Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
🏛 Geological Survey (DOI-USGS1)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Nov 13, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for CESU partners affiliated with the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit. Only organizations that are current participating partners of this CESU unit can apply.
The award supports competitive research projects that advance climate adaptation and natural resource management. Projects should address topics like fisheries management, water security, hydrology, or ecosystem resilience in the Chesapeake watershed region.
Both nonprofit organizations and government agencies may be eligible if they are CESU partners. Contact your CESU coordinator to confirm partnership status before applying.
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Program description
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is for a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center (NRCASC) competitive research financial assistance award to a CESU partner.
Projects supported under this cooperative agreement should advance Administration priorities, including, but not limited to, American energy dominance, critical mineral development, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness. Research and activities may incorporate scientific expertise in areas such as hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, including extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, to develop actionable science, data, and tools that support informed decision-making by resource managers and stakeholders.
Recreational fisheries contribute important nutritional and economic benefits to people, yet their role in supporting food security is often overlooked. As demand grows for sustainable, accessible food sources, there is a need for updated, regionally relevant information to support informed decision-making by federal and state fisheries managers. Leveraging emerging finer-scale inland recreational fisheries datasets, this project will update estimates of harvest, consumption, and economic value; refine species-specific vulnerability assessments; and integrate results to strengthen adaptive management techniques, prioritize monitoring efforts, sustain nutritional benefits, and enhance the resilience of U.S. fisheries. This project supports:
- EO 14276 -Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness (April 17, 2025) by providing research that strengthens fisheries management and science
- EO 14313 Establishing the President’s Make America Beautiful Again Commission (July 3, 2025) by advancing responsible stewardship of natural resources and collaborating with states to recover and sustainably manage fish.
- SO 3447 -Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access, Removing Unnecessary Barriers, and Ensuring Consistency Across the Department of the Interior Lands and Waters (January 7, 2026) by improving our understanding of how fish consumption contributes to stocking pressures in inland fisheries, providing managers with critical information that ensures fisheries remain available for all recreational purposes.
- EO 14303 -Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) by providing transparent, rigorous, and impactful research to inform policy and regulatory decisions.
Together, these efforts provide managers with critical information to sustain accessible, well-managed recreational fisheries.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Completed CESU partnership verification
- Project narrative describing research objectives and methods
- Budget and budget justification
- Timeline and deliverables
- Letters of support from resource managers or agency partners
Program contact
- 👤 Geological Survey
- 📧 rachel_miller@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
-
$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 9 awards $247.6M
- CA 24 awards $73.6M
- AK 17 awards $35.1M
- FL 7 awards $23.2M
- 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.
| 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 can apply for this grant?
Only participating partners of the Chesapeake Watershed CESU are eligible. You must have an established partnership agreement with the CESU.
What types of projects are funded?
Research on water security, fisheries management, climate adaptation, hydrology, and ecosystem resilience. Projects should support natural resource managers with actionable science and data.
What is the typical award amount?
Awards range from $1 to $200,000. The total funding pool is $200,000.
Is cost-sharing required?
No. This grant does not require applicants to provide matching funds or cost-sharing.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is November 30, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Confirm you are a current CESU partner before investing time in an application. Contact your Chesapeake Watershed CESU coordinator first.
- Align your project directly with the priority research areas: fisheries management, water security, climate adaptation, or ecosystem resilience.
- Emphasize how your research will provide actionable science and tools that resource managers can actually use for decision-making.
- Connect your work to federal priorities like energy resilience, critical minerals, or natural hazard preparedness when relevant to your project.
- Develop partnerships with state and federal fisheries or environmental agencies to strengthen your application and demonstrate management relevance.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they don't demonstrate CESU partnership status or come from ineligible organizations. Projects that are purely academic without management application or end-user focus often score poorly. Weak connections to water security, fisheries management, or climate adaptation priorities reduce competitiveness.
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