Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
🏛 Geological Survey (DOI-USGS1)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 4, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for CESU (Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units) partners working on aquatic invasive species research and risk assessment. Eligible applicants must be a participating partner of the Californian CESU Program. The program supports technical assistance projects on mussel risk assessment and mitigation infrastructure.
Work focuses on integrating road network models into invasive species risk assessments. Projects address quagga and zebra mussels in Washington State and golden mussels in California. USGS provides model guidance, dataset assistance, and federal partner coordination.
Funding supports technical assistance, collaborative research, and applied conservation work. This is not open to all organizations—only current CESU partners can apply.
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Program description
The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Western Fisheries Research Center in partnership with the Grand Canyon Science Center and Wetland and Aquatic Research Center solicits technical assistance from a CESU partner to: a) integrate a novel road network model into an existing invasive quagga and zebra mussel risk assessment model for Washington State; and b) expand that model to establish a standardized risk assessment for golden mussels in California. This new optimization framework will be designed to identify ideal locations for mitigation interventions like watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) stations and “clean-drain-dry” information campaigns. This work will leverage a collaborative multi-year effort that developed standardized risk assessment models in the Missouri and Columbia river basins (Raymond et al. 2024 and 2026). This risk-based approach is being done as part of a call to action by state and federal resource managers in Washington State and California. USGS staff will provide model development guidance, assist with gathering needed datasets, and will help facilitate relationships with state and federal resource management partners. This work supports the President’s Executive Order 14154 – Unleashing American Energy (January 20, 2025 and adjoining Interior Secretarial Order 3418 -Unleashing American Energy (February 3, 2025) as well as Executive Order 14156 – Declaring a National Energy Emergency (January 20, 2025) by protecting numerous hydro-electric facilities and ensuring reliable energy is readily accessible. It protects new water delivery infrastructure investments associated with Executive Order 14181 – Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California and Improve Disaster Response in Certain Areas (January 24, 2025). It also ensures that the “Gold Standard of Science” (Executive Order 14303- Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) is being applied to issues of significant economic, safety, and security importance to the nation.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- CESU Partner partnership verification
- Project Narrative and technical approach
- Budget and budget justification
- Organizational documentation (if required by CESU program)
- Letters of support from state/federal resource management partners
Program contact
- 👤 Geological Survey
- 📧 katherine_calder@ios.doi.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
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$240,000,000
-
$11,148,115
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$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 7 awards $246.6M
- CA 21 awards $72.1M
- AK 15 awards $34.2M
- FL 6 awards $22.8M
- WA 4 awards $16.6M
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.
| 2024 | $125,066,719 | |
| 2025 | $54,713,074 | |
| 2026 est. | $60,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Only organizations that are current participating partners of the Californian CESU Program are eligible. You must already have an established partnership with CESU.
What geographic areas does this cover?
The work focuses on Washington State and California, particularly on aquatic invasive species management and hydroelectric facility protection.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects developing risk assessment models for invasive mussels, identifying mitigation intervention sites, and supporting watercraft inspection and decontamination station placement.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $1 to $250,000. Total available funding is $250,000.
Is cost-sharing required?
No, cost-sharing is not required for this cooperative agreement.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Confirm your organization is a current CESU partner before investing application time. Only eligible partners can apply.
- Ground your proposal in the existing Raymond et al. models developed for Missouri and Columbia river basins to demonstrate continuity.
- Highlight connections to state and federal resource manager priorities in Washington and California.
- Show how your work supports hydroelectric facility protection and energy security goals.
- Emphasize partnerships with USGS staff and how you'll leverage their model guidance and federal relationships.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applying without confirmed CESU partnership status. Not demonstrating clear connection to existing invasive mussel risk assessment frameworks and state/federal manager priorities. Underestimating the technical complexity of integrating road network models into existing assessment tools.
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