Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G25AS00230

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through its Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC).

What program is this opportunity being offered under?

The funding is offered under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, using the CESU partnership model to support applied research and collaboration.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G25AS00230.

What is the CFDA number and activity area for this opportunity?

This opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808 and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area.

What type of award will be issued?

The award will be issued as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically means USGS expects to have substantial involvement in shaping, coordinating, or collaborating on the work as it is carried out, rather than providing funding with minimal agency participation (as is more typical of a standard grant).

What is the main purpose of the funded project?

The project is intended to support applied research that improves ecological restoration outcomes on western lands, particularly by helping restoration practitioners and land managers respond to increasing climate variability and long-term aridification.

Why is USGS focusing on climate variability and aridification in this work?

USGS notes that increasing climate variability and long-term aridification are making it harder to successfully restore degraded ecosystems across the western U.S. The opportunity seeks research and tools that help strengthen restoration planning and investments under drier and more variable conditions.

What kinds of improvements is USGS looking for from this research?

USGS is seeking work that improves the ability to: (1) predict when and where restoration will succeed, (2) measure whether restoration is working, and (3) identify practical management actions that increase the odds of success under drier and more variable conditions.

What are the specific research priorities for this opportunity?

USGS identifies three research priorities: (1) improve understanding of climatic and soil water constraints on successful restoration, (2) develop restoration effectiveness assessment workflows, and (3) identify management practices that promote climate-adapted and resilient restoration outcomes.

What does the first research priority (climatic and soil water constraints) focus on?

This priority emphasizes connecting restoration outcomes to climate and water limitations, including factors such as precipitation timing and variability, temperature-driven evaporative demand, drought frequency, and soil moisture availability, which influence plant establishment and long-term persistence in arid and semi-arid systems.

What does it mean to develop "restoration effectiveness assessment workflows"?

It refers to creating practical, repeatable methods for evaluating whether restoration actions are meeting ecological goals. The announcement notes this could include monitoring approaches, metrics, decision-support tools, or analytical pipelines that translate field observations and environmental data into clear indicators of progress.

What does the third research priority (management practices for resilient outcomes) include?

This priority points toward actionable guidance such as site preparation approaches, planting or seeding strategies, species or provenance selection suited to future climates, timing of treatments relative to moisture availability, and other practices that help restored systems withstand climate stress.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is restricted to organizations that are already participating partners in the Colorado Plateau CESU. The opportunity is not open broadly to all applicants.

If the listing shows the eligible applicant category as "Others," does that mean anyone can apply?

No. While the eligible applicant category is shown as "Others," the controlling eligibility requirement stated is Colorado Plateau CESU partnership status. Only Colorado Plateau CESU partners can apply under the CESU framework.

What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The award ceiling is $400,000.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on January 16, 2025.

What is the closing date for applications?

The original closing date is February 17, 2025.

How many awards does USGS expect to make?

The provided information indicates an "expected awards" field exists, but it does not include a number here. Based on the details provided, the anticipated count of awards is not specified.

What geographic or landscape focus does this opportunity target?

The work is aimed at improving ecological restoration outcomes on western lands, with emphasis on the challenges of restoration in arid and semi-arid systems under increasing drought and aridity pressures.

How is this opportunity intended to help restoration decision-making?

The opportunity is aimed at producing research and tools that directly improve restoration planning, evaluation, and management by grounding decisions in clearer, quantifiable understanding of climate and water limitations and by providing repeatable ways to assess progress.

What role does the CESU partnership model play in this opportunity?

The CESU model is intended to connect federal scientists with qualified research and technical partners. In this case, it leverages Colorado Plateau CESU partners and supports collaboration with USGS as part of a cooperative agreement.