Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the U.S. Department of the Interior, is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity for a partner institution affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). This funding initiative is designed to support scientific research focused on understanding snowmelt dynamics and their association with wet slab avalanche occurrences. The CESU is a collaborative network of federal agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations that facilitate ecosystem studies, technical assistance, and education. This particular opportunity reflects the USGS’s commitment to addressing environmental and geophysical challenges through collaborative research and data-driven solutions. The project seeks to enhance understanding of the timing, onset, and duration of snowmelt, particularly in mountainous regions where elevation and wildfire disturbances significantly influence snowpack behavior. The successful recipient will be tasked with analyzing patterns of snowmelt across various elevations and fire-affected areas, using both historical and current data. An integral part of this research involves leveraging the SNOWPACK modeling tool and integrating long-term avalanche records from Glacier National Park in Montana and other locations in Colorado. The overall goal is to better predict wet slab avalanche activity by understanding how snowmelt processes have changed over time and how they might evolve under future climate conditions. The total estimated funding for this cooperative agreement is $40,000, to be distributed across two budget years. The first year will have an allocated amount of $25,000, while the continuation into the second year will depend on satisfactory performance and availability of funds. The anticipated start date and proposal structure should reflect a two-year project period. Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding opportunity. Only organizations that are existing partners of the Rocky Mountain CESU are eligible to apply, ensuring alignment with the CESU’s mission and collaborative infrastructure. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the funding opportunity number G26AS00093. The application must include a detailed technical narrative, budget narrative (aligned with SF-424A), and a Data Management Plan (DMP). The narrative should include objectives, methodology, anticipated results, dissemination strategies, and a timeline. Key personnel information, including Principal Investigator and USGS collaborators, must be clearly listed. All applicants must conform to USGS data dissemination requirements and ensure that research outputs are accessible and reproducible. Proposals that lack these core components may be deemed incomplete or ineligible. Evaluation criteria include alignment with USGS objectives, clarity and feasibility of technical approach, budget justification, and applicant qualifications. Specifically, reviewers will assess the relevance of the research to wet slab avalanche forecasting, the technical soundness of the SNOWPACK modeling application, and the applicant's history of successful snow science research. Applications will be reviewed by technical experts, and final award determinations will be made by the USGS Contracting Officer. Award recipients will be expected to submit annual progress reports and a final technical report through the GrantSolutions platform. The deadline to apply is April 14, 2026, by 11:59 PM ET. The cooperative agreement will be administered by the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center. For technical questions, applicants may contact Dr. Erich H. Peitzsch ([email protected]), and for grants management inquiries, Rachel Miller ([email protected]) is the point of contact. This opportunity does not recur annually and is expected to result in a single award. Applicants are encouraged to submit complete proposals early and ensure all required documentation is in place to avoid delays.

Emphasize experience with SNOWPACK and snow science modeling; ensure clear timeline and project relevance to avalanche forecasting.