Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00114
The National Land Remote Sensing Education Outreach and Research Activity (NLRSEORA) is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through its National Land Imaging (NLI) Program within the Land Resources mission area. The main goal is to establish and support a U.S. national consortium that strengthens and broadens the science and practical use of remote sensing, especially for land and surface-water monitoring. Rather than funding many separate small projects, the opportunity is designed to back a single, coordinated national effort that can organize partners, align priorities, and scale education, outreach, and applied research in a consistent way across the country.
The consortium envisioned under this grant is expected to expand remote sensing capacity through three interconnected tracks: education, outreach, and research/applications development. On the education side, the emphasis is on building knowledge and workforce skills in land remote sensing, which can include training programs, curriculum development, and efforts that improve the ability of students and practitioners to use satellite and other remotely sensed data effectively. On the outreach side, the intent is to broaden awareness and adoption of remote sensing tools among stakeholder communities, including decision-makers and practitioners who can apply these methods in real-world environmental and resource management settings. On the research and applications development side, the focus is on advancing practical, usable remote-sensing-based approaches for monitoring environmental conditions and changes, turning satellite observations into information products, methods, or workflows that can support decisions.
The program’s technical scope is wide and centered on environmental monitoring and the societal benefits of land imaging. A prominent theme is understanding and monitoring the effects of land use and land cover change, particularly how those changes influence water quality, water quantity, and overall water utility. The scope also explicitly includes societal adaptation and phenology, reflecting an interest in seasonal and climate-linked changes in vegetation and land surface conditions that can affect ecosystems, agriculture, and resource planning. Another highlighted topic area is public health, especially the identification of potential remote-sensing indicators related to vector-borne diseases and harmful algal blooms. In addition, the opportunity calls out natural resource management, agricultural applications, and disaster risk reduction, along with other land surface and surface water monitoring needs that can benefit from improved remote sensing education, outreach, and applied science.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public-serving institutions and organizations that could credibly convene a national consortium. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations (both those with 501(c)(3) status and those without), as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category listed. The opportunity is categorized under CFDA 15.815 and is aligned with natural resources activities, reflecting USGS’s mission focus and the applied environmental monitoring orientation of the work.
In terms of funding structure, the award instrument is a grant with an award ceiling of $6,250,000, and USGS anticipated making one award, reinforcing the intent to create a single national consortium rather than multiple unrelated efforts. The opportunity was created on August 1, 2018, with an original closing date of September 4, 2018, indicating it was run as a time-bound competition. The funding opportunity number is G18AS00114, which is the key identifier typically used for tracking and referencing the solicitation in official systems and correspondence.
Overall, NLRSEORA is best understood as an investment in national-scale coordination: building a consortium that can train people, engage users, and develop practical remote sensing applications that address pressing land and water challenges. The subject matter spans environmental change, water resources, ecosystem and seasonal dynamics, public health signals observable from remote sensing, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction, all tied together by the idea that better education, stronger outreach, and more targeted applications development can significantly increase the impact and adoption of land remote sensing across the United States.Apply for G18AS00114
- The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Land Remote Sensing Education Outreach and Research Activity (NLRSEORA)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.815.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 01, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 04, 2018. (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 $6,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the National Land Remote Sensing Education Outreach and Research Activity (NLRSEORA)?
NLRSEORA is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It is administered through the USGS National Land Imaging (NLI) Program within the Land Resources mission area. The opportunity is designed to establish and support a national effort focused on strengthening and broadening the science and practical use of remote sensing for land and surface-water monitoring.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The main goal is to establish and support a single U.S. national consortium that can coordinate partners, align priorities, and scale education, outreach, and applied research in land remote sensing consistently across the country. Instead of funding many separate small projects, this program emphasizes one coordinated national effort.
Who is offering and administering the funding?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through its National Land Imaging (NLI) Program.
Is this opportunity intended to fund multiple projects or one national effort?
This opportunity is structured to support one coordinated national effort. USGS anticipated making one award, reflecting the intent to create a single national consortium rather than funding multiple unrelated projects.
