NPS Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU) Master Cooperative Agreements

The National Park Service (NPS) are seeking applications for Master Cooperative Agreements from CESU network participants in the following CESU network regions: North and West Alaska Californian Chesapeake Watershed Colorado Plateau Desert Southwest Great Basin Great Lakes Northern Forest Great Plains Great Rivers Gulf Coast Hawaii/Pacific Islands North Atlantic Coast Pacific Northwest Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Rocky Mountains South Florida Caribbean Southern Appalachian Cooperative agreements to CESU network participants residing in CESU network regions other than those listed above will be pursued separate from this notice of funding opportunity; however, those CESU network participants may still apply for a Master Cooperative Agreement under this announcement. Application instructions are found in Section D. Application and Submission Information. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated as they are received and may be submitted at any time up until the closing date of this announcement. The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units network is a national consortium of Federal agencies, tribes, academic institutions, state and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations, and other partners working together to support informed public trust resource stewardship. The CESU network includes 390 non-Federal partners and 15 Federal Agencies in seventeen (17) CESUs representing biogeographic regions encompassing all 50 states and U.S. territories. The CESU network is well positioned as a platform to support research, technical assistance, education and capacity building that is responsive to long-standing and contemporary science and resource management priorities. The seventeen (17) CESUs bring together scientists, resource managers, students, and other conservation professionals, drawing upon expertise from across the biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines (from Anthropology to Zoology) to conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary applied projects that address natural and cultural heritage resource issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context. Each CESU is structured as a working collaborative with participation from numerous Federal and non-Federal institutional partners. CESUs are based at host universities and focused on a particular biogeographic region of the country. The NPS is required...

All applicants must be a partner of the CESU network prior to being considered for an award of a master cooperative agreement under this announcement. Information on how to join the CESU network can be found at: www.cesu.org.

Specific evaluation criteria will be included in the funding announcements posted on www.grants.gov.

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Fiscal Year2025: 1) Environmental Research and Monitoring - Funding supports scientific studies that assess the health of ecosystems. For example: Measuring water quality in rivers and lakes to detect pollution or changes over time; monitoring bat populations to understand the spread of diseases like white-nose syndrome, and using drones to observe marine mammals in remote coastal areas. 2) Cultural and Historical Preservation - Funding is used to document and protect cultural heritage. This includes: conducting archaeological surveys to uncover and record historic sites; and preserving historic buildings through masonry repair and conservation techniques. 3) Wildlife and Habitat Restoration - Projects aim to restore natural habitats and protect endangered species. Examples include: reintroducing native plants to areas overrun by invasive species; studying rare animals like alpine wildlife or shorebirds to inform conservation strategies; and restoring coral reefs and monitoring their recovery. 4) Student Engagement and Education - Funding helps connect young people with nature and science through: internships that provide hands-on experience in conservation and park...