Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G27AS00072

Funding Opportunity FAQs (USGS Cooperative Agreement - Rocky Mountains CESU)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a US Geological Survey (USGS) discretionary cooperative agreement offered through the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. It is identified as Funding Opportunity Number G27AS00072 with CFDA 15.808.

How many awards are expected?

One award is expected (expected awards: 1), meaning the opportunity is designed to support a single selected applicant/project.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The expected maximum award amount is up to $375,000.

When are applications due?

Applications are due by November 14, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Only organizations that are already participating partners in the Rocky Mountains CESU are eligible to apply. The eligibility limitation reflects the CESU model, which is structured around collaboration between federal agencies and qualified non-federal institutions that are part of the CESU network.

What is the main issue the project is trying to address?

The project targets the invasive grass-fire cycle. In this cycle, invasive annual grasses (such as cheatgrass) add fine fuels that can increase how often landscapes burn and how intensely fires burn. After fire, these invasive grasses often rebound quickly and can outcompete native vegetation, raising the likelihood of repeated fires and reinforcing a self-perpetuating cycle.

Why is this project focused on the eastern portion of the sagebrush biome?

While the invasive grass-fire cycle is well documented in the western sagebrush biome (especially the Great Basin), the opportunity highlights a major knowledge gap in the eastern portion of the sagebrush biome, including native grasslands in the Northern Great Plains. Early evidence suggests these eastern grasslands may be more naturally fire-adapted and may be less susceptible to the same invasive-driven feedback loop.

What concern does the notice raise about applying Great Basin management approaches in the Great Plains?

The notice indicates that if eastern grasslands are less prone to the same invasive grass-fire feedback loop, then management approaches commonly used in the Great Basin could be ineffective in the Great Plains. It also suggests those approaches could potentially be harmful if applied without adjusting to local ecological conditions.

What geographic and ecological areas are emphasized?

The focus is on the eastern portion of the sagebrush biome, with emphasis on native grasslands in the Northern Great Plains and related eastern sagebrush contexts.

What kinds of activities or outputs does the project emphasize?

The description emphasizes applied, decision-relevant work aimed at: mapping where the invasive grass-fire cycle is present in native grasslands, determining its extent, and identifying practical management strategies that work in that regional context. The implied deliverables include actionable products such as maps, risk-informed assessments, and management guidance to support post-fire decision-making.

What types of deliverables are implied by the opportunity description?

The opportunity implies deliverables that managers can use directly, including: maps showing where the invasive grass-fire cycle is occurring, assessments that help inform risk and prioritization, and management guidance that helps determine where post-fire interventions are most needed and where interventions may be unnecessary.

How is this work intended to be used by land and resource managers?

The intended use is to improve targeting of post-fire interventions by helping managers decide where treatments are needed to prevent invasive grass expansion and where treatments may not be warranted. A central goal is to avoid spending time and money on interventions that do not fit local conditions.

Which agencies are specifically mentioned as collaborators?

The opportunity specifically mentions direct collaboration with resource managers from the US Department of Agriculture and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, signaling that the work should be closely aligned with on-the-ground management needs.

Is this opportunity more academic research or applied management support?

The notice frames the work as applied and decision-relevant, with direct collaboration with resource managers and an emphasis on actionable products (maps, assessments, guidance) that support real-world decisions.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a traditional grant?

Because this is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect substantial involvement by the federal partner. The description indicates this will typically include co-developed workplans, regular coordination with agency scientists and managers, and deliverables shaped by management needs rather than a hands-off relationship.

What is meant by "substantial involvement" from the federal partner?

Substantial involvement, as described in the notice, generally means the project will be carried out in active collaboration with the federal partner, including ongoing coordination, jointly shaped work planning, and deliverables that respond to agency and manager priorities.

How does this opportunity connect to broader federal wildfire priorities?

The opportunity is explicitly linked to community resilience to wildfires and is presented as aligned with broader federal goals for wildfire resilience and preparedness.

Which Executive Orders are mentioned in connection with this work?

The notice cites Executive Order 14308, Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response (June 12, 2025), and Executive Order 14239, Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness (March 19, 2025).

Does the notice mention other Administration priorities beyond wildfire?

Yes. The notice signals that projects under this cooperative agreement should advance Administration priorities that may include American energy dominance, critical mineral development, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness.

Are cross-disciplinary approaches encouraged?

Yes. The opportunity encourages proposals that draw on scientific and technical strengths across disciplines such as hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, particularly when those capabilities help address extreme events.

What types of extreme events or hazards are referenced?

The notice references extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, with an emphasis on producing actionable science, data, and tools.

What is the overarching theme across the topics mentioned in the opportunity?

The common thread is producing actionable science, data, and tools that resource managers and stakeholders can use for real-world decisions, especially related to wildfire preparedness and resilience and other hazard-relevant priorities.

What is the central knowledge gap this project is trying to fill?

The key gap highlighted is limited understanding of where the invasive grass-fire cycle exists in the eastern portion of the sagebrush biome and Northern Great Plains native grasslands, how extensive it is, and what management strategies are effective in that specific regional context.

What management decision does this project aim to improve after a fire?

The project aims to improve decisions about where post-fire interventions should be prioritized to prevent invasive grass expansion and where interventions may be unnecessary, supporting more targeted and cost-effective management actions.

What is the role of mapping in the described project?

Mapping is emphasized as a core output, specifically to identify where the invasive grass-fire cycle is present in native grasslands and to clarify its extent, supporting risk-informed management and targeted intervention decisions.

Does the opportunity indicate the work should be designed around stakeholder and manager needs?

Yes. The notice repeatedly frames the outputs as actionable and decision-relevant, and it highlights direct collaboration with resource managers, which implies the products and deliverables should be tailored to management needs.