Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast CESU | G19AS00014

Opportunity Information: Apply for G19AS00014

This funding opportunity (G19AS00014) is a discretionary cooperative agreement issued by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through the John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. It was created on October 29, 2018, with an original closing date of November 14, 2018. The program sits in the Science and Technology/Research and Development category under CFDA 15.808 and is offered through the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) network, specifically the North Atlantic Coast CESU. Eligibility is limited to CESU partners (the notice lists eligibility as "Others" with clarification in the additional eligibility text), meaning it is not a broad open competition for the general public but rather targeted to institutions already participating in the CESU partnership framework.

The purpose of the award is to support research that builds a globally extensive, standardized database describing groundwater arsenic concentrations and the conditions associated with them. The central deliverable is a single, consistently formatted compilation of existing data sources, pulling together geochemical, hydrologic, and geologic datasets related to arsenic in groundwater across aquifer systems worldwide. In practical terms, the project is about data integration and harmonization at a global scale: identifying relevant datasets, assembling them into one unified structure, and ensuring they can be compared and analyzed consistently despite originating from different countries, agencies, sampling programs, and analytical methods.

Beyond assembling the database, the opportunity emphasizes analytical work using that dataset. The planned work includes geochemical analysis (to interpret chemical signatures and reactions), geostatistical analysis (to quantify spatial patterns, variability, and uncertainty), and geospatial analysis (to relate arsenic occurrence to mapped environmental and geologic factors). The goal of these analyses is to evaluate the factors and processes that drive why arsenic levels vary so widely from one region or aquifer system to another. That can include relationships to aquifer geology, sediment characteristics, redox conditions, groundwater flow and residence time, hydrologic setting, and other broad-scale environmental controls that influence arsenic mobilization and persistence in groundwater.

The notice indicates one expected award, with a maximum (award ceiling) of $58,051, reflecting a small, focused research effort rather than a multi-year, multi-institution program. Because it is a cooperative agreement, USGS involvement is typically more substantial than in a standard grant, often including collaboration on scope refinement, data standards, technical direction, and coordination to ensure the resulting database and analyses align with USGS science needs and are usable for synthesis, assessment, or future modeling. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at producing a high-value global resource: a curated groundwater arsenic database paired with analytical insights that help explain global variability and support broader understanding of arsenic risk in groundwater systems.

• 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 Ecosystems Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast 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 Oct 29, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 14, 2018. (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 $58,051.00 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 G19AS00014

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