FULL DETAILS AT https://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/climate-adaptation-science-centers/casc-research-funding-opportunities

Eligibility: Only individuals from the following eligible organizations may submit proposals as the lead Principal Research Investigator in response to this Funding Opportunity: 1) SE CASC University Consortium consisting of North Carolina State University (host), Auburn University, Duke University, University of Florida, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee – Knoxville; 2) USGS centers, field stations, laboratories, Cooperative Research Units, etc. Each proposal must have a Principal Investigator (PI) from an eligible organization. Parties from other organizations (Federal, State, Tribal, or other) can serve as Co-PIs and receive funds via subaward from an eligible organization. Partnerships between University consortium scientists and USGS researchers are welcomed. Consortium-initiated proposals must be submitted though NC State University which serves as the Consortium host. Other parties may participate on funded projects via subawards. USGS researchers may receive funds directly.

Estimated Available Funds: $1,000,000

Project Funding Guidance: The SE CASC intends to fund 5-8 projects. Individual projects will be funded for up to $400,000 (inclusive of all indirect costs and overhead charges applied by all institutions involved and including both years of any two- year projects).

Project Duration: Generally, not to exceed 24 months (longer projects may be considered at the discretion of the SE CASC Director).

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

Submission Deadlines and General Schedule:

• Deadline for Statements of Interest: March 19, 2021
• Full Proposals Invited (Planned): April 22, 2021
• Deadline for Invited Full Proposals: July 23, 2021
• Notification of Intent to Award (Planned): September 8, 2021

Informational Webinar: 11am EST on February 18, 2021
View webinar presentation slides here. View a recording of the webinar here. 

A national network (All CASCs) webinar was held on February 16, 2021. A recording of that webinar can be found here. Powerpoint slides from the webinar can be found here. Note: the question/answer portion of this webinar was not recorded, however questions and answers from the webinar have been added to the CASC Funding Opportunity FAQ page here.

Southeast CASC FY22 Research Priorities: SE CASC operates using advice and guidance from a Stakeholder Advisory Committee. SE CASC broad scientific themes and principles of operation are described in a 2018 Memorandum. For this funding opportunity, the SE CASC seeks proposals that respond to one or more of the following priorities, listed below.

1. Evaluating the effectiveness of adaptation actions. We are interested in projects that test the effectiveness of climate adaptation actions, on pilot or regional scales, and produce information useful to natural resource managers to inform adaptation strategies and meet their management objectives. Research project examples include, but are not limited to: 1) demonstration/field testing of adaptation alternatives, 2) modeling studies to simulate and test the efficacy of alternative actions, and/or 3) cost-benefit analyses of using additional climate change information to increased resilience and/or lessened a climate impact. Projects that demonstrate transferability to other areas will be prioritized.
2. Ecohydrology and impacts to freshwater and tidal zone aquatic species and habitat. USGS has developed projections of daily hydrological conditions across a range of land use and climate change scenarios (details: https://secasc.ncsu.edu/science/water-availability/). We are interested in projects that use these projections to explore the following:
   a. Impacts to freshwater and estuarine habitat and species. How might projected changes to hydrological conditions (including high flow/flooding, low flow/drought, shifts in hydroperiod, and temperature) impact these ecosystems?
   b. Synthesis of regional freshwater risks. How might risk from changes to hydrological flow regimes and temperature vary across the southeastern US, and which locations might be at greater risk to changing climate or might be more resilient and serve as freshwater climate refugia?
   c. Access, use, interpretation of hydrological projections. We are interested in projects to develop, prototype, and test visualization of climate-driven hydrological projections to effectively convey the range of possible hydrological futures relevant to ecosystems in the Southeast US. Proposals should include strategy to test effectiveness of visualizations for risk and data interpretation by natural resources managers.
3. Targeted Ecosystems: 
   a. Shallow island habitat restoration. We are interested in projects 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. We are looking for proposals that can explore the optimal elevations across the shallow slope southeastern coastal zone for habitat maintenance and restoration that minimizes the risk of overwash from tidal events.
   b. Cave ecosystems. We are interested in projects that identify how changing climate will affect the structure and viability of terrestrial cave ecosystems, including species that rely on these habitats.
   c. Forest ecosystems. We are interested in projects that characterize how climate may impact forest ecosystem structure for migratory bird habitat.

Cross-Cutting Themes of Interest

• Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best principles in the climate change adaptation sciences and workforce.
• Supporting capacity building in southeastern Tribal nations, support Tribal-led research or direct participation in the research, address issues of shared governance, and/or provide products and services focused on Tribal climate adaptation priorities.
• Addressing human dimensions of climate-adapted natural and cultural resource management, which may include (but are not limited to) economic or sociological analyses of climate adaptation options or impacts.
• Developing and implementing innovative outreach efforts and products to translate science or tools to actionability.
• Engaging in meaningful and sustained dialog with management partners and stakeholders throughout the entire cycle of research to ensure actionable science.
• Addressing Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), listed species or those under consideration for the Federal Endangered Species Act; and/or fish, wildlife, and habitats of economic and/or cultural importance.

Additional Information:
Proposers working with Tribal Nations or Tribal organizations are strongly encouraged to contact the NE & SE CASC Tribal Resilience Liaison, Casey Thornbrugh (cthornbrugh@usetinc.org) prior to submitting their Statements of Interest. Proposers should be explicit in how the project will engage Tribal partners and ensure Tribal sovereign management of resources. Topics should be important to and identified by the Tribal Nation/Tribal organization and address management of fish, wildlife, habitat, or cultural resources under a changing climate.