Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G23AS00349

Opportunity Information: Apply for G23AS00349

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is soliciting proposals for a discretionary financial assistance award under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, specifically through the South Atlantic Coast CESU. The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means USGS expects to be substantially involved in the work as it is carried out (for example, through collaboration on study design, data interpretation, or coordination with Department of the Interior partners). The overall purpose is to support research that helps DOI management agencies build a practical, science-based monitoring framework that uses Motus wildlife tracking data, with an emphasis on birds that have been fitted with Motus tags.

At the core of the project are two technical objectives that are closely related. First, the awardee is expected to develop a statistical analysis framework tailored to individual-based encounter data generated by Motus-tagged birds. Motus data often come in the form of detections (or non-detections) as tagged individuals move through landscapes and are recorded by receiver stations. Because these detections reflect both animal movement and the structure of the receiver network, the statistical approach needs to handle issues like uneven detection probability across space, repeated encounters of the same individual, and the fact that the data are not simple counts but are tied to where and when receivers detect tagged animals. The aim is to create an analysis structure that DOI resource managers can use to interpret Motus encounter data reliably for monitoring, decision-making, and assessment of conservation actions.

Second, the project is intended to produce a generalizable framework for evaluating trade-offs in spatial sampling design. In practical terms, this means helping agencies think through questions such as where to place receivers, how dense a network needs to be, what coverage is gained or lost by shifting stations, and how different network designs affect what can be inferred about bird movements, habitat use, or passage through management units. A strong outcome would be guidance or tools that allow managers to compare alternative monitoring designs under realistic constraints like budget, logistics, and uneven access, while still preserving the ability to detect meaningful ecological patterns or management-relevant changes over time. The word "generalizable" signals that USGS is looking for methods or decision-support approaches that are not limited to a single refuge or species, but can be adapted to multiple settings where Motus data are used.

Eligibility is narrow and is restricted to organizations that are already official partners in the USGS South Atlantic Coast CESU Program. CESUs are partnership networks intended to connect federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, and other research and education entities to deliver applied science, technical assistance, and training. Because this award is issued under CESU authorities, applicants outside that specific CESU partnership are not eligible, even if they have relevant expertise. The listing identifies the eligible applicant category as "Others," but the controlling requirement is active participation as a South Atlantic Coast CESU partner.

Administratively, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number G23AS00349 under CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) 15.808, and it falls under the activity category of Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The award ceiling is $68,000, indicating the maximum federal funding anticipated for a single award. The posting lists an original closing date of May 24, 2023, and a creation date of April 24, 2023. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided text, but the structure and ceiling suggest a targeted, relatively small research effort focused on producing methodological and planning deliverables that DOI partners can use.

In summary, this grant opportunity supports a CESU-affiliated partner to collaborate with USGS and DOI management agencies on turning Motus bird-tracking detections into a usable monitoring framework. The work emphasizes rigorous statistical treatment of individual encounter data and the development of broadly applicable guidance for optimizing receiver network design, so that monitoring programs can make defensible choices about spatial sampling while improving the interpretability and management value of Motus-based data.

• 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 South Atlantic Coast 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 2023-04-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-24. (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 $68,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G23AS00349

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