SE CASC FY2020 Funding Opportunity

Call for Statements of Interest and Proposals

Eligible Applicants: Eligible PIs in the Southeast are affiliated with either SE CASC Consortium Universities (including NC State University, Auburn University, Duke University, University of Florida, University of South Carolina, or University of Tennessee), or US Geological Survey (including USGS centers, field stations, laboratories, and Cooperative Research Units). Parties from other organizations can participate and receive funds via sub-award from the Principal Investigator, but the proposal submitter and PI must be from an eligible applicant. PIs may submit more than one statement of interest.

Estimated Funds: Approximately $700,000 may be available to fund projects identified in this funding opportunity subject to final budget allocations from USGS.  Individual project proposal budgets should not exceed $200,000 per project year.

Project Duration: Not to exceed 24 months.

SE CASC Contact: Ryan Boyles, Deputy Director, SE CASC, rboyles@usgs.gov, 919-513-2816

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) established the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) in 2010 to address the challenges presented by climate and land use change in the Southeastern United States (http://secasc.ncsu.edu/). SE CASC’s mission is to develop and deliver scientific knowledge and tools needed to help fish, wildlife, and ecosystems adapt to a changing climate. SE CASC operates using advice and guidance from a Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC). SE CASC broad scientific priorities and principles of operation are described in a 2018 Memorandum.

FY20 Solicitation Timeline (subject to revision)

December 13, 2019 – Call for Statements of Interest
January 31, 2020  – Statements of Interest due to Ryan Boyles rboyles@usgs.gov
February 17, 2020 – Full proposals solicited
April 27, 2020 – Full proposals due
May 29, 2020  – Selection decisions and applicant notifications

FY2020 Guidelines and Priorities

Statements of Interest should be submitted by January 31, 2020 to rboyles@usgs.gov using these guidelines. Special consideration will be given to projects that incorporate state and Tribal Nation partners.

Science Priorities:

    1. Non-native and invasive plants and animals. We are interested in proposals that explore climate impacts to non-native and invasive species through:
      1. Assessing climate induced shifts in the range, distribution, abundance, and/or functional role of an invasive plant, pest, animal, or pathogen.
      2. Evaluating the effectiveness of planned management actions to address climate-driven biological invasions or transformations.
    2. Climate change impacts to game species. We are interested in proposals that synthesize or explore how changing climate will affect important game species, such as bobwhite, turkey, migratory waterfowl, and ungulates in the southeastern US and Caribbean.
    3. Impacts of climate change on freshwater and near-shore harmful algal blooms. We are interested in proposals that synthesize or explore how changing climate may impact the intensity, frequency, and spatial extent of harmful algal blooms as well as evaluation of strategies that natural resource managers might use to adapt to those impacts.
    4. Risk from super tides for shallow island habitat restoration. We are interested in proposals that identify the risks of “super-tide” events under rising sea level over the next 20 years to inform habitat restoration for nesting coastal birds. Habitat that is not constructed at sufficiently high elevations is at risk from inundation that washes away nests while habitat constructed too high is at risk for occupation by predatory mammals.

Additional Resources