Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
USGS will fund a Chesapeake Watershed CESU participating partner to do collaborative amphibian research, including model development, analysis of disease-study data, dynamic integrated distribution model prototyping, and decision-tool development for management of an endangered amphibian on DOI lands.
⚑ Eligible applicants must be a participating partner of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU); a public university may apply only if it is that CESU partner. · Cooperative agreement with substantial collaboration with USGS Eastern Ecological Research Center and USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative. · Award ceiling is $450,000.
This is a biological/ecological amphibian monitoring and modeling cooperative agreement, centered on disease study analysis, distribution models, and endangered-species management tools. It is far outside IPPRA’s social-behavioral risk, policy, weather, energy, and public opinion portfolio, with no obvious PI-level fit for any team member.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-10-15
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 75 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 58 good | portfolio topic: environment (primary); social/behavioral work is minor; funds applied research; university can only partner, not lead; biomedical core — IPPRA health lane is communication/crisis/policy (capped) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research for meeting partner needs for quantifying current status and trends of North American amphibian populations and outcomes of management interventions. The research will be conducted in collaboration with USGS partners at the USGS Eastern Ecological Research Center and the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative. Specific work will focus on three areas of need: 1) assisting with model development and analysis of data from an ongoing national amphibian disease study; 2) prototyping methods for dynamic integrated distribution models; and 3) assisting with development of decision tools for management of an endangered amphibian on DOI lands.
Eligibility
This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program. CESU's are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Geological Survey <katherine_calder@ios.doi.gov>
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