Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) 2026 Grant

DOI-USGS1

About this grant

This cooperative agreement, funded by the U.S. Geological Survey (Department of the Interior) under Assistance Listing 15.808, supports a project on invasive grass-fire cycles in the eastern portion of the sagebrush biome. Invasive grasses such as cheatgrass add fine fuels that increase wildfire frequency, and after a fire they regrow quickly and outcompete native plants. This cycle is well documented in the western sagebrush biome (e.g., the Great Basin) but has been studied far less in the east. Native grasslands in the eastern Northern Great Plains may be more fire-adapted and less prone to the cycle, so Great Basin management practices may be ineffective or even harmful there. The project will work with resource managers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture to map where the invasive grass-fire cycle occurs in native grasslands and to identify effective management strategies. The results are intended to help managers decide where post-fire interventions are needed to limit invasive grass spread and where they are not. The work is framed as supporting community wildfire resilience, consistent with Executive Orders 14308 and 14239. The notice also says supported projects should advance Administration priorities such as energy dominance, critical minerals, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness. Research may draw on hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, including extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, to produce actionable science, data, and tools for decision-makers. The opportunity is a single expected award issued through the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program, which provides research, technical assistance, and education through partnerships.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are listed as 'Others' and must be a participating partner of the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. No cost sharing or matching is required.

Key requirements

• ✓Applicant must be a CESU affiliated partner (Rocky Mountain CESU)
• ✓Project must map invasive grass-fire cycles in native grasslands and identify effective post-fire interventions, working with USDA and Wyoming Department of Agriculture managers
• ✓Single expected award; deadline 2026-11-14

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does DOI-USGS1 offer?

Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) offers $1 – $375K.

When is the Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) deadline?

Applications close 15 Nov 2026 04:59.

Who can apply for Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)?

Eligibility covers organisations in US; university, research-institution, nonprofit. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Biodiversity funding backs habitat restoration, species protection, protected areas and nature-positive business. It comes from environment agencies, multilateral nature funds and conservation philanthropy, often through competitive calls with defined regions. Applicants are usually asked for baseline surveys, local partners and indicators that show ecological change.