Opportunity Information: Apply for G18AS00023
The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Great Rivers CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00023) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), within the Department of the Interior, to support a single CESU partner through a cooperative agreement. The project focuses on improving a practical decision-support tool described as a "revised spill calculator" used to estimate the effects of misapplications of fire retardant, particularly in situations where retardant may inadvertently enter or threaten aquatic systems. The work falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category (CFDA 15.808).
The central purpose of the award is to develop and test an updated modeling-based calculator that can better estimate transport and potential impacts following retardant misapplication events. The revised tool is expected to be grounded in an advection-dispersion modeling framework, which is a standard approach for representing how a substance moves downstream (advection) and spreads out due to mixing processes (dispersion) in rivers and streams. In practical terms, the tool would help translate information about an incident (such as where and how much retardant entered a waterway, and the flow conditions at the time) into estimates of downstream concentrations and exposure over time, supporting more informed assessments and response decisions.
The solicitation lays out three specific objectives. First, the recipient is to develop a spill calculator based on an advection-dispersion model, implying a shift or upgrade from the existing calculator to a method with a clearer physical basis for predicting downstream fate and transport. Second, the recipient must apply both the current spill calculator and the proposed revised calculator to a set of real-world field events, with the US Forest Service (USFS) providing between four and eight incidents for evaluation. This side-by-side application is meant to show how the revised approach compares to the existing method across multiple scenarios, likely highlighting differences in predicted concentrations, timing of peak exposure, and downstream extent under varying hydrologic and site conditions. Third, the recipient must apply both calculators to at least one event for which dye study data are available. Dye studies are commonly used to empirically measure travel time and dispersion characteristics in streams, so including at least one dye-traced event provides an observed dataset to help check whether the revised model captures real transport behavior and whether it improves prediction performance relative to the current calculator.
Administratively, the opportunity was created on March 13, 2018, with an original closing date of March 27, 2018, indicating a short application window typical of targeted CESU opportunities. The expected number of awards is one, and the award ceiling is $18,937, signaling a small, focused research effort rather than a large multi-year program. Eligibility is limited to CESU partners (listed broadly as "Others" with clarification in the opportunity text), meaning applicants generally must be part of the CESU network and aligned with the Great Rivers CESU partnership framework.
Overall, the grant is aimed at producing an improved, field-tested spill calculation tool for estimating the downstream effects of fire retardant misapplications, validated through application to multiple USFS-provided incidents and anchored by at least one case with dye study measurements. The outcome USGS is driving toward is a more defensible and usable calculator that supports incident analysis and environmental risk evaluation in riverine settings when accidental retardant exposure is a concern.Apply for G18AS00023
- 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, Great Rivers 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 Mar 13, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 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 $18,937.00 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).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the CESU Great Rivers CESU grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G18AS00023)?
This is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior, to support a single Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partner through a cooperative agreement. The project is focused on improving a practical decision-support tool known as a revised spill calculator for evaluating the effects of fire retardant misapplications that may reach or threaten aquatic systems.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What is being funded under this announcement?
The funded work is to develop and test an updated modeling-based spill calculator that estimates transport and potential impacts following incidents where fire retardant is misapplied and may enter waterways. The calculator is intended to support incident analysis and decision-making by estimating downstream concentrations and exposure over time.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is one.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $18,937.
What type of award mechanism will be used?
The award is intended to be made as a cooperative agreement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to CESU partners under the Great Rivers CESU partnership framework (the opportunity lists eligibility broadly as "Others" with clarification that it is restricted to CESU partners).
What is the main goal of the revised spill calculator?
The main goal is to produce a more defensible and usable tool that can translate incident details (such as location, amount of retardant entering a waterway, and flow conditions) into estimates of downstream concentrations and exposure through time. This supports more informed assessment and response decisions when accidental retardant exposure is a concern in river and stream environments.
What modeling approach is the revised spill calculator expected to use?
The revised tool is expected to be grounded in an advection-dispersion modeling framework, a standard method for representing how a substance moves downstream (advection) and spreads due to mixing (dispersion) in rivers and streams.
What are the specific objectives of the project?
The solicitation identifies three objectives: (1) develop a spill calculator based on an advection-dispersion model, (2) apply both the current spill calculator and the revised spill calculator to a set of real-world field events provided by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and (3) apply both calculators to at least one event with available dye study data.
How many real-world incidents will be used to evaluate the calculators?
The USFS will provide between four and eight incidents for evaluation using both the current and revised spill calculators.
