Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lake Northern Forest | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G13AS00054.

Which federal agency issued this opportunity?

This opportunity was issued by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

What program is this opportunity associated with?

It was issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, specifically the Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU.

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically means USGS expects to be substantially involved during the project period, for example through collaboration on study design, coordination with ongoing field efforts, data integration, or joint reporting.

Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The announcement describes it as a discretionary research funding opportunity.

What is the CFDA number and title tied to this opportunity?

The opportunity is tied to CFDA 15.808, USGS Research and Data Collection.

What is the general activity category for this grant?

The activity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

What is the main scientific focus of the project?

The project focuses on Lake Ontario food web energetics, with an emphasis on how invasive species have reshaped energy movement through the ecosystem.

Which USGS unit is seeking a partner for this work?

The USGS Great Lakes Science Centers Lake Ontario Biological Station is seeking a CESU partner to conduct the research.

What problem is the research intended to address?

The underlying problem statement is that invasive species have substantially altered energy transfer among and within Great Lakes food webs, and understanding the scale and consequences of these changes requires an ecosystem-level approach combining comprehensive field data collection with food web modeling.

What kind of research outputs are implied by the announcement?

The announcement points to work that quantifies energy dynamics across the lakewide food web and supports ecosystem-level modeling by integrating field data collection with food web modeling.

How is this opportunity connected to field work in Lake Ontario?

It is closely linked to a planned 2013 multinational, multi-agency field effort intended to characterize the current status of the Lake Ontario food web and the energy connections linking organisms and habitats.

What model is the funded work expected to support?

The funded work is expected to contribute to parameterizing a whole-lake food web mass-balance model.

What trophic levels does the model span?

The model is described as spanning the full range of trophic levels, from primary production and bacteria at the base of the system through to piscivores (fish that eat other fish) at the top.

Beyond model parameterization, what major scientific themes are highlighted?

The announcement highlights two major themes: (1) quantifying ecosystem and community effects of the deep chlorophyll layer; and (2) describing nearshore and offshore organism distribution and the implications for energy transfer between those zones.

What is the "deep chlorophyll layer" in the context of this project?

In this announcement, the deep chlorophyll layer is described as a subsurface zone where chlorophyll concentrations (and often phytoplankton biomass) are elevated and can strongly influence productivity and energy pathways.

What does the nearshore versus offshore component imply?

It implies research that describes organism distribution in nearshore and offshore areas and evaluates how those spatial patterns affect energy transfer between zones of the lake.

How does the announcement describe the overall research approach?

In practical terms, it points to research that integrates spatial patterns (nearshore versus offshore), biological community structure (from microbes to fish), and energetic linkages (production, consumption, and transfer efficiency) into a coherent, lakewide accounting framework.

How many awards were expected under this opportunity?

Only one award was expected.

What was the estimated total funding amount?

The estimated total funding amount listed was $30,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Why do the award ceiling and floor show as 0?

The source data listed both the award ceiling and floor as 0, which often indicates the funding range was not expressed through those specific fields even though an estimated total amount was provided.

When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?

It was posted and created on June 3, 2013. The original and current closing date was June 14, 2013.

Is this funding opportunity still open?

No. The archive date is listed as September 3, 2013, indicating the opportunity is no longer open.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to partners in the Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU Program. The announcement clarifies that recipients must be participating CESU partners.

The listing says eligible applicants are "Others." What does that mean here?

In this announcement, "Others" is clarified by the requirement that recipients must be participating CESU partners in the Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU.

What are CESUs in general terms (as described in the announcement)?

CESUs are structured partnerships that link federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, and other organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and educational activities, often emphasizing applied science needs and collaborative field programs.

Where can applicants find the full announcement and application details?

The Additional Information link for the full announcement and application details pointed to Grants.gov.

Who can be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?

The listed contact is Faith Graves at USGS. Phone: 703-648-7356. Email: fgraves@usgs.gov.