Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated with Great Lakes – Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G21AS00594

Opportunity Information: Apply for G21AS00594

This grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number G21AS00594) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the Alaska Science Center (ASC). It is designed to fund a CESU-affiliated partner to complete the final phase of an ongoing research effort focused on polar bear health, with a particular emphasis on the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation. The project sits within the broader context of rapid environmental change in the Arctic, where sea ice loss has been pushing more polar bears to spend parts of the summer on land. That shift in behavior matters because time on land can change what animals are exposed to, including new pathogens, contaminants, and different ecological interactions, all of which can influence overall health outcomes.

The central scientific purpose of this final project component is to characterize viral diversity in Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. In practical terms, the work is meant to identify and describe the range of viruses present in biological samples collected from these bears, including both endemic viruses (those already established in the population or region) and potentially emerging viruses (those that may be newly appearing or increasing due to changing environmental or ecological conditions). USGS ASC indicates that biological samples will be made available to support the research, which suggests the funded partner would primarily contribute specialized laboratory analysis and interpretation rather than field collection.

A key expectation is that the partner organization bring strong technical capacity in virology and eco-epidemiology, along with the necessary laboratory facilities to process and analyze the provided samples. The emphasis on eco-epidemiology highlights that this is not only about detecting viruses in a laboratory sense, but also about understanding what viral findings may mean in a wildlife and ecosystem context: how shifts in habitat use, exposure pathways, and environmental pressures could affect infection patterns and health risks. The resulting data are intended to feed into USGS efforts to refine projections about polar bear distribution and abundance under climate change scenarios, meaning the work has both immediate health-monitoring value and longer-term conservation and management relevance.

From a program standpoint, this opportunity is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) framework, which is a partnership model used by the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies to support research, technical assistance, and education. Eligibility is limited to participating partners of the Great Lakes - Northern Forest CESU program, and the award instrument is a cooperative agreement, implying substantial federal involvement or collaboration during the project compared to a standard grant. The funding ceiling for the award is $45,000, and the original closing date listed is August 30, 2021. The assistance listing is tied to CFDA number 15.808, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, reflecting the research-driven nature of the work.

Overall, the opportunity supports a targeted, applied research deliverable: completing the final stage of development for a health monitoring program for the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear subpopulation by documenting and interpreting the diversity of viruses detected in existing samples. The intended outcome is a stronger scientific basis for tracking polar bear health as the Arctic changes, with findings that can inform both disease risk understanding and broader population outlook assessments.

• The Geological Survey in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated with Great Lakes – Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit" 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 2021-07-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-08-30. (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 $45,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for G21AS00594

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