Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) G25AS00326

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a scientific agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity through its Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program. This opportunity is specifically open to members of the Desert Southwest CESU. The funding will support research and monitoring related to riparian ecosystem restoration and health in the Lower Colorado River region. The initiative aligns with the goals of the Multi-Species Conservation Plan (MSCP), which oversees over 100 restoration sites in the area. The primary focus of this funding opportunity is to evaluate vegetation greenness and actual evapotranspiration (ETa) using remote sensing technologies and weather station data to track ecological progress and water usage trends in both unrestored and restored riparian habitats. The research project will involve time-series analysis of vegetation indices such as NDVI and EVI2, calculation of ETa, and comparisons of evapotranspiration methods including Penman-Monteith and Blaney-Criddle using data from on-the-ground stations and gridded products like Daymet and FAO datasets. Additional work will include generating change maps, supporting restoration monitoring, analyzing drought trends using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and assisting with field-based vegetation data collection. These scientific outcomes will support decision-making in long-term habitat management and restoration evaluation. The total estimated funding available for this three-year cooperative agreement is $99,000, with $10,000 allocated for Budget Year 1. The remaining funds for Budget Years 2 and 3 will be contingent upon satisfactory performance and future funding availability. Only one award is expected to be made. The funding is not available on a rolling basis, but it may recur. This opportunity is federally funded, and applicants must be officially recognized partners in the Desert Southwest CESU. Non-CESU entities are not eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov under funding opportunity number G25AS00326. Applicants are required to include a detailed technical narrative and budget justification, including itemized expenses across personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, and other direct and indirect costs. Proposals must also include a Data Management Plan, biographical sketches of key personnel, and a summary abstract. The CESU indirect cost rate is capped at 17.5%. The deadline for application submission is not explicitly stated in the document; however, since no open date is provided, the opportunity is considered to be currently accepting applications as of today’s date. Interested applicants should contact Grants Management Specialist Rachel Miller at rachelmiller@usgs.gov or (703) 648-7365 for administrative questions. For technical inquiries, applicants should reach out to Pamela Nagler, Research Physical Scientist at the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, at pnagler@usgs.gov or (520) 670-3357. Evaluation of submitted proposals will be based on expertise in mapping riparian vegetation using remote sensing, familiarity with EVI2-based evapotranspiration modeling, and methods for estimating plant water use and handling time-series data continuity. Successful applicants must also ensure they do not have internal confidentiality agreements that conflict with federal reporting policies, in accordance with the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015. The award recipient will be responsible for submitting annual technical and financial reports, as well as a final report detailing methodology, findings, and deliverables within 120 days after the project’s end.

Ensure CESU membership is current; include a robust Data Management Plan and use the 17.5% indirect cost rate; detailed budget breakdown is critical to avoid award delays.