Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00365

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00365

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number G23AS00365) for a partner organization affiliated with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). The project sits in the Science and Technology/Research and Development category (CFDA 15.808) and is designed to support applied research that improves how coastal tidal wetland land use change is detected and described over the past several decades across the conterminous United States (CONUS). Because it is issued through the CESU framework, eligibility is limited to organizations that are active, participating partners in the North Atlantic Coast CESU network, which is a formal partnership structure used by federal agencies to collaborate with academic and other research institutions on science, technical assistance, and education.

The core purpose of the work is to identify and validate a remote sensing methodology that can reliably detect and characterize long-term land use changes in coastal tidal wetlands. The opportunity emphasizes changes that are especially relevant to wetland hydrology and ecology, such as roads, bridges, causeways, berms, and other types of hardscape or built infrastructure. These kinds of developments can fragment marshes, restrict tidal exchange, and shift salinity gradients, which in turn can drive habitat conversion, vegetation changes, altered sedimentation patterns, and broader ecological impacts. In other words, the grant is not just about mapping development in a generic way; it is focused on capturing the types of landscape modifications that change tidal flow and salinity conditions in coastal environments.

Expected deliverables include national-scale mapping products and accompanying regional summaries that describe where and how coastal tidal wetland land use has changed over the targeted multi-decadal period. The mapping is intended to cover the entire CONUS coastal tidal wetland extent, suggesting a need for consistent methods that can be applied across different coastlines and wetland types. In addition to geospatial products, the project is expected to generate publishable scientific outputs, such as peer-reviewed papers or formal science reports, documenting the methodology, validation approach, and key findings. The cooperative agreement mechanism also implies substantial federal involvement during the project, meaning USGS scientists may collaborate on technical direction, data decisions, interpretation, and publication planning rather than simply acting as a pass-through funder.

Key administrative details provided in the notice include an award ceiling of $300,000, an original application closing date of June 8, 2023, and a creation date of May 8, 2023. The opportunity category is listed as discretionary, and eligible applicants are summarized as "Others," with the important qualifier that applicants must be CESU partners within the North Atlantic Coast CESU. Overall, the funding is aimed at producing a defensible, scalable remote sensing approach and concrete national and regional products that help USGS and partners understand how human-built features have altered coastal tidal wetlands over recent decades.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" 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 2023-05-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-08. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G23AS00365

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: