Notice of Intent | USGS 19 FA 0034

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS 19 FA 0034

This Notice of Intent describes a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) focused on natural resources research. The project topic is "Understanding Mechanisms of Fire-caused Vegetation Type Conversion in Southwestern Conifer Forests Under Current and Future Climate," which signals an emphasis on studying why and how wildfire is driving lasting shifts in forest vegetation in the U.S. Southwest, and how those shifts may change as the climate continues to warm and dry. In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at improving scientific understanding of post-fire ecological trajectories in conifer forests, especially situations where areas that historically returned to conifer forest after a fire instead transition to different vegetation types (for example, shrublands, grasslands, or other non-forest states). The framing also indicates an interest in both present-day mechanisms and forward-looking expectations under future climate conditions.

The funding opportunity number is USGS 19 FA 0034, and it is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity using a grant as the funding instrument. The activity category is Natural Resources, and the CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) number is 15.820, which corresponds to USGS research and related assistance. The eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, meaning the intended recipients are typically state universities, public colleges, and similar publicly governed academic institutions. Private universities, nonprofits, and other entities are not listed as eligible under the information provided.

The posting was created on 2019-02-14, with an original closing date of 2019-02-28, indicating a relatively short window between announcement and deadline. The award ceiling is $44,995, which suggests the funding is likely intended to support a targeted research effort such as a focused study, pilot project, synthesis, data analysis effort, or a discrete field and modeling component rather than a large multi-year program. The source information does not specify the anticipated number of awards (the field for expected awards is left blank), so it is not possible from the provided text to infer how many projects USGS planned to fund under this notice.

Overall, the opportunity supports research that helps explain the processes behind fire-driven vegetation change in southwestern conifer ecosystems and connects those processes to climate conditions now and in the future. The emphasis on mechanisms implies USGS is looking for work that goes beyond documenting change and instead identifies drivers and causal pathways, such as post-fire regeneration limits, seed availability, drought stress, changing fire severity or frequency, soil and microclimate shifts, or other ecological and climatic factors that determine whether forests recover or convert to alternative vegetation states.

• The Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.820.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-28. (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 $44,995.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS 19 FA 0034

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