Cooperative Agreement with Partner of the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G21AS00565

Opportunity Information: Apply for G21AS00565

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through its Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC), is offering a discretionary research funding opportunity in the form of a cooperative agreement. The project is aimed at building a focused research and restoration program around biological soil crusts (often called biocrusts) on National Park Service lands in Arizona. Biocrusts are living surface communities typically made up of organisms like cyanobacteria, lichens, and mosses, and they can play major roles in soil stability, nutrient cycling, and overall ecosystem function in dryland environments.

The work has two core goals. First, the awardee will assess what biocrust communities are currently present at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and document what functions those communities are providing. In practical terms, this means establishing a baseline understanding of the types, condition, distribution, and ecological roles of biocrusts at the site so land managers can understand what is there now and what may be missing or degraded. Second, the project will identify which restoration tools and approaches are most effective for rapidly re-establishing biocrust communities and the functions they support across Arizona National Park Service units, specifically including Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Tonto National Monument. The emphasis on speed suggests the agency is looking for approaches that can return biocrust benefits on management-relevant timelines, not just long-term recovery.

Because this is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program, it is structured as a partnership-based award rather than a simple grant with minimal agency involvement. CESUs are designed to connect federal agencies with academic and other qualified partners to deliver applied research, technical assistance, and education that supports natural and cultural resource management. As a result, the cooperative agreement format typically implies active collaboration with USGS and potentially other participating agencies or land managers during project planning, implementation, and delivery of results.

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are already participating partners of the Colorado Plateau CESU. In other words, an applicant must be an official member of that CESU network to apply under this opportunity. The listing identifies the awarding agency as the Geological Survey and places the effort in the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity category, with CFDA number 15.808.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number G21AS00565 and an original closing date of July 23, 2021. The stated award ceiling is $47,940, indicating the maximum expected federal amount for an award under this announcement. The opportunity was created on June 23, 2021. Overall, the funding supports applied field and program-development work that helps park managers understand existing biocrust resources and select restoration methods that can efficiently restore biocrust structure and function across multiple Arizona park units.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement with Partner of the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (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 2021-06-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-07-23. (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 $47,940.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G21AS00565

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