Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Rivers CESU | G19AS00045

Opportunity Information: Apply for G19AS00045

The Department of the Interior, through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and its Columbia Environmental Research Center, announced a discretionary research funding opportunity under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the Great Rivers CESU. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally means USGS expects to be substantially involved during the project (for example through collaboration, shared technical input, or coordination on methods and deliverables), rather than simply issuing a stand-alone grant with minimal agency interaction. The overall aim is to support applied science and technology work that improves the tools and knowledge needed to study and manage freshwater mussels.

The project focus is on three closely related research needs for freshwater mussel conservation and monitoring. First, the opportunity calls for developing or improving methods to culture a diverse range of freshwater mussel species in the laboratory. Laboratory culture is a key bottleneck for many mussel studies because mussels have complex early life stages and species-specific requirements; better culture methods can enable more consistent experimentation, propagation, and conservation work. Second, the work is intended to evaluate how growth during early life stages influences freshwater mussel life history. In practical terms, this means studying how conditions and growth rates early on may affect later survival, development, reproduction, or other traits that ultimately shape population health and resilience. Third, the opportunity emphasizes using environmental DNA (eDNA) as a marker for detecting freshwater mussel species. eDNA approaches can offer sensitive, low-impact detection by identifying genetic material shed into water, which can be especially valuable for rare or hard-to-find mussel species and for broad monitoring across river systems.

Administratively, this opportunity was listed as Funding Opportunity Number G19AS00045, categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and tied to CFDA number 15.808. The posting date was April 1, 2019, with an original application deadline of April 16, 2019, indicating a relatively short application window typical of some targeted research solicitations. USGS anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $84,866, suggesting a single, focused project rather than a multi-project program. Eligibility is noted as "Others" with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility text (commonly, CESU opportunities are aimed at specific partners within the CESU network, such as certain universities, nonprofits, or other qualified organizations associated with that CESU, but the exact eligibility conditions would be defined in the official notice).

In plain terms, the government is looking to fund one collaborative research effort that strengthens laboratory rearing methods for multiple freshwater mussel species, clarifies how early growth affects long-term mussel biology and outcomes, and advances eDNA-based detection as a monitoring tool. The intended value is practical: better culture techniques support experimentation and restoration, better life-history understanding helps predict population responses to environmental conditions, and better detection methods improve surveys and conservation decision-making in Great Rivers and similar freshwater ecosystems.

• The Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Rivers CESU" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.808.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 01, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 16, 2019. (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 $84,866.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for G19AS00045

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