Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
Can you apply?
This grant is for CESU partners to conduct wetland research in Louisiana. Eligible recipients must be organizations already participating in the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partnership. The work focuses on tidal creek water chemistry in Barataria Basin marshes to support ecosystem restoration following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Research activities include data collection, analysis, and developing decision support tools for wetland recovery assessment. Work must align with the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group restoration objectives and Natural Resource Damage Assessment requirements under federal authority.
The project serves the Oil Pollution Act mandate and supports restoration of natural resources injured by the oil spill.
This grant is for CESU partners to conduct wetland research in Louisiana. Eligible recipients must be organizations already participating in the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partnership. The work focuses on tidal creek water chemistry in Barataria Basin marshes to support ecosystem restoration following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Research activities include data collection, analysis, and developing decision support tools for wetland recovery assessment. Work must align with the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group restoration objectives and Natural Resource Damage Assessment requirements under federal authority.
The project serves the Oil Pollution Act mandate and supports restoration of natural resources injured by the oil spill.
Program description
The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to characterize tidal creek water chemistry in fresh and salt marshes in Barataria Basin, Louisiana, supporting development of a decision support tool that will assess wetland recovery in response to oil spill damage and subsequent restoration. This activity is intended to support evaluation of restoration actions within the Louisiana Restoration Area; perform data collection, aggregation and analyses; and inform critical information gaps. This work is carried out pursuant to the 33 U.S.C. 2701, 2761Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) statute and regulations. Consistent with the Consent Decree for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Trustees carry out their obligations according to Final Programmatic Damage Assessment Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PDARP/PEIS), and the Trustee Council Standard Operating Procedures for Implementation of the Natural Resource Restoration for the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Oil Spill. Trustees, including Department of the Interior, have a responsibility to use allocated funds to restore natural resources and services injured or lost as a result of the DWH oil spill. The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG) MAM Strategy (LA TIG, 2021) has approved activities to “Contribute to maintaining and restoring ecosystem-scale condition and resilience at coastwide, basin, and subbasin scales” as a high-level objective under the Cross-Restoration Type. Under this high-level objective is the fundamental objective to “maximize the combined benefits of the various Restoration Types and approaches across the overall restoration portfolio (PDARP Section 5.5.1) (Cross-Restoration #1)”. To develop a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, appropriate Timeline (SMART) objective, the LA TIG has approved U.S. Geological Survey to “Quantify wetland net ecosystem carbon balance at pre-spill/post-spill time scales and basin/sub-basin spatial scales, including export to nearshore Gulf of Mexico” (Cross-Restoration #1b).This work supports the restoration goals identified in the Final PDARP/PEIS and the Record of Decision that provides and explains the Trustees” selection of the Preferred Alternative (Alternative A) for the Programmatic Restoration Plan in the Final PDARP/PEIS. This wetland restoration research is supported by multiple federal authorities that collectively empower agencies to assess environmental injury, reduce pollution, restore damaged ecosystems, and invest in the science needed to guide recovery. The RESTORE Act directs Gulf spill‐related funds to ecosystem restoration, research, monitoring, and long‐term coastal recovery. Its mandate supports wetland‐focused science that guides restoration design, evaluates ecosystem health, and strengthens resilience across the Gulf. Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) authority under 54 U.S.C. §100721 empowers Federal trustees to assess injuries to natural resources, quantify damages, and develop science‐based restoration plans. This authority explicitly requires research to determine baseline conditions, evaluate injury, and design effective restoration for wetlands and other coastal systems. CERCLA (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) authorizes Federal action to respond to hazardous releases and provides for technical assistance and research to interpret environmental hazards, inform remedial actions, and guide ecological restoration. This research directly supports CERCLA”s intent by improving understanding of contaminant impacts and restoring injured resources. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) establishes the national policy to protect and restore land and water resources and expressly supports research to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution. This authority enables wetland restoration research to improve water quality, ecological function, and longterm resilience as described in this agreement.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Details
This grant is for CESU partners to conduct wetland research in Louisiana. Eligible recipients must be organizations already participating in the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partnership. The work focuses on tidal creek water chemistry in Barataria Basin marshes to support ecosystem restoration following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Research activities include data collection, analysis, and developing decision support tools for wetland recovery assessment. Work must align with the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group restoration objectives and Natural Resource Damage Assessment requirements under federal authority.
The project serves the Oil Pollution Act mandate and supports restoration of natural resources injured by the oil spill.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Project narrative describing research approach and alignment with Louisiana restoration objectives
- Work plan with specific data collection, analysis, and decision support tool development activities
- Budget and budget narrative justifying costs
- Detailed timeline with major milestones
- CV or biographical information for key personnel
- Letters of support from Louisiana Trustee agencies or restoration partners
- Data management plan for research outputs
Program contact
- 👤 Geological Survey
- 📧 rachelmiller@usgs.gov
- 📞 916-278-9331
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 15.808 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$240,000,000
-
$11,148,115
-
$10,533,234
-
$10,055,533
-
$8,476,627
-
$8,454,102
-
$7,659,261
-
$6,894,612
-
$6,800,079
-
$6,644,228
Top States by Funding
- CO 4 awards $245.0M
- CA 18 awards $70.3M
- AK 12 awards $32.6M
- FL 6 awards $22.8M
- WA 3 awards $16.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 15.808). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2021 | $35,000,000 | |
| 2022 | $157,201,151 | |
| 2023 | $263,107,440 | |
| 2024 | $125,066,719 | |
| 2025 est. | $110,000,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $60,000,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
You must be an existing partner organization of the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU). CESU partnerships include universities, nonprofits, and other institutions already engaged in the program.
What geographic area does this grant cover?
The research must focus on Barataria Basin in Louisiana, specifically tidal creeks in fresh and salt marshes in that region.
What types of activities can be funded?
Eligible activities include water chemistry data collection, ecosystem analysis, decision support tool development, and research supporting wetland restoration evaluation in the Louisiana restoration area.
Is cost-sharing required?
No, there is no cost-sharing requirement. Federal funds can cover 100% of eligible project costs.
What is the funding range available?
Individual awards typically range from $1 to $400,000 depending on project scope and available funding in the pool.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Verify CESU partnership status before investing effort. Contact the Gulf Coast CESU directly to confirm your organization's eligibility and partnership standing.
- Frame your research clearly around oil spill restoration objectives. Use language from the Louisiana TIG MAM Strategy and PDARP/PEIS to demonstrate alignment with federal restoration priorities.
- Include specific monitoring metrics tied to wetland ecosystem recovery. The grant requires quantifiable outcomes for wetland condition and carbon balance at basin scales.
- Build in data integration and decision support capabilities. Strong proposals show how research will inform restoration management decisions beyond data collection alone.
- Establish realistic timelines aligned with restoration implementation cycles. Work schedules should reflect coordination needs with ongoing Louisiana coast restoration efforts.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants unfamiliar with CESU partnerships sometimes fail to confirm organizational eligibility before developing detailed proposals. Proposals that don't explicitly link research to Oil Pollution Act restoration mandates or Louisiana TIG objectives often score poorly. Applications lacking clear decision support or management utility beyond data collection miss the applied research focus required by this program.
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