Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00009

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) grant opportunity is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior) funding program designed to support collaborative work that helps federal land management, environmental, and research agencies address real-world natural and cultural resource challenges. CESU operates as a networked partnership model, meaning the goal is not simply to fund isolated projects, but to connect agencies with universities, nonprofits, tribes, and other partners to deliver research, technical assistance, and education that can be applied to on-the-ground management decisions.

At its core, the opportunity emphasizes interdisciplinary problem-solving in an ecosystem context. Projects are expected to draw from the biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines as needed, reflecting the reality that resource management issues rarely fit within a single field. CESU-supported work is meant to function across multiple scales, from local site-level questions to broader landscape or regional concerns, and to integrate science and practical management needs. The program is positioned to help agencies improve how they conserve wildlife and habitat, manage public lands and waters, and address complex environmental and cultural resource issues using credible science and partner capacity.

This particular funding announcement is identified as Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00009 and is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project, such as coordination, technical input, shared planning, or other collaborative roles beyond standard grant oversight. The funding activity categories listed are Education and Environment, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 15.678, which signals the broader federal assistance program classification under which this funding sits.

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to a wide range of applicant types, with the caveat that any specific limitations would be provided in the official eligibility clarification text (not included in the data provided here). In practical terms, CESU opportunities are often used to engage a wide set of partners capable of delivering research and applied technical support, though the precise eligibility rules for any single announcement can vary based on the awarding office and the specific project needs.

From the funding details provided, the maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $100,000, with an expectation of one award. The announcement was created on October 26, 2017, with an original closing date of November 26, 2017. These dates suggest this was a time-limited competition for a single project or narrowly defined scope of work under the CESU framework rather than a broad multi-award program cycle.

The legal authority for CESU work, as cited in the opportunity, is grounded in several major federal conservation and resource management statutes. These include the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, which supports coordination and consideration of fish and wildlife resources in water-resource development and related federal actions; the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (as amended), which underpins federal investments in conservation and recreation resources; the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the primary statute for protecting threatened and endangered species and their habitats; the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which supports conservation of non-game fish and wildlife and related planning; and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, which provides broader authorities for fish and wildlife conservation and management activities. Collectively, these authorities frame CESU as a mechanism for advancing federally supported conservation, stewardship, and applied science partnerships.

In summary, this CESU opportunity is a cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support one project (up to $100,000) that advances research, technical assistance, or educational efforts tied to ecosystem-based natural and cultural resource management. The program is explicitly built around partnership-driven, interdisciplinary work meant to help federal agencies make better-informed decisions across a range of conservation and land management priorities.

  • The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "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): 15.678.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Oct 26, 2017.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 26, 2017. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
Apply for F18AS00009

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