Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU | G19AS00095

Opportunity Information: Apply for G19AS00095

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G19AS00095) is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary research funding call administered through the Department of the Interior. It is offered by the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) and uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, which typically means the awardee should expect substantial involvement and coordination with USGS staff during the project. The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and it is associated with CFDA 15.808. The opportunity was created on July 9, 2019, with an original closing date of July 26, 2019.

The focus of the award is amphibian status assessment and continued long-term monitoring in Arizona. The work is framed under the Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), a nationwide program established after heightened concern over global amphibian declines led Congress to fund a coordinated effort. ARMI has been supported through USGS since 2000 and serves as a primary federal mechanism for systematically tracking amphibian populations and understanding why declines are happening. In practical terms, the project supported under this opportunity is meant to contribute Arizona-specific data and insights that feed into the broader national ARMI goals.

From a scientific and management standpoint, the opportunity emphasizes three connected outcomes. First is determining distribution and status, meaning documenting where amphibian species occur and assessing their condition and trends over time. Second is identifying causes of decline, which can include disease, habitat loss or degradation, altered hydrology, invasive species, contaminants, climate-related stressors, or interacting pressures that vary by site and species. Third is identifying ways to reverse declines, which points toward applied research that can inform realistic interventions rather than monitoring alone.

The stated overall goal of ARMI in Arizona, as reflected in this funding notice, is to identify threats to amphibians, maintain long-term monitoring that can detect and explain population changes, and support land managers with information useful for habitat modification to benefit amphibians. That final piece is important because it highlights that the expected outputs are not only scientific findings, but also actionable guidance that can be used by agencies and partners managing wetlands, streams, springs, and other amphibian habitats across Arizona.

In terms of funding, the award ceiling is $35,000, and the USGS anticipated making a single award. Eligibility is listed as “Others,” with additional eligibility details referenced as being in the full text of the notice, which commonly indicates a targeted pool such as CESU-affiliated institutions or specific partner categories. Overall, this is a small, focused cooperative agreement intended to advance ARMI’s Arizona monitoring and threat-identification objectives while strengthening the connection between field-based amphibian science and on-the-ground habitat management decisions.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 09, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 26, 2019. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for G19AS00095

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