Why does the opportunity require running both the current and revised calculators on the same events?
Applying both tools to the same set of field events enables a side-by-side comparison of outputs across multiple scenarios. This comparison is intended to show how the revised approach differs from the existing method under varying conditions (for example, differences in predicted concentrations, timing of peak exposure, and downstream extent).
What is a dye study, and why is it included in the requirements?
Dye studies are commonly used to empirically measure travel time and dispersion characteristics in streams. Including at least one event with dye study data provides an observed dataset that can be used to check whether the revised advection-dispersion-based calculator captures real transport behavior and whether it improves prediction performance relative to the current calculator.
What is the focus area or funding activity category for this opportunity?
The work falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.808.
When was the opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on March 13, 2018, and the original closing date was March 27, 2018.
What practical problem does this project address?
The project addresses situations where fire retardant is misapplied and may inadvertently enter or threaten aquatic systems. The revised spill calculator is meant to estimate downstream transport and exposure to better understand potential effects and inform response decisions.
What is meant by "decision-support tool" in this context?
In this context, the spill calculator is a tool designed to support practical decision-making during or after an incident by converting incident-specific inputs (such as release location, quantity, and flow conditions) into modeled estimates of downstream concentrations and exposure timing.
What is the intended outcome USGS is driving toward?
USGS is aiming for an improved, field-tested spill calculation tool that is more defensible and usable for incident analysis and environmental risk evaluation in riverine settings when accidental retardant exposure is a concern.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: BLM MT/DAK Youth Opportunities to Work on Conservation Projects on MT/DAK Public Lands
Previous opportunity: Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for G18AS00023
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (G18AS00023) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU Apply for G18AS00024 Funding Number: G18AS00024 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $30,000 |
| FHWA 2018 Exploratory Advanced Research Broad Agency Announcement Apply for 693JJ3 18 BAA 0001 Funding Number: 693JJ3 18 BAA 0001 Agency: Department of Transportation, DOT Federal Highway Administration Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $7,000,000 |
| Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program: Exercise Interventions for People With Disabilities Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR DPGE 0277 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR DPGE 0277 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $925,000 |
| Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Health and Function for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Apply for HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR RTHF 0263 Funding Number: HHS 2018 ACL NIDILRR RTHF 0263 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $875,000 |
| CubeSat-based Science Missions for Geospace and Atmospheric Research Apply for 18 553 Funding Number: 18 553 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU Apply for G18AS00025 Funding Number: G18AS00025 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $49,900 |
| Fiscal Year 2019 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) Apply for FOA AFRL AFOSR 2018 0002 Funding Number: FOA AFRL AFOSR 2018 0002 Agency: Department of Defense, Air Force Office of Scientific Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Fiscal Year 2019 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) - ARMY SUBMISSION Apply for W911NF18S0002 Funding Number: W911NF18S0002 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Pacific Northwest CESU Apply for G18AS00031 Funding Number: G18AS00031 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $166,756 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU Apply for G18AS00030 Funding Number: G18AS00030 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $128,279 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU Apply for G18AS00027 Funding Number: G18AS00027 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $148,500 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Desert Southwest CESU Apply for G18AS00026 Funding Number: G18AS00026 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $49,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU Apply for G18AS00028 Funding Number: G18AS00028 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU Apply for G18AS00029 Funding Number: G18AS00029 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $385,000 |
| Next-Generation Non-Surgical Neurotechnology (N3) Apply for HR001118S0029 Funding Number: HR001118S0029 Agency: Department of Defense, DARPA - Biological Technologies Office Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIJ FY18 Forensic DNA Laboratory Efficiency Improvement and Capacity Enhancement Program Apply for NIJ 2018 13800 Funding Number: NIJ 2018 13800 Agency: Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $9,000,000 |
| Information Visualization of NSWC Crane Innovation Ecosystem as part of Naval Science and Technology Apply for CRANBAA18 005 Funding Number: CRANBAA18 005 Agency: Department of Defense, NSWC - CRANE Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Academic Research Program (NARP) Apply for HM0476 18 BAA 0001 Funding Number: HM0476 18 BAA 0001 Agency: Department of Defense, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| DoD Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Fellowship Award Apply for W81XWH 18 BCRP BFA Funding Number: W81XWH 18 BCRP BFA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Breast Cancer, Distinguished Investigator Award Apply for W81XWH 18 BCRP DIA Funding Number: W81XWH 18 BCRP DIA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "G18AS00023", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.