What does the program mean by a "national consortium"?
Based on the description, the consortium is envisioned as a U.S.-wide coordinating body that can convene and organize partners, align priorities, and expand remote sensing capacity. The consortium is expected to integrate education, outreach, and research/applications development to increase both expertise and real-world adoption of land remote sensing.
What are the three main tracks the consortium is expected to cover?
The consortium is expected to expand remote sensing capacity through three interconnected tracks:
- Education: building knowledge and workforce skills in land remote sensing (for example, training programs and curriculum development).
- Outreach: broadening awareness and adoption of remote sensing tools among stakeholders, decision-makers, and practitioners.
- Research and applications development: advancing practical, usable remote-sensing-based approaches and turning observations into methods, workflows, or information products that can support decisions.
What kinds of activities are included under the education track?
The education emphasis is on building knowledge and workforce skills in land remote sensing. Examples mentioned include training programs, curriculum development, and efforts that improve the ability of students and practitioners to use satellite and other remotely sensed data effectively.
What is the focus of the outreach track?
The outreach track focuses on increasing awareness and adoption of remote sensing tools among stakeholder communities, including decision-makers and practitioners who can apply remote sensing in real-world environmental and resource management settings.
What is the focus of the research and applications development track?
This track focuses on advancing practical and usable approaches for monitoring environmental conditions and change using remote sensing. It emphasizes translating satellite observations into information products, methods, or workflows that can support decisions.
What is the technical scope of the program?
The technical scope is broad and centered on environmental monitoring and the societal benefits of land imaging. The opportunity highlights land and surface-water monitoring needs and emphasizes expanding the science and practical use of remote sensing across the United States.
What environmental topics are specifically highlighted?
Highlighted topics include:
- Land use and land cover change, and how these changes affect water quality, water quantity, and overall water utility
- Societal adaptation and phenology (seasonal and climate-linked changes in vegetation and land surface conditions)
- Public health applications, including potential remote-sensing indicators related to vector-borne diseases and harmful algal blooms
- Natural resource management
- Agricultural applications
- Disaster risk reduction
- Other land surface and surface water monitoring needs supported by education, outreach, and applied science
How does land use and land cover change fit into this opportunity?
Land use and land cover change is a prominent theme. The opportunity specifically links it to monitoring and understanding impacts on water quality, water quantity, and overall water utility, indicating a strong interest in land-water connections that can be observed through remote sensing.
What does the opportunity mean by phenology?
In this context, phenology refers to seasonal and climate-linked changes in vegetation and land surface conditions. The opportunity frames phenology as important for understanding changes that can affect ecosystems, agriculture, and resource planning.
What public health applications are mentioned?
The opportunity highlights public health, particularly the identification of potential remote-sensing indicators related to vector-borne diseases and harmful algal blooms.
Does the scope include agriculture and disaster risk reduction?
Yes. Agricultural applications and disaster risk reduction are explicitly called out as part of the opportunity, along with broader natural resource management and land/surface-water monitoring needs.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public-serving institutions and organizations that could convene a national consortium. Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City/township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations (with 501(c)(3) status and without), provided they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category listed
Is the opportunity tied to a specific CFDA number?
Yes. The opportunity is categorized under CFDA 15.815.
What is the award instrument for this opportunity?
The award instrument is a grant.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $6,250,000.
How many awards did USGS anticipate making?
USGS anticipated making one award, which aligns with the intent to support a single national consortium.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is G18AS00114. This is the primary identifier used to track and reference the solicitation.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on August 1, 2018, and had an original closing date of September 4, 2018.
How should this grant be understood at a high level?
NLRSEORA is best understood as an investment in national-scale coordination to strengthen U.S. capacity in land remote sensing. It aims to build a consortium that can train people, engage user communities, and develop practical remote sensing applications addressing land and water challenges, spanning environmental change, water resources, ecosystem and seasonal dynamics, public health indicators, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction.
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