Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G27AS00079

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the main purpose of this USGS funding opportunity?

The purpose is to support nationally focused research that improves biogeographic information for fish and other aquatic organisms. The overall goal is to strengthen the science and practical tools used to map, analyze, and interpret where freshwater species occur across the United States, what habitat conditions they rely on, and what their broad-scale conservation needs look like.

2) Which agency is offering this opportunity and what type of award is it?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, issued as a discretionary financial assistance opportunity under the CESU program.

3) What does “actionable science” mean for this project?

“Actionable science” means the expected outputs should be practical and usable for resource managers who make decisions about aquatic species conservation and freshwater ecosystem management. Applicants should be ready to connect their work to real decision-making needs, not just theoretical or purely academic outcomes.

4) What are the three technical thrusts or focus areas USGS is asking applicants to address?

The project is organized around three thrusts:

• Advances in statistical and analytical approaches that combine multiple lines of evidence to improve species distribution models for freshwater organisms (integrating different kinds of data to produce stronger distribution estimates).
• Rigorous evaluation of habitat model performance, including accuracy, uncertainty, and sensitivity to environmental conditions (understanding reliability, fragility, bias, and environmental sensitivity of predictions).
• Modern synthesis approaches, including artificial intelligence, to compile, update, and maintain current information on species traits, conservation status, and habitat preferences (data synthesis and knowledge management to keep reference information current and usable).

5) What kinds of data or evidence does USGS suggest integrating to improve species distribution models?

The opportunity highlights integrating multiple lines of evidence, such as occurrence records, survey datasets, environmental predictors, and other relevant information, to generate more realistic and robust distribution estimates for freshwater organisms.

6) What does USGS mean by evaluating habitat model performance?

USGS emphasizes evaluating model accuracy, uncertainty, and sensitivity to environmental conditions. This includes clarifying how reliable model outputs are, where models may be fragile or biased, and how changing environmental variables could affect predicted habitat suitability or distribution patterns.

7) How is artificial intelligence (AI) expected to be used in this project?

AI is specifically mentioned as part of “modern synthesis approaches” to compile, update, and maintain information on species traits, conservation status, and habitat preferences. The emphasis is on improving how current reference information is kept up to date and reducing the lag between new science and the datasets resource managers rely on.

8) Is this opportunity intended for local or national-scale work?

The research is described as nationally focused. Applicants are encouraged to consider whether they can contribute methods, evaluations, and maintained datasets that extend beyond a single watershed or state.

9) What kinds of teams are a good fit for this opportunity?

The opportunity is best suited to teams with demonstrated capability in aquatic ecology, freshwater biogeography, species distribution modeling, geospatial analysis, and ecological data synthesis. Applicants are encouraged to compare their expertise to the three technical thrusts.

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

A cooperative agreement implies an expectation of active collaboration with USGS staff during the project. It is not framed as a hands-off relationship; applicants should anticipate working closely with USGS throughout the effort.

11) How should applicants address Department of the Interior (DOI) priorities in their proposals?

USGS indicates the work should align with DOI science and conservation priorities, especially those supporting species management, cooperative conservation, and shared stewardship with partners, including local communities and Tribes. Applicants should be prepared to show how their research products improve ecological decision-making, strengthen data quality and transparency, and support on-the-ground management where freshwater resources are involved.

12) What DOI policy and strategy drivers are referenced in the opportunity description?

The opportunity links the work to multiple DOI drivers, including Secretarial Orders related to expanding hunting and fishing access, implementing Land and Water Conservation Fund priorities, restoring “gold standard” science practices under Executive Order 14303 and its implementation guidance, advancing DOI-wide artificial intelligence transformation, and implementing the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act.

13) Who is eligible to apply?

Only participating partners of the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network are eligible to apply.

14) What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?

The opportunity number is G27AS00079. It is listed under CFDA 15.808.

15) What is the activity category for this award?

The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

16) How many awards does USGS expect to make?

USGS expects to make one award.

17) What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?

The maximum (ceiling) amount is $150,000.

18) What are the key dates for this opportunity?

The opportunity was created on October 14, 2026, and the original application closing date is November 14, 2026.

19) What is the CESU program and how does it relate to this opportunity?

The CESU program is described as a mechanism designed to connect federal science needs with partner expertise through research, technical assistance, and education. This opportunity is issued under the CESU program and is limited to eligible partners within the specified CESU network.

20) What kinds of outcomes is USGS looking for from funded work?

Based on the description, USGS is looking for practical research products that strengthen the tools and science for freshwater species distribution and habitat modeling, clarify model reliability through rigorous performance evaluation, and improve the compilation and maintenance of species traits, conservation status, and habitat preference information in ways that are usable for managers and aligned with DOI priorities.