Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | F20AS00031

Opportunity Information: Apply for F20AS00031

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F20AS00031) is a discretionary Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cooperative agreement aimed at supporting applied science and research that helps manage natural and cultural resources. It is offered through the CESU Network, a national partnership framework that links federal agencies with universities and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education across disciplines like biology, hydrology, social science, cultural resources, and engineering. This particular notice is structured as a funding action intended for an eligible CESU Network member, with public and state-controlled institutions of higher education identified as eligible applicants.

Funding for the project is capped at $186,000 total (Award Ceiling: $186,000), with a single award expected. Even though the total period of performance and the budget span five years, the federal dollars are anticipated to be awarded in two installments tied to federal fiscal years: up to $90,000 from FY2019 funds and up to $96,000 from FY2020 funds. The opportunity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA 15.678. The notice was created on November 14, 2019, with an original closing date of January 13, 2020.

The core purpose of the project is to assess how extreme hydrologic changes, specifically dewatering (loss of water in stream habitats) and flooding, affect freshwater mussels, with an emphasis on understanding threats in Central Texas and improving the scientific basis for conservation planning. The opportunity highlights that freshwater mussels are especially vulnerable during drought because they are largely immobile and cannot readily move away from habitats that dry out. On the other side of the hydrologic spectrum, flooding can directly damage mussel populations and habitats through scouring that removes mussel beds, reshapes stream substrates, and eliminates suitable habitat. Floods can also strand mussels in newly formed pools that may later dry out, creating delayed mortality risks. The announcement also ties these risks to broader drivers, noting that climate change is expected to increase the intensity and frequency of such disturbance events, while increased groundwater pumping linked to population growth and expanded agriculture can reduce stream baseflows and worsen drought impacts.

A defining feature of this award is that it is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, meaning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects substantial involvement in the work. The Service’s role includes jointly developing strategies and actions with the recipient to meet the agreement’s goals and objectives, providing technical support, and helping with data collection, analysis, interpretation, outreach, reporting, and publications. The Service will also supply previously collected data for use in management and analysis and will collaborate directly in carrying out the project scope. In addition, the Service retains strong oversight responsibilities: it will review and approve stages of work, review and approve proposed modifications or any sub-awards before an award is finalized, and it has the authority to immediately halt activities if detailed performance specifications are not being met.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.678.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 14, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 13, 2020 This Notice of Intent announcement is to provide federal funding to be awarded as a cooperative agreement to an eligible member of the CESU Network.. (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 $186,000.00 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.

Apply for F20AS00031

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