Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G27AS00048

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit."

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is G27AS00048.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The issuing agency is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

What type of award is being offered (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

This opportunity is issued as a cooperative agreement under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program, not a standard grant.

What does it mean that this is a CESU cooperative agreement?

Because it is a CESU cooperative agreement, the project is expected to involve substantial involvement and collaboration from USGS staff during the period of performance. The selected partner organization will work closely with federal scientists to co-produce analyses, prototypes, and management-oriented products aligned to federal science needs.

What is the main purpose of this project?

The purpose is to support applied research that helps quantify the current status and trends of North American amphibian populations and evaluate the outcomes of management interventions, with practical scientific outputs that inform monitoring and on-the-ground conservation decision-making.

What scientific and conservation topics does the opportunity focus on?

The focus is amphibian conservation, including amphibian population status and trends, amphibian disease study support, spatiotemporal distribution modeling, and development of decision tools for managing an endangered amphibian on Department of the Interior (DOI) lands.

Which USGS programs and centers will the partner collaborate with?

The project will be carried out collaboratively with USGS scientists and programs, specifically the USGS Eastern Ecological Research Center and the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative.

How is the project scope organized?

The scope is organized around three main technical areas: (1) statistical model development and data analysis for an ongoing national amphibian disease study, (2) prototyping methods for dynamic integrated distribution models, and (3) supporting development of decision tools for managing an endangered amphibian on DOI lands.

What work is included under the amphibian disease study support area?

The selected partner will assist with statistical model development and data analysis tied to an ongoing national amphibian disease study. This likely includes working with complex datasets, improving inference about disease dynamics and impacts, and supporting interpretation that can be translated into management-relevant findings.

What are dynamic integrated distribution models in the context of this opportunity?

In this opportunity, dynamic integrated distribution models refer to developing and testing modeling approaches that combine multiple data streams over time (for example, detection-nondetection surveys, counts, environmental covariates, or disease metrics) to estimate where amphibians occur, how distributions shift, and what factors drive those changes.

What are the expected decision-support outputs?

The project includes supporting the development of decision tools for managing an endangered amphibian on DOI lands. This implies an applied component where modeling and monitoring results are translated into tools or frameworks that help managers compare options, anticipate outcomes, and make more defensible conservation decisions.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are participating partners of the Chesapeake Watershed CESU.

Can non-CESU organizations apply?

Based on the eligibility statement provided, applicants must be a participating partner of the Chesapeake Watershed CESU, so non-partners are not eligible under this opportunity.

What is the funding category and activity area?

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity area.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.808.

How many awards does USGS expect to make?

USGS expects to make one award.

What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $450,000.

Is this opportunity intended for multiple smaller projects or one focused project?

USGS expects to make one award with a $450,000 ceiling, indicating a single, focused project rather than multiple smaller awards.

When was this opportunity created?

The funding opportunity was created on 2026-10-14.

What is the application due date?

Applications are due by 2026-11-14.

What kinds of expertise does the opportunity seem to prioritize?

The opportunity is geared toward a qualified Chesapeake Watershed CESU partner that can contribute advanced quantitative ecology and applied decision-support expertise, particularly in disease-related modeling, spatiotemporal distribution modeling, and translating scientific results into usable management tools for endangered amphibian conservation on DOI-managed lands.

What is meant by "practical scientific outputs" in this opportunity?

The description emphasizes producing outputs that can directly inform amphibian monitoring and on-the-ground decision-making. In other words, the work is intended to be management-relevant rather than purely theoretical.

How collaborative is the work expected to be?

The work is explicitly described as collaborative with USGS scientists and programs. As a cooperative agreement under CESU, it is intended to involve close coordination and joint work throughout the project period.

What is the intended management context for the decision tools mentioned?

The decision tools are intended to support management of an endangered amphibian on Department of the Interior lands, indicating an applied decision-support context tied to DOI-managed conservation needs.