Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
🏛 Geological Survey (DOI-USGS1)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research partners in the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. Eligible recipients must be formal participating partners of the CESU Program. This includes universities, government agencies, nonprofits, and tribes with active CESU membership.
The grant funds research on invasive plant management strategies adapted for climate change in the Northeast. Projects should address how control methods like herbicides and mowing remain effective under warming temperatures. Work must align with federal priorities on resilience, water security, and natural hazard preparedness.
Funding ranges from $1 to $350,000 per award. No cost-sharing requirement. The cooperative agreement is a fixed-deadline opportunity.
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Program description
Invasive plants harm ecosystems by outcompeting native plants and destabilizing natural communities. To reduce harm, practitioners use control methods such as herbicides or mowing. Rising temperatures can create a fertilization effect that boosts plant growth, an impact that is even stronger in invasive species, which tend to grow much faster than non-invasive plants. As a result, the recommended doses and number of treatments of herbicides may no longer be effective for controlling invasive plants. To address the need for information on how invasive plant treatment strategies can be adapted to remain effective under warming temperatures in the Northeast, researchers will synthesize 1) practitioner knowledge on the success of past treatments and 2) the best available science on treatments. Incorporating science on whether and how treatment approaches can be more effective will address a critical need for invasive species practitioners in the Northeast, who report spending most of their time treating existing invasive plants.
This work aligns with the goals of EO 14239 -Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness (March 19, 2025) by helping state and local practitioners mitigate invasive species-associated hazards, as well as EO 14303 -Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) and SO 3441 (Implementing the Requirements of Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science (August 29, 2025) by strengthening American leadership in adaptation science.
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.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 or SF-424 (R&R)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Organizational Proof of CESU Partnership Status
- Curriculum Vitae (key personnel)
- Letters of Support (from partners/practitioners, if applicable)
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 8 awards $247.1M
- CA 23 awards $73.1M
- 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 is eligible to apply?
Your organization must be a formal partner organization in the North Atlantic Coast CESU Program. Check CESU's official partner list before applying. Contact your regional CESU coordinator if unsure.
What types of research does this grant support?
Projects focus on invasive plant management and control strategies under climate change. Research must combine practitioner knowledge with scientific evidence. Applications from the Northeast region are prioritized.
Is cost-sharing required?
No. This grant does not require matching funds or cost-sharing contributions. Budget requests are evaluated on direct project needs only.
What is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is November 14, 2026. This is not a rolling program, so submit applications before the cutoff date.
How competitive is this program?
The program has a limited total funding pool of $350,000. Awards range from $1 to $350,000. Align your work with federal priorities on resilience and natural hazard preparedness to strengthen competitiveness.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Verify your organization is an active North Atlantic Coast CESU partner before investing time in the application. Ineligible partners will be rejected immediately.
- Connect your invasive plant research directly to climate adaptation and Northeast regional needs. Reviewers prioritize actionable science for resource managers.
- Emphasize collaboration between researchers and practitioners. The grant values synthesis of scientific evidence with on-the-ground treatment experience.
- Address how your work supports federal administration priorities: resilience, water security, or natural hazard preparedness. Explicit alignment strengthens your proposal.
- Request realistic budgets tied to specific activities. Even small awards ($1-$50K) can fund focused research questions on treatment effectiveness.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they don't confirm CESU partner eligibility upfront, wasting reviewer time on ineligible submissions. Proposals lose competitiveness when they ignore federal priorities like resilience and focus only on invasive species without connecting to climate adaptation. Weak applications separate science from practitioner needs instead of synthesizing both perspectives.
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