partner funds or in-kind contributions rather than relying on federal dollars alone. The maximum federal award listed was $150,000, with no stated minimum award floor. The opportunity was posted May 1, 2013, with a closing date of June 11, 2013, and it was later archived July 11, 2013.
Eligibility was broad and grounded in the SECURE Water Act and related authorities. Eligible applicants included: (a) states and territories identified in Reclamation law (covering much of the Western United States and certain U.S. territories); (b) irrigation districts, water districts, and other western organizations involved in water or power delivery; (c) Tribes in the Western United States; (d) U.S.-based universities; (e) U.S.-based nonprofit research institutions; and (f) U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. A notable condition applied to nonprofits: they were eligible across the funding categories if the proposal addressed fish or wildlife habitat in wetland, riparian, or aquatic areas and had a nexus to a Reclamation project or activity, reinforcing the program's focus on actionable outcomes tied to water management.
Overall, the grant opportunity was structured to strengthen the science-to-management pipeline in the Southern Rockies by funding applied analyses, models, datasets, and vulnerability or adaptation planning products that help partners make better water-related resource decisions under climate change. For additional context, the announcement referenced the Southern Rockies LCC webpage and map at http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/lcc/south.html, and provided a grants management contact (Shaun Wilken, 303-445-3697) for applicants who had trouble accessing the full notice electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was this grant opportunity?
The WaterSMART Applied Science Grants opportunity for the Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) was a Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Denver Office, competitive grant program focused on funding practical, management-ready science. The emphasis was on applied work that helps resource managers respond to climate change and other pressures affecting landscapes and water systems in the Southern Rockies region.
What was the main purpose of the program?
The program aimed to strengthen the science-to-management pipeline by producing tools, data, analyses, or decision support products that on-the-ground managers can actually use to plan, prioritize, and adapt as conditions change. It was not intended to fund basic research for its own sake.
Who ran the program?
The program was administered by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Denver Office, as part of Reclamation's broader participation in the Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) network.
What is the Southern Rockies LCC and why did it matter for this grant?
The Southern Rockies LCC is part of a network designed to connect science providers with decision makers responsible for land, water, wildlife, and cultural resources. This grant aligned projects to the Southern Rockies LCC's priority science needs for FY 2013, with a focus on decision-relevant outputs.
What kinds of challenges did the opportunity target?
The opportunity recognized that managers face interrelated pressures such as water scarcity, land use conversion, sensitive species protection and recovery, invasive species, and impacts to traditional and historic resources, with climate change acting as a force multiplier.
Did projects have to be solely about water?
No. Projects did not have to be exclusively about water, but they needed a meaningful nexus to water resources management under changing climate conditions. The announcement emphasized that the funded work should have a clear connection to water resources management, consistent with Reclamation's mission.
What is meant by a "nexus" to Reclamation water resources management?
A nexus meant the project related in a meaningful way to water management decisions, operations, or constraints tied to Reclamation projects or activities. Examples provided included endangered species issues that could constrain diversions, or riparian habitat and archaeological sites that could be affected by reservoir operations and flow management.
What types of project outputs were the program looking for?
The program targeted applied products such as tools, datasets, models, vulnerability assessments, adaptation planning products, and decision support that resource managers can use for planning, prioritization, and adaptation in the Southern Rockies.
What priority science needs were highlighted for FY 2013?
Eligible projects were framed around the Southern Rockies LCC's FY 2013 priorities, emphasizing decision-relevant modeling and vulnerability assessment, especially in riparian and wetland contexts where water management and ecological outcomes are tightly linked.
What modeling or assessment topics were specifically called out?
The notice listed needs such as:
- Developing models to guide habitat protection or preservation to support desired population levels for riparian-obligate and wetland species
- Evaluating how species and habitats might be vulnerable as habitats shrink
- Identifying migration routes and connectivity corridors and pairing that with adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability
- Clarifying how climate change and other stressors may alter source-water runoff and affect surface water and groundwater interactions
- Integrating climate projections and ecological flow requirements into hydrologic models to produce water supply scenarios that inform allocation decisions balancing human and ecological needs
Were data management and spatial data needs included?
Yes. The LCC highlighted practical data management needs, including cataloging and acquiring spatial datasets to better identify focal resources and associated management needs.
Did the opportunity mention Tribal information needs or Tribal perspectives?
Yes. The notice encouraged, where appropriate, consideration of Native American ancestral knowledge and cultural landscape perspectives so natural and cultural resources could be treated in a more integrated way. It also noted the importance of identifying Tribal information needs related to conserving and managing natural and cultural resources.
Did every Southern Rockies LCC science need qualify under this announcement?
Not necessarily. The announcement noted that not every LCC science need would necessarily fit this particular funding announcement, but the list was provided to convey the broader issues the cooperative was working on.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) was R13AS80010.
What CFDA program was this associated with?
This opportunity was under CFDA 15.557 (Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives).
Was this a competitive or non-competitive opportunity?
It was a competitive grant program.
Was this a discretionary grant?
Yes. Administratively, it was described as a discretionary grant opportunity.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The program required cost sharing or matching. Applicants were expected to bring partner funds or in-kind contributions rather than relying entirely on federal dollars.
What was the maximum federal award amount?
The maximum federal award listed was $150,000.
Was there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor was stated in the provided information.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on May 1, 2013, and the closing date was June 11, 2013.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was later archived on July 11, 2013.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and grounded in the SECURE Water Act and related authorities. Eligible applicants included:
- States and territories identified in Reclamation law (covering much of the Western United States and certain U.S. territories)
- Irrigation districts, water districts, and other western organizations involved in water or power delivery
- Tribes in the Western United States
- U.S.-based universities
- U.S.-based nonprofit research institutions
- U.S.-based nonprofit organizations
Were there any special eligibility conditions for nonprofit organizations?
Yes. A notable condition applied to nonprofits: they were eligible across the funding categories if the proposal addressed fish or wildlife habitat in wetland, riparian, or aquatic areas and had a nexus to a Reclamation project or activity.
What geographic area or landscape did the grant focus on?
The focus was the Southern Rockies region, consistent with the Southern Rockies LCC scope. The grant aimed to support management-relevant science for that landscape.
How did climate change factor into the program design?
Climate change was positioned as a key driver that amplifies other stressors. The grant prioritized applied science that helps managers understand vulnerabilities and incorporate climate projections and changing conditions into water and resource decision-making.
What kinds of water-related management questions were emphasized?
The notice emphasized work tied to water management under changing climate conditions, including understanding runoff and source-water changes, surface water/groundwater interactions, and generating hydrologic scenarios that inform allocation decisions balancing human use and ecological requirements.
Where could applicants find additional context about the Southern Rockies LCC?
The announcement referenced the Southern Rockies LCC webpage and map at: http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/lcc/south.html
Who was the grants management contact for access issues with the full notice?
The notice provided a grants management contact for applicants who had trouble accessing the full notice electronically: Shaun Wilken, 303-445-3697.
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